Adding a new appliance to your home can cause the electricity to go out if the electrical circuit or the electrical panel becomes overloaded. Here's a basic explanation of how this can happen:
Electrical circuits: Your home's electrical system is divided into various circuits, each with a specific capacity to handle electrical load. Each circuit is protected by a circuit breaker or fuse, which is designed to trip or blow if the electrical load exceeds a safe limit.
Electrical load: Every electrical appliance or device you use in your home consumes a certain amount of electrical power, measured in watts or kilowatts. Appliances have labels that indicate their power consumption, such as the wattage or amperage ratings.
Overloading the circuit: When you add a new appliance to your home, it increases the total electrical load on the circuit. If the combined power consumption of all appliances on the circuit exceeds the circuit's capacity, it can overload the circuit.
Tripping the circuit breaker or blowing a fuse: To protect against overloading, circuit breakers or fuses are designed to detect excessive current flow. When the current exceeds a safe limit, the circuit breaker automatically trips or the fuse blows, interrupting the flow of electricity to that circuit. This action is intended to prevent overheating or electrical hazards.
Power outage: When a circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows, it cuts off the electricity to that specific circuit. This can cause the lights to go out, outlets to become non-functional, and any appliances connected to that circuit to stop working. To restore power, you need to identify the tripped breaker or blown fuse and reset or replace it.
To avoid overloading circuits when adding new appliances, it's important to consider the electrical load of the new appliance and the capacity of the circuit it will be connected to. If you find that adding a new appliance consistently causes power outages, it may be necessary to redistribute the load across different circuits or consider upgrading your electrical system to handle the increased demand. It's always recommended to consult a licensed electrician for assistance with any electrical modifications or upgrades to ensure safety and compliance with local electrical codes.