A short circuit
is an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended
path, often where essentially very low electrical impendence is encountered.
The electrical opposite of a short circuit is an “ open circuit” which is an
infinite resistance between two nodes. It is common to misuse “ short circuit ”
to describe any electric malfunction, regardless of the actual problem.
A short circuit
is an abnormal low resistance connected between two nodes of an electrical
circuit intended to be at different voltages. This results in an excessive
electric current (over current)
limited only by rest of the network and only by
the thieving equipment resistance of the circuit damage. Overheating, fire or
explosion although usually the result of a fault, there are cases where
short-circuit its are caused, intentionally, for example for the purpose of
voltage-sensing. Crowbar circuit protection.
The term short
circuit is used by analogy to designate a zero-impedance connection between two
nodes. This forces the two nodes to be at the same voltage. In an ideal short
circuit, this means there is no resistance and no voltage drop across the
short.
A common type of
short circuit occurs when the positive and negative terminals of a battery are
connected with a low-resistance conductor like a wire exists, causing the cell
to deliver a large amount of energy in a short time.
A
large current through a battery can cause the rapid building up of neat,
potentially resulting gas and electrically (an acid or abase). Which can burn
tissue, cause blindness or even death. Over loaded to the wire’s insulation, or
a fire. High current condition may also occur with electric Motor loads under
stalled conditions, such as when the impeller of an electrically driven pumps
is jammed by debris, this is a short, though it may have some simulation
effects.
In electrical devices,
unintentional short circuit its are usually caused when a wire’s insulation
breaks down, or when another conducting material is introduced, allowing charge
to flow along a different path than one intended.
In mains
circuit, short circuit may occur between two phases, between a phase and
neutral or between a phase and earth (ground). Such short circuit are likely to
result in a very high current and therefore quickly trigger an over current
protection device.
However, it is
possible for short circuits to arise between neutral and earth conductors, and
between two conductors of the same phase. Such short circuits can be dangerous,
particularly as they may not immediately result in a large current and are
therefore less likely to be detected.