Questions & answers about building electrical system installation, troubleshooting & repairs & electrical hazards.

FAQs about how to install, inspect, & troubleshoot building electrical systems, appliances, components. Questions & answers on how to detect & report electrical hazards, defects in residential and commercial electrical panels, switches, fixtures, electrical wiring & grounding systems. Troubleshooting questions about electrical repair methods.

Building Electrical System FAQs

Questions & Answers Posted originally at ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR - home -be sure to see the suggestions at that page.

On 2021-12-31 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - LED track lighting uses significantly less current

@Colette,

In general, LED track lighting uses significantly less current (measured in Amps) for the same level of lighting (e.g. expressed in wattage) than does incandescent (traditional) light bulb lighting or a fan motor.

So the reduced current is in effect safer, and less of a fire risk.

The fire risk would come from improper wiring: size, connections, circuit loading.

On 2021-12-31 by Colette

I live in a 1983 doublewide. In bedroom there is 1 overhead fan with 2 small lights. I want to install led track lighting. Is that a risk for fire?

On 2021-12-30 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - red colored electrical wire

@Brad,

Some testing with a digital M or solar equipment would be needed but it's quite possible that an electrician Mark that wire to indicate that it's not a neutral wire but rather it's being used to carry current such as to or from a switch.

On 2021-12-29 by Brad

Replacing a gfci and find a neutral wire that the last 8” is red rather than white. Have you seen this before and what is the red identifying

On 2021-12-22 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - three phase electrical panel

@Robert,

No, that sounds like a three-phase electrical panel. Terminals labeled "Line" are usually hot not neutral.

Take great care if you are removing the cover of your electrical panel as there is live voltage inside; touching it you can be shocked or killed. If you're not trained to do that work you should not open the panel.

On 2021-12-22 by Robert

Panel a/c does the terminal l1, l2, l3 not 3 ph. always signity li hot, l2 nuetral, l3, hot and l1 to 12=115v and l1 to l3 220v ?

On 2021-11-18 by (mod) - Antique panel shows unsafe features

@Isaac,

"Compromised" is a bit undefined, but we can certainly see

• frayed, damaged electrical wiring with lost insulation
• obsolete fuse and switch controls
• no proper safety cover
• easily-touched live connectors that pose a fatal shock hazard
• obsolete electrical meter

Fuses themselves are not at all an obsolete idea and properly-sized to match the wires can be "safe" and able to do their job.

Bottom line: OPINION: this is a museum piece that ought to be salvaged intact and provided to a suitable historical use and display.

On 2021-11-18 by Isaac

This is the electrical panel in my 1884 Downing cottage. In SC. It is still being used but I wonder if it appears to be in decent repair or compromised

On 2021-11-18 by Isaac

I have an 1880s home in Union SC still using this original electrical panel for lighting circuits. I wondered what the canisters are above each circuit?

On 2021-11-18 by (mod)

@okmarts,

Perhaps you could state your question or concern?

For other readers, and thanks to https://www.wolfautomation.com we have this explanation:

... encoders are used to determine the speed and direction of a motor shaft or other mechanical motion. This information is used for precise control in a variety of applications.

Rotary encoders, also called shaft encoders, measure rotational motion while linear encoders measure motion along a path.

Absolute encoders give position values by scanning the position of the coded element. Incremental encoders generate an output signal each time the shaft rotates a certain amount, the resolution is defined by the number of signals per turn.

See the specifications for this encoder at

https://inspectapedia.com/electric/Encoder-e80h30-1024-3-v-5-Data.pdf

A photo from a vendor of this encoder is shown below.

On 2021-11-18 by okmarts

@inspectapedia.com.moderator This question maybe a little difficult for me. Autonics hollow shaft encoder E80H30-1024-6-L-5 I need to ask my collegue about this issue.

On 2021-10-01 by (mod)

@EVELYN MAHONEY,

Did you post under the name Evelyn? I didn't find other posts after searching our site.

Sorry for the aggravation you encountered;

From your brief recap it sounds like a compressor motor failure or short is drawing high current and tripping GFCIs or blowing fuses or tripping breakers. What else goes "off" in that instance depends on what else in on the same circuit.

