SHORT CIRCUIT
A short circuit is where electricity will unexpectedly travel in a different path from its normal route, being the wires.
This stray from electrical circuits will mean the electricity will enter a pathway which is the shortest route to ground.
Often this is other appliances, flammable materials to humans. It will do this as the copper wire has more resistance than other surfaces. This will have the electricity will travel through those surfaces/ materials instead. This is quite a serious car electrical problem since it can cause your car to burn and even explode.
Troubleshooting:
There are two main steps in troubleshooting a short circuit. Both are as follows
For situations where the short circuit is suspected but not directly known here are the best steps for properly identifying where the open circuit is.
i. Tripped Circuit Breaker – to see if the circuit breaker has been tripped inspect the panel. If any of the switches are snapped to the ‘off’ position this is an indication. The system might have an in-built orange or red light to easily provide information that the circuit is tripped. Keep the specific circuit breaker off while inspecting for other short circuits.
ii. Appliance Power Cords – inspect appliances and their power cords if they are connected to the tripped circuit breaker. There might be damage to the insulation which can indicate a short circuit in the appliance. Safely unplug the appliances from the power outlets and turn on the circuit breaker. If the circuit is working without tripping, then the appliance is causing the issue.
iii. Lights and Appliances – turn off all appliances and lights while switching the circuit breaker back to the ‘on’ position. At the same time, if the circuit breaker tripped then turn back on each light and appliance.
Step two: Repair work
To repair the short circuit, always ensure to operate safely and use the correct equipment, these include:
New wire
Soldering gun
Utility knife
Soldering iron
Safety gloves
As mentioned, it is extremely important to perform all steps safely, without skipping steps or doing them incorrectly.
i. Ensure to properly locate and determine where the short circuit occurs
ii. Purchase a new wire to replace the old one at the local hardware store. The new one should be the correct length to replace the damaged one. Also, if it is already cut at the proper length it will help with the ease of the situation
iii. With the new insulated copper wire designed to flow large amounts of electricity extend it out. If needed, cut the wire in the correct place to ensure that it is the appropriate length.
iv. With a utility knife to remove small amounts of insulation at the end of the wire. Expose the wire enough so it can attach to the contact points on the current wire
v. Using the soldering gun, put some solder onto the contact points. Place the new wire with the wiring system, the ends of the wires connecting to the current wires. Solder them together with the soldering iron to attach them together
vi. To test if the method is successful, put the wires into the system and turn the circuit breaker back on. If there is no tripping at the circuit breakers, then the process was successful