What Are Power Surges And How Do You Prepare For Them?

What Are Power Surges And How Do You Prepare For It?

What should you know about power surges?

 

  1. What are power surges?
  2. Causes of power surges
  3. Protecting your homes from power surges

 

Electrical suppliers in Manila have been researching and manufacturing new technologies that will help protect establishments from electrical hazards. One of these hazards is known as the power surge. This happens suddenly, with little to no signs of it happening, therefore making it a dangerous electrical threat.

However, it is still possible for you to protect your home and yourself from the dangers of power surges. But in order to do that, you have to understand the basics of power surges.

 

What are Power Surges

Also referred to as line surges, or just a surge for short, a power surge is a quick increase in voltage within a circuit.

Keep in mind that in the Philippines, the power we get is on average, at 220v AC power. However, the voltages usually fluctuate between a specific range. When that fluctuation goes above the upper limit, that is called a power surge. This causes an increase in the electrical current. It can also go the other way: an increase in electrical current will result in the voltage levels surpassing the upper boundary of voltage.

Power surges would usually last just about a fraction of a second, but the damage that it brings can be devastating—specifically to power-sensitive appliances.

 

Causes of Power Surges

Causes of Power Surges

Because of the possible damage that power surges can bring, it’s important that every electrical supplier in Manila makes an effort to educate people on what might cause these in the first place. The more people know about what causes surges, the better they can prepare themselves once they happen.

 

Electrical Overloads

When too much power is drawn from a single circuit, an overload will occur. One of the most common reasons for this is the misuse of extension cords. Good quality extension cords will be able to handle all of the outlets used if they’re within their capacity. However, if it exceeds this limit, then it will potentially get overloaded. They are only designed to (as their name suggests) extend the range of outlets.

Electrical overload can lead to power surges. The overloaded circuit may receive an immense spike in current due to too much power being drawn.

 

Power Outage

The sudden failure of the electric grid is quite common in the Philippines, especially during the rainy season where storms basically come and go. As most Filipinos are aware, when storms come, power outages are to be expected. But that alone isn’t too harmful to your appliances.
Once power is restored, however, there’s a chance wherein the sudden jump in the current can create a power surge, damaging any of the unpowered and plugged-in appliances.

 

Faulty Wiring

As with any electrical system, the wiring is the most crucial and arguably one of the most important aspects. Aside from its importance as the path in which electricity flows through, it’s also one of the more easily damaged parts of the whole electrical system. When the wiring is damaged or its casing is exposed, power surges can happen.

Damaged wires may result in increased electrical resistance. Any conductive material can and will spike the current that flows through the wire to dangerous levels.
Pay attention to burn marks on your outlets, buzzing sounds from the outlets, or your circuit breakers frequently tripping.

 

Lightning

While lightning strikes are a relatively uncommon cause of power outages, they still do happen nonetheless. Electrical systems can easily be compromised by lightning. If your electrical system is struck, it is forced to accept the gargantuan amount of excess current.

 

Protecting Your Homes from Power Surges

Protecting Your Homes from Power Surges

It’s dangerous for your appliances to experience power levels above their specified ranges. Electrical systems in appliances are designed to function with a set boundary in mind. Any more or less than what’s set will damage electronics in some way.

Due to the nature of power surges, it’s relatively hard to prepare for it. Aside from making sure that your wiring is updated and your appliances are turned on or off and plugged in or out, your best bet is to make use of surge protectors.

There are many types of surge protectors, all of which are specialized for individual plugs or whole establishments.

For example, the whole-house surge protectors are connected directly to the panel box. This prevents power surges from happening in your home. You can also use extension cords in the Philippines with in-built surge protection capabilities. Whichever you choose, having one will ultimately be great for your home!

 

Key Takeaway

Electrical appliances are sensitive devices, especially when it comes to their electrical system. Power surges are some of the most dangerous electrical hazards that you might experience. Although power surges are some harder hazards to prepare for, you can still make use of devices such as surge protectors to lessen their effects on your house!

