Overloaded circuits and double adaptors

Look behind the TV cabinet, under the desk or along the kitchen bench in many homes and you will find it: a double adaptor plugged into a power board, plugged into another power board. It is a familiar sight in older houses that were wired for a radio and a toaster, not for laptops, chargers, game consoles and air fryers.

What overloading actually means

Every circuit is designed to carry a certain amount of current, matched to the size of its cable and the rating of its circuit breaker or fuse. Plug in too much and the cable heats up. A modern breaker will trip to protect it. An old rewireable fuse may be slower, and if it has been rewired with the wrong wire, it may not blow at all.

Overloading can also happen at a single point. A power point and a double adaptor have limits too. Running a heater, kettle and hair dryer through one outlet can overheat the outlet itself, even if the circuit breaker never trips.

Warning signs

• Power points or plugs that feel warm to the touch
• Brown marks or melted plastic around an outlet
• A burning or fishy smell near a power board
• Lights dimming when an appliance starts
• Breakers tripping or fuses blowing when several appliances run together
• Crackling or buzzing from an outlet

If you notice any of these, unplug what you can safely and have the circuit checked.

Double adaptors versus power boards

Power boards with overload protection are generally a better choice than double adaptors, which offer none. But neither changes how much the circuit behind the wall can carry. Daisy-chaining boards together multiplies the number of things plugged into one outlet and makes overloading more likely.

High draw appliances need their own space

Some appliances should always plug directly into a wall outlet:

• Portable heaters and fan heaters
• Kettles, toasters and air fryers
• Microwaves
• Hair dryers and straighteners
• Washing machines and dryers

If you cannot run these without an adaptor, that is a strong sign you need more power points.

The proper fix

Add power points

The simplest fix is more outlets where you actually use them. Double power points, USB power points beside beds and desks, and extra outlets along kitchen benches all reduce the need for adaptors. See our power point installs page.

Add circuits

If one circuit is doing too much, splitting the load across new circuits helps. A home office, kitchen or laundry often benefits from its own circuit. That requires space on the switchboard.

Upgrade the board

If your board is full or still on ceramic fuses, a switchboard upgrade gives you room for new circuits and adds safety switches at the same time. Read signs your switchboard needs an upgrade.

Consider rewiring

In older homes with tired cable, adding load to existing circuits is not always wise. Our rewiring page explains when a rewire makes sense.

Winter in the Illawarra

Overloading problems often show up in winter, when portable heaters come out and everyone is home at once. If your breakers trip on cold evenings, the circuit is telling you something. It is also worth checking heater cords and plugs each year as you pull them out of the cupboard, and throwing out any with cracked insulation or scorched pins.

Talk to us

Send Kalani a photo of the power board setup and the switchboard on 0424 400 346, by call or text. We will tell you where extra power points or circuits would make the biggest difference.