Load short circuit

In a power supply circuit, this refers to short-circuiting the output terminals with a low-resistance jumper wire or similar conductor. In such a case, the short circuit includes the contact resistance of the output terminals and the wiring impedance of the jumper wire. A load short circuit is an electrical fault that occurs due to moisture intrusion or insulation degradation over time. When a load short circuit occurs, the excessive short-circuit current can cause overheating and damage the power supply circuit, and may also lead to electrical fires due to heat generation or arcing. Therefore, many power supply circuits are equipped with safety devices that detect load short circuits and reduce or shut off the output current. In some cases, a load short circuit is intentionally performed during factory inspection of a power supply circuit as an operational test of the safety device.