Protective
Devices

Basic Protection

Basic protection refers to the primary level of safety against electric shock provided by insulation of conductive parts.
This involves the use of insulating materials around electrical conductors to prevent direct contact with live parts.
It's a fundamental requirement to ensure that in normal operation, persons are protected from dangerous electrical currents.

Simplified

Imagine electrical wires as water pipes, but instead of water, they carry electricity.
Just like how pipes are covered to prevent water from leaking and causing damage, electrical wires are wrapped in a special covering.
This covering keeps you safe from getting an electric shock if you accidentally touch a wire, as it stops electricity from escaping.

Overcurrent Protection

Overcurrent protection devices, such as circuit breakers and fuses, are designed to automatically cut off electrical supply when the current exceeds safe levels.
These devices prevent overheating and potential fires caused by too much electricity flowing through the wires, which can happen during overloads or short circuits.

Simplified

Think of overcurrent protection like a traffic light for electricity.
When everything is normal, electricity flows freely, like cars moving on green.
But if too much electricity tries to go through at once (like a sudden rush of cars) it triggers a red light, stopping the flow to prevent damage or danger, like overheating or fires.

Fault Protection

Fault protection safeguards against indirect contact with live parts that may become energised during a fault condition.
This is typically achieved through measures such as earthing, which provides a safe path for fault current to flow back to the ground, thus protecting people from electric shock.

Simplified

Fault protection is like having a backup plan when something goes wrong.
If an electrical appliance or wire gets damaged and could potentially shock someone, fault protection steps in.
It redirects the dangerous electricity away from the appliance and safely into the ground, making it harmless.

Additional Protection

Additional protection involves extra safety measures, such as Residual Current Devices (RCDs), for enhanced protection against electric shock.
These devices are sensitive to differences in the current flow and can quickly disconnect the electricity supply in hazardous situations, such as direct contact or a fault not detected by other protective devices.

Simplified

Imagine additional protection as a guardian angel for your electrical system.
It watches over the electricity flowing in and out. If something goes wrong, like if someone accidentally touches a live wire, it instantly stops the electricity to prevent a shock, acting faster than the blink of an eye.

Surge Protection

Surge protection devices protect electrical equipment from voltage spikes caused by lightning or switching operations.
These devices limit the voltage supplied to an electrical device by blocking or shorting to ground any unwanted voltages above a safe threshold.

Simplified

Surge protection acts like a bouncer at a club, controlling who gets in.
When a sudden rush of electricity (much higher than normal) tries to enter your home's electrical system—maybe from a lightning strike—surge protection steps in.
It either turns away or safely manages this excess electricity, keeping your appliances safe.

Arc Fault Protection

Arc fault protection devices, such as Arc Fault Detection Device (AFDDs), detect unintended electrical arcs, which can occur from damaged wires or faulty connections.
These arcs can generate high temperatures and potentially start fires. AFDDs are designed to identify and interrupt these arcs, preventing fire risks.

Simplified

Arc fault protection is like a smoke detector for your electrical system.
Instead of detecting smoke, it looks for small sparks of electricity that shouldn't be there as these can start a fire if left unchecked.
If it finds anything suspicious, it cuts off the electricity to stop a potential fire before it starts.

You and your home are protected several different ways throughout your electrical installation

All of these protections each serve a different purpose and together they keep you and your family safe.

Hover over each device to see a simplified write up.

Alto Electrical are qualified, competent and registered with the NICEIC.

We are insured to £10Million, are reputable, approachable and offer great value for money.

If you would like any electrical advice, to discuss your electrical installation, electrical safety, or would like to book us in for a FREE QUOTATION

Then please, Contact Us

What People Say