18/09/2026
Wrongly Wired DB Boards: A Serious Fire Hazard in Cape Town
Your distribution board (DB board) is the heart of your property's electrical system. It distributes electricity to your lights, plugs, appliances and other circuits while providing protection against electrical faults.
However, a poorly wired, overloaded or incorrectly configured DB board can create serious electrical and fire hazards.
A DB board may appear to be working normally while loose connections, overloaded circuits, incorrect protection or damaged components are creating excessive heat inside the board.
🔥 How Incorrect DB Wiring Can Cause Fires
Some common problems we encounter include:
Loose connections that can cause overheating and electrical arcing
Incorrectly rated circuit breakers
Undersized cables carrying excessive loads
Overloaded electrical circuits
Poorly terminated conductors
Damaged or unsuitable electrical components
Incorrect neutral and earth connections
DIY electrical modifications
Poorly installed additional circuits
Lack of appropriate circuit protection
These problems can cause excessive heat to build up. In severe cases, overheating and electrical arcing can damage insulation and surrounding components and potentially contribute to an electrical fire.
⚠️ Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore
Your DB board should be inspected if you notice:
• A burning smell near the DB board
• Burn marks or discolouration
• Melted or damaged components
• Circuit breakers constantly tripping
• Buzzing or crackling sounds
• Hot breakers or cables
• Flickering lights
• Frequent electrical faults
• New circuits added without professional assessment
Do not simply keep resetting a circuit breaker when it repeatedly trips. The breaker may be responding to an underlying electrical fault that needs to be investigated.
🛠️ DB Board Repairs and Upgrades in Cape Town
At Volts and Amps Engineering, we help homeowners, landlords, businesses and property managers identify and correct elec
