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Dzekwer Explains, Accra (2026)

12/06/2026

A few days ago, the MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) serving as the centre of protection between the service line from the pole and the energy meter to my house got damaged. And as a curious learner, I decided to look deep into it to see the magic components really doing the work.

Upon my keen observation and research, I discovered something really insightful I want to share with you.

Now, to help you understand this well, I compared some of the key components of a circuit breaker to that of the work of a security man and a firefighter.

1. The CONTACTS. The contacts are basically like the GATES to a house.

Inside every circuit breaker are two metal contacts touching each other.
As long as they touch, electricity flows normally.
Just like an open gate allows people to enter a building.

2. The CURRENT SENSOR which is the Security Camera.

The breaker constantly monitors the amount of current flowing through it.
If everything is normal, it does nothing.
But if too much current appears because of an overload or short circuit, it immediately notices.

3. The TRIP UNIT. This to me is the Brain.
This is the decision-maker.

When dangerous current is detected, the trip unit decides:
🚨 "Something is wrong. Open the circuit NOW!"

4. The OPERATING MECHANISM. I compared this to the Hand of the security man.

The trip unit then releases a spring-loaded mechanism.
Think of it as a hand quickly pulling the gate open.
This happens in milliseconds—much faster than a human could react.

5. The ELECTRIC ARC – The Sparky Problem
Here's something many people don't know.

When the contacts separate, electricity doesn't stop instantly.
A bright electrical arc forms between them.
It's like a tiny lightning bolt trying to keep the current flowing.

6. The ARC CHUTE (also called the arc extinguisher). This to me is like a Firefighter.

The breaker now has another job:
It must extinguish that arc.
Inside the breaker are metal plates called an arc chute.
Think of them as firefighters surrounding the tiny lightning bolt and breaking it into smaller pieces until it disappears.

Once the arc is gone, the circuit is completely disconnected and safe.

7. RESET HANDLE. This brings everything back to work.

After the fault is fixed, you can reset the breaker.
The contacts close again, electricity flows, and everything returns to normal.

🔁 So the whole story is:
Current flows ➝ Fault occurs ➝ Sensor detects it ➝ Trip unit decides ➝ Contacts open ➝ Arc forms ➝ Arc chute extinguishes it ➝ Circuit becomes safe.

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📸 Image Credit: Eaton

11/06/2026

Why engineering feels harder in second and third year

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10/06/2026

I once stood at a small workshop with a friend while a technician started up a large industrial motor.
The lights flickered slightly.
The motor hummed and then it ran so smoothly.

There, my friend leaned in and asked:
“Why doesn’t it shake like my single-phase appliances at home?”

And that’s where I told him something interesting:
It’s not just electricity. It’s three-phase electricity.

In a single-phase system, power comes in pulses.
It rises, then peaks, suddenly drops and then rises again.
That means the energy delivered is not constant. It is just like pushing a swing only at certain moments.

But in a three-phase system, it’s different.
Think of it like three people pushing a swing but each one pushes at a different time:
• One pushes up
• One is in the middle
• One is just preparing
So that when one slows down, the other takes over.

The result?
✔ Power is almost constant
✔ Motors run smoother
✔ Less vibration and mechanical stress
✔ Higher efficiency for heavy loads

That’s why factories, industries, and power grids rely heavily on three-phase systems.
Because machines don’t just need power…
they need steady, continuous, reliable power.

I turned to my friend and said:
“Single-phase is like walking with one leg while three-phase is like walking with balance.”

Do you agree with me on this analogy? Let me know about that in the comment section.

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09/06/2026

Last night, my cousin left his phone charging on a pillow till day break…
Nothing unusual. Just a normal routine.
But inside that small battery, something dangerous was quietly building up.

A battery doesn’t explode like a bomb at first.
What really happens is called thermal runaway.
Basically, when a battery is:
• Overcharged
• Damaged
• Or exposed to heat
It starts generating more heat than it can release.
That heat triggers a chain reaction inside the cell. And as this happens, pressure builds… gases form…
And suddenly, the battery swells, vents, or even bursts into flames.

So yes, batteries can explode but not magically.
It’s a failure of control inside a very powerful energy storage system.

That’s why engineers design protection circuits inside modern batteries to stop overcharging and overheating before things get dangerous.

The moral lesson of the story:
That small battery in your phone is powerful… but it needs respect.
Please don’t overcharge. Don’t use damaged batteries. And don’t ignore heat.
Because energy stored safely is useful…
but energy trapped without control? That’s where the danger begins.

Do you find this helpful? Please let me know about that in the comment section.

08/06/2026

I was walking with my little brother one day and we passed by some maintenance engineers who were tensioning a sagging distribution line.
And he asked me: “Why are these white, shiny wires used for the powerlines?”
And I told him: Those white shiny wires you see are aluminium wires.
He looked surprised.
“Not copper?”

Here’s the interesting part…
Power engineers don’t choose materials randomly. Every kilometer of powerline is a trade-off between cost, weight, and performance.
And aluminium wins in a very clever way.

- First: It is lightweight
Aluminium is about 3 times lighter than copper.
So when you stretch kilometers of cable between tall poles and towers, lighter wires mean:
• less sag
• less mechanical stress
• longer spans between supports
That’s why those lines can hang so gracefully in the air.

- Second: It is good enough conductor
Yes, copper conducts electricity better…
But aluminium is still a very efficient conductor for transmission.
And here’s the trick engineers use:
👉 They simply make aluminium wires thicker to carry the same current.