But as an air compressor may use a motor that draws pretty high amperage, if the circuit is already over-loaded - powering too many other things at the same time, that cold be the problem.

You are most welcome to post a longer question or comment and to use the "add image" button - you can only post one image per comment but as many comments+images as you need.

On 2021-10-01 by EVELYN MAHONEY

I would like to know how to locate the question I posted a few days ago, and hopefully a reply from Inspectapedia.

The question was about my air compressor blowing the screw-in fuses in the subpanel in my shed, the gfci the compressor is plugged into, the breakers in the house panel that power the shed subpanel outlets & lightswitches.

I'd rather not re-recite the entire frustrating saga unless for some reason it wasn't received the first time. . . which was 3 - 4 days ago.

I did include a photo and noted the necessary review & possible delay. Knowing how long of a delay to expect would be helpful. If it was indicated, i didn't see it.

Here's the photo again, not with the intention of creating an additional delay, but to assist in identifying my post & some instruction on how to get back to it to look for a reply.

Thanks so much,

Evelyn

On 2021-09-28 by (mod) - Dangerous electrical hazard if main breaker doesn't shut off power to building

@Steve,

Watch out: as you probably know, you are describing an extremely dangerous electrical hazard risking fire, shock, death - when you cannot safely turn off electrical power to your building.

You need prompt help from a licensed electrician.

While waiting for the electrician, if an emergency occurs that requires turning off electrical power, your emergency services or fire department probably know how to turn off your electrical service by pulling the electric meter - not something to try yourself as that, too, can be dangerous.

Please tell us the brand of electrical panel you have installed. Some specific brands are known problems, such as some FPE or Federal Pacific, and some Bulldog Pushmatic circuit breakers that remain "on" internally even when switched to the off position.

Use the Add Image button to post a photo of your electrical panel and its main switch.

On 2021-09-28 by Steve

Turn main breaker off but still power coming in

On 2021-10-06 by (mod)

@Bonnie Mazur,
It's difficult to provide a definitive answer from one photo and the limited information we have.

It is ALWAYS important to treat any electrical wiring, low or high voltage, safely and avoid damaging it in any way.

On 2021-10-06 by Bonnie Mazur

@inspectapedia.com.moderator,
Thanks. So if it is low voltage that means I should still be careful not to cut it or accidentally nail into when I replace trim?

Since this is the wall in the middle of the house it is not open to find where the wire originates from and can't find it below the floor in the basement.

I found out the pipe is most likely used to attach the crane when setting house on the foundation.

On 2021-09-27 by (mod)

@Bonnie Mazur,

That looks like a loop of low voltage wire perhaps for a thermostat or a telephone

On 2021-09-27 by Bonnie Mazur

I have a Millcraft house that was built in 1979.

I am putting in new flooring and when I pulled the trim of of one of my walls I found this hole with a loop of wire behind it.

The wire is black and it looks like someone stripped off the black covering in a a few spots. There is a red and black wire inside.

Any idea if this is a live wire and what it is for?

Also, in regard to the metal pipe behind it would that have electrical wiring inside? (All of the drywall removal and drill holes in the 2 x 4 were there when I pulled off the trim.)

On 2021-09-12 by (mod) - Need to inspect all the home circuits

@Janee Marler-Fore,

This is certainly a frustrating electrical problem. It sounds as if you really need a licensed electrician on site to survey all of your home's circuits, not just to finish wiring up the GFCI receptacle.

The concern is fire and shock hazards that might be present; also ask the electrician if some of your circuits are overloaded - that too an cause breakers to trip.

Be sure you have working CO and smoke detectors in your home while you're at it.

On 2021-09-12 by Janee Marler-Fore

2005 mobile home, lived in for about 1 year.

When vacuuming, or running more then one box heater, breakers would trip, also when it's raining, ( I believe an outlet outside close to electric pole and meter base, would either trip GRI in guest bath or trip breaker, not 100% sure about tripping breaker, when it happens I fuse box and just cut that breaker on then off, also go to guest bath and reset GFI, and everyone works again.

Recently bought GFI and weather proof box for the outlet by pole, when out in GFI didn't work, and outlets also now didn't work.

I asked the man if he would put the old plug back in, so he did, now that plug doesn't work anymore and the outlets are also not working, I asked another person he came Gave him GFI and the same thing happened he said the wires that were on the GFI were not in the right place so he took them off before he hooked it up.

