How to use the switches in the distribution box? Stop calling all switches "circuit switches"

Air, the full name is air switch. This is a switch that relies on air cooling to eliminate arcs and is a type of switch (in addition to oil switches, vacuum switches, etc.). Household switches are generally air switches.

The air switch can be upgraded to have many additional functions. So it’s not wrong when we point to the distribution box in our home and say, “It’s all empty switches.” But when we introduce a friend to others, we can’t always say, “This is a person.” If you are curious about this, just follow me and see what the switches in the home distribution box are.

How to use the switches in the water and electricity distribution box? Stop calling all switches "air switches"

Let's take this distribution box as an example and talk about each switch. The use of a switch.

The switch on the far left has a light on it. It is called "over- and under-voltage release." The so-called "trip" is what we commonly call tripping. So to translate this name, it means "it will automatically trip when the voltage is too high or too low."

We know that when the voltage is too high, electrical appliances will produce larger currents. Electric current has a heating effect, which can cause electrical appliances to be burned. On the contrary, when the voltage is too low, some motor-type equipment will get stuck due to insufficient driving force. During the jamming process, a large resistance will be generated, which will cause heat and cause the electrical appliance to be burned.

So whether the voltage is too high or too low, it is not good for electrical appliances. Therefore, we need to install an over- and under-voltage release to ensure the safety of electrical appliances. This switch has only become common in new homes in recent years and was not a mandatory component in the past.

If you look closer, you can see the parameters. The voltage that will cause tripping is marked above: when the voltage exceeds 270V or falls below 161V (error 5V). This overvoltage and undervoltage tripper is self-restoring, so the top line reads "Self-restorable overvoltage and undervoltage protector".

The so-called "self-restoring" means that when the voltage returns to normal, the switch will automatically resume power supply. Most household ones are self-restoring, so we don't have to manually close the switch after a power outage - the voltage after a power outage is definitely lower than 161V.

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Looking further back, we can also see that the appearance of the second to seventh switches is Almost the same, we can see it more clearly if we zoom in below▼

Its name is "leakage protection switch", and its appearance features have two features: first, there is a button on the top of the switch. Written with a "T". The second one is among the bunch of parameters above, you can find a parameter called "I△n".

The function of the leakage switch is that when leakage occurs in the line, it will automatically trip to prevent people from getting electric shock for too long (the longer the electric shock lasts, the greater the danger). This button is called the "test button". When pressed, leakage will be simulated inside the switch.

So after pressing this button, the switch will automatically trip. If it trips, it proves that the leakage protection function of the switch is intact. If it does not trip, it proves that this function is broken and the switch needs to be replaced. This is an imported brand switch. If it is a domestic brand, there will be a line written next to the button: Press once a month to prompt us for the frequency of testing.

The above is a leakage switch of a domestic brand. In addition to the test button, there is also a reset button, which is the one with "R" printed next to it. After the switch trips due to leakage, the reset button will pop up and needs to be pressed before it can be closed. The first purpose is to indicate the cause of tripping, and the second purpose is to prevent mistaken closing.

All sockets in our homes need to be led out from the leakage switch. So you see that there are 6 leakage switches in this distribution box, which means there are 6 socket circuits in the home.

On the far right side of the distribution box, there are three small switches. Let’s zoom in to see▼

“Air switch” includes many kinds of switches, but in spoken language, we refer to The air switch refers to this kind of switch without any additional functions.

Its function is very simple:

1. Provide overload or short circuit protection. When an overload or short circuit occurs in the circuit, it will trip immediately to prevent fire or electrical appliances from burning down.

2. It can be used to control the on and off of the circuit.

The above-mentioned leakage switch and over- and under-voltage release also have these two functions. What we mentioned earlier are their unique functions.

These three small switches control the lighting circuit, that is, the lamps in the home. It is generally not recommended to use leakage switches in lighting circuits. It is unnecessary. Even if the lamp leaks electricity, it will be difficult to shock people because it is at a high place. Secondly, lamps, especially LED lamps, are more likely to have small current leakage, which can easily cause switch malfunctions.

Free hotline for circuit socket modification, installation and repair 400-017-1110