- Third: It is cheaper and more abundant
Imagine wiring an entire country with copper 😅
Aluminium is:
• cheaper
• widely available
• easier to scale for massive grids
So, utilities can build more powerlines for less cost.

- Bonus: It forms a protective layer
Aluminium naturally forms a thin oxide layer that helps protect it from corrosion which is especially useful in outdoor environments.

After a deep moment of meditation thinking about how to make it simple for him to understand, I turned to my little brother and said:
“Those shiny wires aren’t just metal… they are a smart engineering compromise between physics and economics.”

He nodded slowly… then asked:
“So basically… engineers are just good at saving money?”
Well… I just smiled 😄

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📷 Image Credit: getty images

07/06/2026

Thank you for 10,000 Views! 🙏🏾

We just hit 10,000 total views on this channel, and I want to take a moment to sincerely say thank you.

When I started, it was just an idea—to break down electrical engineering concepts in a simple and relatable way. Seeing people actually watch, learn, and engage with the content means a lot more than I can explain.

This milestone isn’t just a number. It’s proof that small, consistent effort can grow into something meaningful.

To everyone who watched, liked, commented, or shared—thank you for being part of this journey.

We’re just getting started
More simple engineering insights are coming soon.

— Dzekwer Explains

07/06/2026

We all use electricity everyday but have you taken sometime to wonder how electricity reaches your home from a distant power plant?

Let’s follow the journey of a single unit of electricity with simple analogies for easy understanding 👇
1. Generation – “The Birth of Power”
The journey all starts at the power plant.
This is where water, gas, wind, or fuel is used to spin huge turbines that produce electricity.
At this point, the voltage is still relatively low and not ready for long-distance travel.

2. Step-Up Transformation – “Preparing for the Journey”
Before electricity travels far, it is boosted by a transformer.
The voltage is increased to very high levels so it can travel efficiently with minimal energy loss.

3. Transmission – “The Long Highway”
Now the electricity travels through high-voltage transmission lines across long distances.
These tall pylons you see along highways? They’re carrying power from plants to cities.

4. Substations – “The Control Stations”
When electricity reaches towns and cities, substations reduce the voltage.
Why? Because homes and devices cannot handle high voltage safely.

5. Distribution – “The Final Stretch”
From substations, smaller lines carry electricity into neighbourhoods, streets, and buildings.
This is where power becomes “ready to use.”

6. Consumption – “The End of the Journey”
Finally, electricity reaches you. Which you use for powering your lights, phone, TV, and fridge.
Every time you switch something on, you complete this invisible journey.

So, in short:
Power Plant ➝ Step-Up Transformer ➝ Transmission Lines ➝ Substation ➝ Distribution ➝ Your Home

Next time you turn on a light, remember: it has traveled hundreds of kilometers just for that moment.
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06/06/2026

A young engineering student once asked his lecturer:

“Sir, why do we use AC in power lines instead of DC? Does AC actually travel farther?”

The lecturer smiled and pointed at two cups of water connected by pipes…

“One pipe is thin, the other is thick. Which one loses less water along the way?”

The student replied: “The thick one.”

Exactly.

Now here’s the engineering truth 👇

Electricity doesn’t really “get tired” or stop like a car.
What matters is how much energy is lost along the way.

As current flows through wires, some energy is lost as heat due to resistance (I²R losses). So if you push electricity over long distances without control, a lot of it gets wasted.

AC (Alternating Current) became popular because it is easy to:

* Step up to very high voltage
* Reduce current
* Minimize losses
* Send power efficiently over long distances

That’s why power plants send electricity in AC at very high voltages.

But here’s the twist…

DC (Direct Current) doesn’t travel less far.
It just used to be harder to change voltage efficiently.

But all Thanks to MODERN TECHNOLOGY🙏🏾

Today, with modern technology, HVDC (High Voltage DC) is actually used for very long-distance transmission and underwater cables because it can be even more efficient in some cases.

So the real answer is:
It’s not about AC traveling farther than DC…
It’s about which system is better for reducing energy loss over distance.

In modern power systems, both AC and DC travel far but all depending on how we engineer them.

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05/06/2026

the material science behind how engineers select insulators

This short video briefly explains why plastic materials melt when heat is applied to it. While ceramics on the other hand stay just the same even when exposed to extreme heat.

This helps us understand how engineers select the right material for protection whether being plastic or ceramic.

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05/06/2026

Why Your Phone Charger Gets Hot

You plug in your phone, and after a while… you notice it.
The charger is warm. Sometimes even hot.
Your first thought: “Is something wrong?”

Let’s break it down simply here:
Imagine electricity as water flowing through a pipe.
Your charger is like a small translator between the wall socket and your phone.
The wall socket gives high voltage power.
Your phone needs low voltage, safe power.

So the charger does a tough job:
→ It steps down the power
→ Then sends it into your phone battery

But here’s the catch…
During this conversion, some energy is always lost as heat.
Just like how rubbing your hands together creates warmth.

So a charger getting warm means:
✔ It is working
✔ It is converting power
✔ It is handling energy flow
But not all heat is normal.

It becomes a problem when:
• It’s too hot to touch comfortably
• It smells like burning plastic
• It heats up even when your phone is not connected
• It charges very slowly while overheating

That could mean:
- Low-quality charger
- Damaged cable
- Overloaded or unstable power source

The simple takeaway:
A slightly warm charger is normal.
But a burning hot charger is a warning sign.

Next time you feel that warmth in your charger…
remember that it’s just doing its job, transforming power for your phone. But like every hardworking device, it has its limits.

Let’s stay safe. Use quality chargers.
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