Easy Ways to Prevent Electric Shocks

Easy Ways to Prevent Electric Shocks

How can you prevent electric shocks?

  1. Turn off the power source
  2. Use insulated tools
  3. Switch to GFCIs
  4. Make use of outlet covers
  5. Never unplug while in use
  6. Keep away from water

 

Every electrical supplier in Manila is steadfast in its mission to educate the Filipino people on how to prevent electrical shocks. In most homes and establishments, there is always a risk of experiencing an electrical shock.

To avoid getting the risk of experiencing an electrical shock, you have a lot of choices. Most of them will require you to go into a routine, or just simply place things in appropriate places. Take a look at these easy ways to prevent electrical shocks from happening in your home or office!

 

Turn Off the Power Source

Turn Off the Power Source

The first point in this list is also the most common one. Every time that you have to work on your electrical system, even if you were just going to replace a loose screw at one of the outlets, it’s important that you turn off the main power. At the very least, turn off the specific circuit where the outlet can be found.

It’s much more important when you’re going to work on the wiring. Any kind of alteration or simple repair that needs to be done will also need you to turn off the power for safety reasons.

 

Use Insulated Tools

Use Insulated Tools

Another common insight when working with electrical systems is to use tools that are insulated — even if you choose to turn off the power supply. Keep in mind that you can never be too safe when it comes to electrical work.

On the off chance that minor accidents such as tools slipping or dropping happen, it will likely lead to an accidental electrical connection. However, the minimal amount of exposed metal on these insulated tools will likely prevent catastrophes from happening.

 

Switch to GFCIs

GFCIs are probably one of the best options that you have to ensure that you not only prevent electrical shocks but also protect your appliances from any electricity-related damage.

GFCI receptacles are equipped with a sensor that measures the voltage levels of the current that passes through it. If it becomes volatile and goes above or below the standard levels, the GFCI receptacle will automatically cut off the power, reducing the risk of electrical shocks or any damage to your appliances.

 

Make Use of Outlet Covers

Make Use of Outlet Covers

Although most adults have enough awareness to not tamper with outlets, that’s not necessarily true for kids who are usually curious enough to do so. The only way to prevent these, aside from educating them about why they shouldn’t do it, is to cover up these electrical outlets.

Plastic covers are often enough, but you can also make use of your furniture to hide them from plain sight.

 

Do Not Unplug While in Use

When appliances are plugged into outlets and you’re using them, they’re considered under load. That means the device is drawing power and electricity is flowing to and from the device and back to the source.

If there’s a continuous flow of electricity, an electrical circuit is formed. Unplugging from the outlet while it’s under load is a real danger. You’re basically cutting an electrical circuit abruptly. The flow of electricity might create an arc—meaning the electricity might literally jump across the gap between the outlet and the plug.

In most cases, this is only safe to do with small devices that don’t have on/off switches. Anything other than that, particularly the larger appliances like washing machines, electric heaters, air conditioning units, and dyers can all create dangerous arcs when you abruptly disconnect them.
Make sure that you turn off the device first before you unplug it.

 

Keep Away from Water

Keep Away from Water

We all know that water and electricity is not a good combination. That’s a recipe for disaster. Remember to keep electrical appliances away from water and moisture to avoid any kind of disaster from happening. When a plugged-in appliance accidentally falls into the water, do not attempt to get it or unplug it. Before you do anything, make sure that your home’s panel board shuts the power off first.

Water is a conductive material which lets electricity freely move through it—making it dangerous.

Be sure to never put water near appliances so that you won’t have to risk any spills happening.

 

Key Takeaway

There are many ways in which you can prevent electric shocks from happening. Keep your appliances away from water and be disciplined on how you remove the plugs out of outlets. Be aware of whether the power is turned on or off when you decide to remove their plugs from the outlet.

Electric shocks may be a common occurrence, but it’s also something that, when actively sorted, can be prevented with simple measures.

The Importance of Panel Boards in Every Establishment

The Importance of Panel Boards in Every Establishment

Why should every establishment have a panelboard?

