overcurrent
Too much flow
Overcurrent is electrical current exceeding the designed capacity of a circuit or conductor.
It can result from overloads (too many devices drawing power) or short circuits (unintended paths of low resistance).
Overcurrent protection—fuses, circuit breakers—prevents fires and equipment damage by interrupting the flow: The breaker tripped due to overcurrent.
Accidental low-resistance path
- overloadBurden beyond capacity
- inrushSudden inward flow
- faultImperfection or blame
- ground faultUnintended current path
surge · transient · spike · equipment failure
Automatic power cutoff device
- fuseProtective melting wire
- relayStage-by-stage transmission
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
- disconnectTo break a connection
cutout · interrupter · switchgear · isolator · ground fault · thermal · bimetallic · breaker panel
Planned travel somewhere
- blowMove air forcefully
- meltChange from solid
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- damageHarm or impairment
fire hazard · thermal stress · equipment failure · smoke · degradation
One who directs musicians
- wiringInstalled electrical conductors
- transformerVoltage-altering electrical device
- motorEnergy-to-motion converter
- capacitorCharge-storing circuit element
coil · cable · insulation · semiconductor · rectifier · contactor · starter · feeder
Electrical flow quantity
- amperesElectric current units
- thresholdPoint of beginning
- pickupSmall open-bed truck
- instantaneousHappening without any delay
short circuit
Accidental low-resistance path
ground fault · surge · transient · spike · equipment failure
circuit breaker
Automatic power cutoff device
disconnect · cutout · interrupter · switchgear · isolator · ground fault · thermal · bimetallic · breaker panel · circuit interrupter
trip
Planned travel somewhere
damage · fire hazard · thermal stress · equipment failure · smoke · degradation
conductor
One who directs musicians
- wiringInstalled electrical conductors
- transformerVoltage-altering electrical device
- motorEnergy-to-motion converter
capacitor · coil · cable · insulation · semiconductor · rectifier · contactor · starter · feeder
amperage
Electrical flow quantity
over, current, overcome, currency, overall, overtake, overdo, oversight, overflow