Told him would he look in the pole and the man before him said something ( I think neutral wasn't connected, so he half way tried to connect, but didn't have tools to do the correct way, would that have anything to do with what was happening, he said it was fine.

Then he had to go and left, now that outside outlet has a GFI, but the other ones are still not working. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

On 2021-08-17 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod)

@2smooth,

The side of your aquarium equipment that is bringing electrical power into the Transformer from the wall receptacle would not be 12 volt cable. it would be conventional 110 volt lamp cord.

On 2021-08-17 by 2smooth

when connecting power cord to a 12v aqaurium filter does it have to be 12v cable also

On 2021-08-16 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) - Improper disconnection risks safety

@cindy mankin,

If I understand you correctly, a live electrical shut-off switch was laid on the ground - if so this is absolutely insane, and risks killing someone who touches the box.

In my OPINION The company who did such a thing is risking being charged with a wrongful death or worse.

You should hire a licensed electrician to fix the situation immediately and meanwhile, knowing nothing more about your electrical service, I can but tell you to keep people away from the box as we have no idea of its condition.

IF upstream - ahead of that electrical box - there is an electrical shutoff available to you that you can safely access, simply use that to turn off power to the wire and box on the ground.

On 2021-08-16 by cindy mankin

we just had a mobile home disconnected and moved off our property. the movers flipped the switch on the pole and just laid it on the ground and left . i made contact with them and they told me this is fine they do this all the time

. the ends of the wires that was inside the breaker box is exposed. should these have some type of cap or covers on them? i am worried someone could shocked is this is done correctly

On 2021-08-12 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) =Mobile home crossover connectors

@ElGato420,

Check for another receptacle on the same circuit like in another bathroom where a GFCI receptacle is installed and if found, press the reset button.

Often on a doublewide there are some boxes or connectors called crossover connectors between the two halves - underneath in the crawl or overhead if there is an accessible attic; That may be the case for you, but before tearing up the attic I'd look closer to home - for ...

an open connection upstream of the first dead receptacle. It could even be right at the receptacle.

An electrician would start at the panel confirming that there's power to the circuit.

Be careful; if you're not familiar with safe electrical wiring work you could be shocked or killed.

On 2021-08-12 by ElGato420

Bathroom Outlet suddenly went out and wire no longer has any power. Breaker did not trip. 1983 Fleetwood Doublewide

I have checked and no gfci found. However, I discovered that both bathrooms have dead outlets.

Any idea where they would splice them to add a junction box? What would the junction box look like on this mobile home?

Q: Does anyone know what path the wire takes? Is it dedicated or shared? Any gfci I cannot see? or old outlets underneath? I've traced the wire from the outlet to the kitchen area via the crawlspace between the roof. I cannot see it once it enters the dining area.

On 2021-07-08 by (mod) - identification & properties of Cirtex & Hatflex fabric-insulated electrical wire

@vick,

I'll be glad to help; for future topics, you can usually find just what you need by using the InspectApedia on-page search box found at page top or found just above the Comments Box.

Searching InspectApedia for "Asbestos in Electrical Wire"

we find

ASBESTOS ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION

that has more detail than I can type over again here.

Take a look and don't hesitate to post follow-up questions or comments.

Thanks

On 2021-07-08 by vick

Recently bought a house that is build mid 1960, did my search but couldn't find 100% if wiring contain asbestos, please help, see photos.

- Hatflex 14-2 with ground type NM (plastic insulation) - Cirtex 14-3 with ground type NM (plastic insulation)

On 2021-06-24 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) - Water Pump Running Fast Without Load But When Load is Applied Runs Slowly

@zain sheikh,

To make a useful guess at what's happening with your water pump it would be helpful to understand:

By "runs slowly"

do you mean

1. the electric motor itself actually slows down - its RPM drops? If so, and provided the wire size is proper and fusing right and that there are no loose connections, the motor itself may be failing; or you could have a voltage supply problem: voltage is too low or varies too much

For example if the motor has previously over-heated, the insulation in its windings may be damaged; or the windings could be moisture damaged or corroded. Low resistance can cause the electric motor to slow under load.

