ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Overvoltage

Okay kiddo,

Imagine your favourite toy, let's say a toy car, needs a specific amount of battery to work properly. Let's say the toy car needs 2 AA batteries. But what if you put in 4 AA batteries instead?

Well, the toy car might start running faster and better than before, but if it keeps getting too much power like this, it can harm the toy car or even break it completely. This is what we call overvoltage.

Just like how the toy car needs the right amount of battery to work properly, electronic devices like your TV or computer also need a certain amount of electricity to work properly. If they get too much electricity or voltage, it can damage or even destroy their important parts. That's why it's important to protect electronic devices from overvoltage by using surge protectors or voltage regulators.

But why does overvoltage happen in the first place? Well, sometimes it can happen because of lightning or power surges in the electrical grid. It can also happen if you're using the wrong kind of power supply for your device. So always make sure to use the right power supply and use surge protectors to keep your devices safe from overvoltage!