CIE Components in Electronics
In almost one fifth (19 per cent) of UK households, there are signs of overloading of electrical installations. These are the results of a new survey from reichelt of 1,000 participants in the UK. The research also revealed that the East of the UK experienced the greatest number of electrical overloads (23 per cent) when several electrical devices were used at the same time, effecting lights or causing the fuse to blow.
Greater loads mean greater investments are required
Electronic devices have changed fundamentally in the last two decades and so has user behaviour: people have more devices than ever before and they often run on the same circuit. The high load on cables, caused by the increasing number of devices, can lead to dangerous cable fires or even electric shocks if the cables are outdated – even when using additional connector strips. On average, domestic electrical installations in the UK are 19 years old meaning they were installed at a time before connected devices, smart homes and high energy consumption became prevalent, therefore they are not designed to handle these loads.
The majority of UK respondents are well aware of this danger – 71 per cent of respondents said they were aware of the risks of out of date electricity installations, yet 42 per cent say they have no plans to upgrade the electrical wiring in their home.
Futureproofing installations for the next generation
Investment in efficient electrical systems is urgently needed for the younger generations to cater for the increase in device usage. Among the 25 to 34-year-olds, 19 per cent have already experienced slight overloading of the domestic electricity network in their home, while the 55+ age group accounts for only six per cent.
This research highlights the urgency of investment and upgrades required in UK households. For the younger generation, more power is clearly required for domestic electricity. This means that an even greater investment is needed so that a safe and fully functional electrical system can be ensured for future generations as well.
