From dead outlets to flickering lights, electrical malfunctions can get in the way of business and should always be repaired promptly by a qualified professional. However, replacement parts supplied by your electrician often cost more than the retail price, and parts from discount outlets, wholesalers or the used market sell for a fraction of what your electrician charges. If your company has an electrical repair job scheduled, consider buying these four parts ahead of time to save money.
Bus Plugs
Does your business have large open spaces with lots of power-hungry equipment? You probably have bus plugs supplying power to those machines. A bus plug is similar to a large industrial-grade extension cord that runs along the ceiling or floor and carries electricity from the wiring in the walls to wherever it’s needed. If you have a machine that isn’t getting power, chances are the bus plug is the culprit if the equipment works fine when plugged into a wall outlet.
Breakers
Another common cause of dead outlets is a malfunctioning breaker. If your building is up to code, all your wiring is attached to a series of circuit breakers that control the power for different areas. Breakers make your building safer by cutting the power when your wiring is overloaded to prevent fires and shocks. Normally, a flip of a switch restores power after a breaker trips, but a damaged or broken circuit breaker can cause a blackout in part of your building until it’s replaced.
Fuses
Another electrical safety device that commonly causes power outages is the fuse. Fuses often burn out because their job is to take overcurrent load and protect the more expensive circuit. A burnt fuse is the most common cause when a piece of machinery or equipment suddenly stops powering on. If you notice that fuses burn out frequently, your wiring may be faulty.
Switches
Electrical switches wear out frequently in commercial environments. Whether the switch is attached to the room lighting or powers a piece of important equipment, chances are that it gets flipped on and off hundreds of times in a typical workday. Keep replacement switches on hand to make your electrician’s job easier and reduce company downtime.
Remember, electrical repair is never a do-it-yourself job. Although you can save a lot of money by purchasing replacement parts yourself, always hand them off to a professional electrician for installation. Amateur electrical repairs can cause serious problems like fires, burns, electrocution injuries and even death.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.