  1. Organized Electrical Distribution
  2. Protection of Fragile Electrical Components
  3. Personal and Structural Safety

 

Every electrical company in the Philippines openly shares the importance of panel boards to their clients and customers. These devices may not seem like much, but they are absolutely integral to the optimization of an establishment’s electrical flow.

As defined by the National Electrical Code, a panelboard is a single panel or group of panel units that are designed for assembly in the form of a single panel. This includes buses and automatic overcurrent devices. It can be equipped with or without switches for the control of light, heat, or power circuits. In most cases, it’s designed to be placed in a small cabinet or cutout box in or against a wall, partition, or other forms of support. Lastly, it is usually only accessible from the front.

These electronic devices are essential in keeping any establishment powered at all times. That being said, buildings can function without a panel board, but so many things about the electrical supply of the building can go wrong. Here are a few reasons why panelboards can be considered essential to every establishment.

 

Organized Electrical Distribution

Organized Electrical Distribution

To the layman or anyone who isn’t knowledgeable about electrical installation, a panel board will most likely look like just another storage box or a seemingly innocuous metal plate on the wall.

Once opened, however, they’ll probably be overwhelmed with the number of circuit breakers, wirings, and other components within.

Only a skilled electrician would fully understand the foundations of what happens in a panelboard — and for good reason! Basically, the panelboard is the lifeline of your whole establishment.

A panel board would usually have a row or a column of individual panels with circuit breakers in each of them. Each breaker signifies an electrical circuit that goes to and from the panel board. Each circuit allows electricity to flow around the house, evenly distributing power.
Once you turn off one of the circuit breakers, you’re basically cutting off the power on that specific route. When you turn off the whole panel board, then you’re shutting down the power for the whole establishment.

In many cases, the panel board is almost always labeled. This is to make identifying each electrical circuit easier.

Overall, the panel board is kind of like the heart where all the electrical circuits start and end. Without one, you’ll have a hard time pinpointing electrical circuits, for many applications!

 

Protection of Fragile Electronic Components

The electrical parts placed within a panel board are placed there not just for easy management, but also for protection from unwanted matter. Circuit breakers, open wires, and electrical panels should not be left out in the open because even the slightest drop of water or a sudden impact on it can easily damage it.

The metal box encasing the panelboard is meant to be locked so that the insides can’t easily be tampered with. Even the design choice of putting it in a wall is to further increase the security of the components within.

It’s important to note that most components of electrical systems are fragile. They do not bode well with impact, water, and a number of other alterations. They need to be treated with the utmost care and respect so that they’ll last as long as they’re intended to.

 

Personal and Structural Security

Personal and Structural Security

Panelboards greatly help in ensuring that people within an establishment are free from harm’s way—particularly those caused by electrical problems such as short circuits, and circuit overloads.

Today, a lot of the protection comes from advancements in circuit breaker technology—especially those that are designed with arc fault circuit interrupters. Most of the time, the safety provided by panel boards are not visible to many, because it prevents things from ever reaching too far from the source.

Aside from these invisible, yet rather potent electrical flaws that are prevented by panel boards and other electronic devices, panel boards also help support the structure in many ways. They protect and organize the electrical wiring system, which is by far the most fragile, and dangerous set of wires that encircle an establishment.

The panel board serves as a place to put the most important components of an electrical system so that it’s easily fixed by experts.

 

Key Takeaway

A panelboard is one of the most important electrical devices that should be found in every establishment. It makes the lives of every electrician easier when they have to fix an electrical problem because aside from the wirings, everything they need to inspect is right there!
Consult every electrical company in the Philippines that you know and they’ll most likely recommend that you get a panel board for your establishment. Having one nowadays is not a luxury but a necessity.

Why Should You Install Manual Transfer Switches in Your Establishment

Why Should You Install Manual Transfer Switches in Your Establishment

What should you take note of before installing a manual transfer switch?

