ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT

What is a Short CIrcuit? 

A short circuit is an abnormal low-resistance connection between two nodes of an electrical circuit that are meant to be at different voltages. This results in an excessive electric current (overcurrent) limited only by the Thévenin equivalent resistance of the rest of the network and potentially causes circuit damage, overheating, fire or explosion. Although usually the result of a fault, there are cases where short circuits are caused intentionally, for example, for the purpose of voltage-sensing crowbar circuit protectors. continue..

Short Circuit Definition 

An electrical path in a circuit that causes most of the current to flow around or away from some other path in the circuit. Accidental short circuits, especially between the high and low voltages of a power supply, can cause very strong current to flow, possibly damaging or overheating the circuit. continue..

Resistance Review for Short Circuit Understanding 

The circuit in the previous section is not a very practical one. In fact, it can be quite dangerous to build (directly connecting the poles of a voltage source together with a single piece of wire). The reason it is dangerous is because the magnitude of electric current may be very large in such a short circuit, and the release of energy very dramatic (usually in the form of heat). Usually, electric circuits are constructed in such a way as to make practical use of that released energy, in as safe a manner as possible. continue..

Short Circuit Currents 

A short circuit is one of the major incidents affecting electrical systems. The consequences are often serious, if not dramatic:

• a short circuit disturbs the system environment around the fault point by causing a sudden drop in voltage,
• it requires a part of the system (often a large part) to be disconnected through the operation of the protection devices,
• all equipment and connections (cables, lines) subjected to a short circuit undergo strong mechanical stress (electrodynamic forces) which can cause breaks, and thermal stress which can melt conductors and destroy insulation,
• at the fault point, there is often a high power electrical arc, causing very heavy damage that can quickly spread all around.
• continue..

Frequently Asked Short Circuit Questions 

What cause by a short circuit?
Short circuit is caused by th over flow of electricity or high voltage. due to this the electrical appliances get extra energy and they start to over perform causing short circuit. Read More »

What causes resistance in an electric circuit?
basically, it is hard for the current to get through. that is how the energy is spent, pushing through. and the more the resistance, the more you have to puish to get through. Think of it as an analogy concerning the flow of water through a... Read More »
 continue..

What is an Electrical Short? 

An electrical short or a short circuit is a problem which occurs when an accidental path is created in a circuit, generating a connection where one did not exist before. Since electrical current follows the path of least resistance, it would follow this path rather than the one established in the circuit, causing an unusually high flow of current. Classically, shorts occur when bare wires cross, as for example when the insulation in an old outlet wears away, allowing wires to touch each other. People sometimes use the term “short” to refer to any problem with an electrical system, regardless as to whether or not it is a true electrical short. continue..

Short Circuit Calculation 

This article looks at the calculation of short circuit currents for bolted three-phase and single-phase to earth faults in a power system. A short circuit in a power system can cause very high currents to flow to the fault location. The magnitude of the short circuit current depends on the impedance of system under short circuit conditions. In this calculation, the short circuit current is estimated using the guidelines presented in IEC 60909. continue..