How do multi boxes cause fires? Should the circuit breaker trip before it can overheat?
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It is a human problem. When there are lots of multi boxes (sometimes connected together), people tend to forget how many and how large the devices are that connect to that multi outlet.
A circuit breaker will usually trip of there is a short circuit or massive overcurrent. But the problem is the circuit breaker limit might be high enough not to trip but the current is enough to overheat the outlet boxes and wires (a good multiple outlet should be fused).
The more wires that run all over the place, the higher the chance of damaging some parts of the wire and that wire happens to run close to furniture/curtains that may be flammable. In a short circuit, the temperature builds up very quickly – even if the breaker trips, temperatures might well be high enough to ignite stuff.
The problem is that people aren’t careful enough.
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