  1. How does a manual transfer switch work
  2. Increased electrical security and safety
  3. Advantages of installing a manual transfer switch

 

Every building should have an electrical wiring system that’s up to code. In fact, it’s a requirement for every building that is to be built. People rely on a fully-functioning electrical system to power up all the appliances in their houses and offices. It basically allows you to take advantage of the various technologies that make our lives more convenient. Every electrical company in the Philippines ensures that the electric wiring in every building is installed perfectly, to prevent any kind of electrical problems from within the walls.

There are also certain devices that help electricity flow from the power source to the establishments as efficiently as possible. Circuit breakers and panelboards are some of the most essential ones, but there are a number of optional choices that can further enhance and even protect your establishment from malfunctions and damages.

One of the more notable devices is the manual transfer switch—emphasis on its manual nature because it has advantages over its automatic counterpart. That being said, what exactly does it mean to install a manual transfer switch in your building?

 

How Does a Manual Transfer Switch Work?

How Does a Manual Transfer Switch Work?

For most people in the electrical industry, these types of switches are one of the best and simplest solutions to keep the establishments powered during a power outage. This lets your business or your home continue to function without any setbacks.

Manual transfer switches are usually mounted on the interior or exterior of a building. Most of the time, it’s placed near the main circuit breaker or panel board. When the establishment’s electrical supply is interrupted, you can connect a portable generator to the manual transfer switch to provide a more reliable source of power while the disruption is still ongoing.

These switches work by isolating circuits you want to be powered in the event of an electrical shortage or outage. Once the circuits are secluded, the switch swaps your access to grid power for generator power.

This intricate yet simple system makes the transfer switches in general extremely safe while also quicker to operate than when you connect a generator directly. Meiji brand Manual Transfer Switches has the added feature of being able to delegate electricity to specific circuits!

 

Increased Electrical Security and Safety

In general, manual transfer switches are installed in establishments for very specific reasons. However, these aren’t as urgent as the usual functionalities that other, more common electrical devices provide. Keep in mind that you should also only install transfer switches if you have an emergency power generator. Without one, you won’t really make use of the transfer switch that much.

That being said, manual transfer switches are essential for small to medium establishments, particularly commercial buildings that consume a lot of electricity. Malls and office buildings benefit from manual transfer switches a lot because they heavily rely on ensuring their operations are always fully powered. It’s highly recommended that commercial buildings, complexes, and other areas that need a lot of electricity should have a manual transfer switch just in case there’s an unforeseen power outage.

In essence, what manual transfer switches truly provide to an establishment are safety and security. Safety in the context of always being protected from power outages and damages to appliances as caused by unnatural electricity flow. This is fairly important, especially for appliances that have sensitive electrical systems. Of course, you can still install things like GFCI Receptacles or uninterruptible power supplies to further protect your appliances, but it’s a good idea to have protection at the very start of the circuit.

It also provides a way to secure a quick alternative to when there’s a power outage. With just a flip of a switch, you can change your electrical supply from the grid to your power generator! The best part is that you won’t have to do anything complicated to both the generator and the circuit breaker! The manual transfer switch is installed as the buffer between them.

 

Advantages of Installing a Manual Transfer Switch

Advantages of Installing a Manual Transfer Switch

Aside from the basic functions of a manual transfer switch, one other reason to install one in your establishment is that it provides a few advantages over its automatic counterpart.
Manual switches make it easier to control loads. You can choose which one of your electrical circuits can be powered at a time. You can also control the load that your generator is under to prevent overloading!

 

Key Takeaway

Manual transfer switches are vital in every establishment that needs to be continuously running. This has been evident with the success of Meiji Electronic’s various projects in collaboration with Irma Fishing Trading Inc., Gloria de Dapitan (Dakak Beach & resort), Moldex Realty Inc., Cityland Development Corp., and Torre Venezia.

It helps prevent loss of productivity when there’s a power outage, but more importantly, it ensures that your establishment is well-equipped against power outages and other possible electrical interruptions.

