Circuit Overload in Office Kitchens

18 September 2020

Have you ever gone to grab that 3rd coffee (or 4th - this is Melbourne after all) for the day at lunch time, only to get halfway through pouring your double shot espresso and machine shuts down? Who did this?! You look around and see the sandwich press, kettle, grill, microwave and toaster all plugged into the same wall socket, piggybacked on to a powerboard.

When you consider how much power these appliances are pulling from a single circuit, and it’s not surprising that it gets overloaded.

Overloading The Circuit

This scenario probably wouldn’t happen at home - you’re pretty unlikely to be using so many appliances concurrently, but with so many people at work on lunch at the same time, all wanting to eat different things, tripping the circuit could be a daily occurrence. Circuits can only handle so much power coursing through them at the same time. Electricians will tailor the circuits for any particular room based on their needs. When too much power is drawn through a circuit, the Residual Current Breaker with Overload protection (RCBO) will activate, cutting off the power.

RCBO’s

RCBO’s are a combination of circuit breaker and safety switch. They provide protection for electrical circuits. When it activates, it cuts the power when it detects a fault, short circuit, or overload.

Premises that were built more than 30 years ago should have their wiring checked by a licensed electrical inspector or registered electrical contractor. Although it is law that circuit breakers, safety switches and surge diverters be installed in all Australian properties, many older properties still present as risks as they have not been inspected and updated to our current safety standards.

Old circuits simply cannot handle the pull of modern appliances, and overloading the circuit could cause the wiring to overheat, which could in turn start a fire.

Convenience by Design

You can see now why it’s important to plan your office kitchen appropriately. Depending on the number of employees using it, it’s likely you’ll need an electrician to install multiple circuits to accommodate its needs.

So now you know; don’t piggyback appliances onto powerboards in the kitchen, aaaaand: Never do any electrical work yourself - always commission a licenced electrician.