What Are Some Common Myths About Electricity?

All of us have some form of knowledge surrounding electricity and how it works, whether it be from our secondary school physics lessons as children, to having attempted some minor electrical DIY. Wherever we have learned our information, some of the time we might have picked up some myths along the way – but how do we know which ones ARE myth?

Electrical Estimates is here to debunk and explain some of these myths for you, so that you can navigate electricity and its components more safely in future.

Wood and Rubber are the Superior Insulators

Whilst pure rubber is considered a great insulator, many items including shoes and gloves usually have synthetic elements added to them – this can often diminish the insulating power that rubber has. Therefore, when working with electricity it is paramount to wear the correct safety gear, and not just something you’ve found lying around the house.

Wood is actually not an insulator at all and is in fact a conductor of electricity, albeit not an effective one. If wood gets wet though, the conductive power It has increases. Quite a lot.

Low Voltage Means No Danger

This is pure myth and something that should never be assumed. People usually associate electric shocks with cartoon characters surrounded by yellow volts, but they can be incredibly dangerous and sometimes even lethal. A low voltage electric shock can still cause electrocution and fatal injury, despite no visible external injuries.

Power Lines are Insulated

Most wires and cables in our homes are heavily insulated with PVC plastic to keep them safe therefore, most assume that overhead power lines are the same. Birds can stand on them so surely, they must be harmless!

This is entirely incorrect.

The only reason birds are not electrocuted whilst standing on powerlines is because they do not touch the ground and as a result, there is no charge imbalance and no flow of electrons – were they to touch the lines and the ground at the same time however, this would be an entirely different story.

Because insulation is very expensive, most overhead power lines are always live and can have currents anywhere from 230 volts to a shocking 400,000 volts running through them. As a result, grounded powerlines are incredibly dangerous, and you should not go near them. If you ever find a grounded powerline, call the appropriate services to come and solve it immediately!

Devices That are Turned Off Don’t Use Power

In fact, most of your appliances at home are using power, even when sitting there and not being used. Consider that television that is on standby, or that laptop that is still plugged in when on full charge – these things add up and you’d be surprised how much you could save if you unplug the phone and completely turn the television off.