6 Electrical Hazards Around Your Home That You Should Take Note Of

6 Electrical Hazards Around Your Home That You Should Take Note Of

What electrical hazards around your house should you be taking note of?

  • Curious children
  • Misused extension cords
  • Large appliances (after experiencing abnormal electrical surges)
  • Outdated wiring
  • Covered electrical cords and wiring
  • Overheating light bulbs

 

One of the first things you need to do to acquire a safe home is to get all of your electronic needs from a trusted electrical company in the Philippines. Finding them could be tricky. But there are signs that you can always look for. For instance, you can check out the testimonials left by satisfied customers on their website. Better yet, look for products that have been properly tested and certified.

The next thing you need to do is maintain the good condition of these products. Unless they could withstand water (such as GFCI outlets), don’t place them in areas that are prone to moisture. But you probably already know this, together with a handful of tips that you need to follow when it comes to these electronic devices.

However, there might be a couple of things that you overlooked that you definitely must take note of. Continuously ignoring these things could lead to serious accidents. To help you out, we named some of these items below.

Curious children

Curious children

Children are naturally curious. There’s only so much that parents can do about this. However, this doesn’t mean that you could no longer educate them about the risks of playing with electricity.

Use their curiousness into opportunities for you to teach them how to properly handle electronic devices, if they must. As much as possible, encourage them to always seek a grown up’s help when handling them.

If you have smaller children, it’s better to store all of your electrical devices into hard to reach places. By doing so, you won’t worry that they’ll end up playing with them.

 

Misused extension cords

In the Philippines, extension cords are a great addition to your house especially if you often need extra outlets. They also come in handy during times when you need to use an appliance outside of your house. However, they could pose as an electrical hazard if they are misused.

Some homeowners like maximizing their extension cords. They would plug in as many devices as they can into the cords. But this could actually lead them to malfunction which could, later on, cause a fire. Although you can use all the plugs in your cords, you shouldn’t do it for a prolonged time. Remember, extension cords are not a permanent substitute for power sockets.

Large appliances (after experiencing abnormal electrical surges)

Large appliances (after experiencing abnormal electrical surges)

On their own, appliances are not really a threat. However, when an electrical surge happens, they may become extremely dangerous. When the voltage of a certain electrical current fluctuates to abnormal levels, it can greatly affect your appliances, sometimes causing them to shut down. Other times, they overload and become a threat to anyone who touches them.

To prevent this from happening, invest in an Automatic Voltage Regulator; it will help protect your appliances. AVRs ensure that your appliances will receive the accurate amount of voltage, whether or not there is a fluctuating electricity flow.

 

Outdated wiring

If you’re living in an old house, you should probably check the wirings—even if you just recently bought it and even if the seller told you they updated all of them. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Outdated wirings are essentially looming hazards found inside your walls.

When you are living in such a house, it would be best for you to contact an electrician from an electrical company in the Philippines to update the wiring around your house as soon as possible!

 

Covered electrical cords and wiring

You don’t necessarily need to cover up your cords and wiring to hide them. In fact, it’s better if you don’t cover them because in some cases, extension cords in the Philippines and in other countries tend to heat up or worse, overheat. When left unattended this can lead to an electrical fire.

When thinking about the layout of a room, always provide some sort of ventilation for your appliances, cords, and wirings. By giving them some space to breathe, you won’t have to worry too much about them overheating.

Overheating light bulbs

Overheating light bulbs

These sources of light aren’t usually considered as a hazard. It is incredibly useful in almost every part of your home. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t pose a threat. Remember, it not only generates light but also heat. This means that if you placed them near flammable objects, they could end up starting a fire.

In addition, watch out for light bulbs with the wrong wattage because they also have a tendency to overheat.

 

Key Takeaway

Getting electrical devices from a trusted electrical company in the Philippines—such as Meiji—is one of the first steps you can take to ensure you have a safe home. The next part, which is the maintenance of these products, should then be prioritized.

Listed above are some of the things that you may be overlooking in your house that you should be taking notes to avoid any potential accidents from happening.