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Regardless of whether you own or rent, you should consider having safety switches installed on all circuits.
Safety switches protect you, your family and anyone visiting the property from electric shock. The risk is real. One safety switch may not be enough. A safety switch will turn off the electricity in your home within milliseconds of a fault to protect you from a serious electric shock.
But the safety switch will only protect you if it is working properly and it is connected to the faulty circuit. That’s why we recommend that you have safety switches connected to all the circuits in your home, including power points, lighting, air-conditioning, stove, hot water and pool equipment, even if they are on separate tariffs.
It’s also important to test your safety switch every three months to ensure that it continues to function properly and protect you from electric shocks.
Your safety switches can be quickly identified by looking for one or more buttons marked ‘T’ or ‘test’ at your switchboard. You will need to look carefully as there may be more than one and they can be different colours, shapes or sizes.
Before testing your safety switch, make sure everyone in your home knows you’re about to do the test. If anyone is using a computer or recording their favourite program, turning the power off without warning could get you into big trouble.
Once you have the all clear from your household, you are ready for action.
To test, simply press the test button on each safety switch. This should automatically trip the switch to the off position and you will hear a ‘clunk’ sound.
You should check inside your home to see which lights or appliances are now off. The circuits turned off by the safety switch test mean they are protected by it.
Once you’re confident that each safety switch has worked correctly, reset them by lifting or twisting the switch to turn it back on.
If you have a fridge or air-conditioner on the circuit, it’s best that you wait 2-3 minutes before turning them back on to prevent damage. If during the test your safety switch didn’t make a sound and didn’t switch off any lights or appliances, then it has failed. Contact Reconnect Electrical to have it checked immediately as you will not be protected from electrical faults.
To help you remember when to test your safety switches, use the arrival of your quarterly electricity bill or rates notice as a reminder. Or, set up a reminder in your computer or mobile phone’s calendar to alert you when the next test is due.
Having safety switches installed is a good first step, but it isn’t enough on its own. It is just as important to regularly test them to make sure they work.
Remember the process for testing your safety switches is as follows:
- Press the test button on your safety switch (blue button with T).
- The lever will trip immediately into the downwards position.
- If the test button does not trip the circuits or is stuck call us on 0402 680 054 to check over the safety switches.
- Test your safety switches a minimum of twice a year and write it in your diary e.g. 1st of June and 1st of December.
If you are unsure how to test your safety switch or if it doesn’t trip immediately, call Reconnect Electrical to see if your home is safe.
