The signs of an electrical short circuit are: 1. Burning smell coming from outlets or burn marks If the outlet has burn marks or smells like something is burning, this might be a sign of a short circuit. This is often caused by an overloaded circuit and may pose a fire risk. 2. Buzzing and popping sounds from the outlet Another sign to watch for is if the outlet makes a buzzing or popping sound. This may also be caused by an overloaded circuit, which is quite concerning. 3. Sparks emitted by the circuit Another sign of an electrical short circuit is sparks coming from the outlet. Sparks indicate an excessively high current flow across the circuit, which might be hazardous.