Which switch is which?
Safety switches are often confused with circuit breakers and surge protectors. Here is a quick guide to help understand the differences.
Surge protectorsCircuit breakers
Safety switches
Portable safety switch
Surge protectors
Surge protectors safeguard your appliances and wiring from voltage surges such as those resulting from a lightning strike.
Safety switches and surge protectors play entirely different roles – surge protectors protect electrical appliances, safety switches protect people.
Circuit breakers
Circuit breakers cut the power off when electrical wiring in a building has too much current flowing through it. Too much current flowing through a circuit would heat an electrical appliance's wires or the building wiring to unsafe levels. This could result in an electrical fire.
Fuses work in the same way as circuit breakers. Both fuses and circuit breakers do not provide personal protection against electrical shock.
Safety switches
Safety switches monitor the flow of electricity through a circuit. They automatically shut off the electricity supply when current is detected leaking from faulty switches, wiring or electrical appliances. This stops the chance of currents flowing to earth, through a person, electrocuting them.
Portable safety switch
A portable safety switch unit is ideal when using plug-in electrical equipment used indoors or outdoors. They are convenient to use where permanent safety switch protection is not available.
However the portability of these devices means they can be subject to damage and should be inspected regularly.
Safety switches are not the same as circuit breakers or fuses. They are an additional form of protection to be used with circuit breakers and fuses.
Last updated July 17, 2005
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