What Are The Causes Of Melted Wires?

When a neutral and live wire makes contact with each other they will create a short circuit. When this occurs fuses will often blow to ensure that the electricity supply is cut off. This is to stop electrical connects from melting and causing other issues.

If the fuse box fails then the electricity will continue to flow through the wires which is not good. The electricity cables and wires will become increasingly hot as more electricity flows. The outer plastic coating of the wires will melt away and expose the bare wire.

Electrical wires have electricity flowing within it which creates a magnetic electrical field current. This current is unnoticeable in most wiring system but can be heard in larger overhead cables. A coil of wire may be installed alongside the electrical wiring system to strengthen the magnetic electrical field current.

When the coiled wire is poorly installed, old or faulty it can produce too much heat. This will cause the wires within the system to become much hotter and gradually eat away at the plastic coating. The electrical field will continue to strengthen but the wire can reach the point where the protective plastic melts away.

When electrical appliances are turned on currents of electricity flow within the wires. Appliances will need certain amounts of electrical energy to function properly. For the appliances to receive this electrical energy the current will need to be stronger and more of it. 

This increase of electrical power will cause the wires to heat up as more current is running through it. When appliances, which need high amount of electricity, are turned on for longer amounts of time the wires become hotter. Also, older wiring systems are more likely to not be able to handle this increase in the electrical current. The increased electrical flow will cause the wire to become even hotter and can easily lead to it melting.

When electrical connections are installed incorrectly of they are not connected properly then heat can accumulate. Conductors and wires will heat up where the insulation of the wire can begin to melt. 

Other issues are that electrical appliances or systems have been poorly installed, such as lights. If an untrained person installs or if connections are not properly installed then wires might not be connected properly. The wires will not be able to contain as much heat and will cause the outer insulation to melt away.  

Melted wires can cause a number of serious and dangerous issues to develop. Often due to a large amount of heat and exposed wires, melted wires should always be professionally addressed quickly. The main dangers which come with melted wires are:

• Fire – the large amount of heat and also the exposed wiring systems can lead to fires developing. The wires within the building can become extremely hot and cause adjacent materials and surfaces to become hot as well. Also, the exposed wires can spark and can easily cause a fire. 
• Electrocution – due to the wires being exposed from melting they can cause some to be electrocuted. As electricity is not flowing where it should, other types of wires or appliances can be full of electricity. Touching these systems which are full of electrical currents can also result in people being electrocuted. 
• Damage – melted wires can have systems and other wires be permanently damaged. This can cause appliances and whole electrical systems to fail. Also, the amount of heat present can easily cause stress to other wiring units. Wires might melt in one place but can cause other systems to experience potential issues.  
• Rules and Regulations – if the system is melted and not been acted on there can be issues with the law. Especially in commercial buildings where multiple people work or live in it melted wires should not be ignored. As they can cause serious issues, injuries and dilemmas they need to be resolved for people’s safety. Leaving the melted wire for too long can cause fines and other complication to form.

There are two main actions to take to ensure that the wires in the building will not melt:

• Replace Old Wires – if the wiring system is old then replacing them with new ones is advised. The older the wiring system to more likely that they cannot handle today’s electricity needs. This will means that they are more prone to overheating can causing wires to melt.
• Electrical Safety Inspections – regularly performing electrical safety inspections will ensure that melted wires are predicted early. A professional electrician will inspect all systems to see if they are functioning correctly. If they inspect the wires might melt then they will address the issue early. 

For more information on what electrical testing is, we encourage reading our blog with more detailed information.