Operating the motor on a circuit at too-low voltage can also overheat and damage windings.

See the diagnostics beginning at ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE

2. the water output seems to slow down - that can be a well flow rate problem. And there could be a pump protection device that is operating.

See WATER PUMP PROTECTION SWITCH

and WATER PUMP DIAGNOSTIC TABLE a concise guide to diagnosing and fixing water pumps

On 2021-06-24 by zain sheikh

I have a Water pump that was running well under load but suddenly it slowed down. I opened up the motor and checked everything, everything was fine. Then i operated the motor without load it ran fast as it was running before the problem.

Then i attached the load again, motor was again slow. I've changed the capacitor as well but to no avail. Could anyone tell the possible problem with it.

Motor Specs. are as follows
Phase: 1
RPM: 2850
H.P: 1
Delivery: 90
Suction: 90
Temp. Rise: 60°C
Amperes: 7
Volts: 220/230
Capacitor: 30uF

Thanks in Advance For Help

On 2021-06-14 - by (mod) -

@Walter Klein,

The PDF file name is case-sensitive: the link the inspector gave you was not quite correct:

The proper link is https://inspectapedia.com/fpe/FPE_Stab-Lok_Summary.pdf

Also, please see the

FEDERAL PACIFIC FPE STAB LOK HAZARDS home page

I'll see if I can put up copies of the PDF version in other name versions to get around the capitalization problem.

Thank you for letting me know.

We welcome your further questions or comments.

On 2021-06-14 by Walter Klein

Received an inspection report mentioning Federal Pacific Company electrical panel employing Stablok ckt breakers which have been shown to be defective. The inspector added the following link for further info: https://inspectapedia.com/fpe/FPE_stab-lok_summary.pdf. However, I received a 404 page error not found. Can you please help get the info. Thanks

On 2021-05-04 by (mod)

@peter@tozerqs.com,

I'd look for

- a motor that's being overloaded or that has a failing bearing

- a motor with a loose electrical connection or wire

- a failing control switch or relay

On 2021-05-04 by peter@tozerqs.com

I have a 12 volt electrical motor which goes start/stop/start/stop and so on in rapid succession when connected to the power source. What is wrong with it?

On 2021-04-25 - by (mod) -

@Carl S,

No; but if you do install a closet light there are fire clearance details that must be met.

On 2021-04-25 by Carl S

Is it mandatory to install lights in closets?

On 2021-04-22 - by (mod) -

@nicholas_kowal@goodyear.com,

please take a look at BARD MANUFACTURING HEATER AGE MANUALS CONTACT https://inspectapedia.com/heat/Bard-Heater-Age-Manuals-Contact.php

and let me know if that helps

On 2021-04-21 by nicholas_kowal@goodyear.com

How can I get a hold of the electrical schematic diagram for a Bard manufacturing gas furnace model number ih85d48a (serial number k84 0347930). Somebody wired a 110 plug to the furnace and umpered the thermostat and fan to run when plugged in. We are hooking up a wall mounted thermosata and want to take it back to normal. Any help or direction will be appreciated.

On 2021-04-07 - by (mod) -

@Shirley, if all of the roof work was done from outside, it's odd that a ceiling fan would stop working but possible: for example banging on a roof might cause a loose, poorly-made electrical connection to fail. Ask your electrician to check the fan junction box connections and then any wall switch connections - after first confirming that the breaker or fuse for that circuit in the electrical panel is OK and ON.

On 2021-04-07 by Shirley

I had a new roof put on my 1990 manufactured home now my ceiling fan doesn't work

On 2021-01-25 - by (mod) -

Jeff


A type TL screw-in fuse is one made to delay blowing immediately on sensing an overcurrent.

A Type W screw in fuse is made to blow very quickly on sensing an overcurrent.

Both fuses will protect the electrical circuit they are powering.

From a fire protection sense, a fast-blowing fuse is always "safer" - but if your circuit is powering certain equipment causes a **normal** high but brief current surge at start-up, such as an air-conditioning compressor, then you may find that using a Type W fuse results in nuisance fuse-blowing.

Also see BLOWN FUSE REPLACEMENT

On 2020-11-19 by (mod) - how to wire a GFCI receptacle - shared neutral is NOT ok

Richard,

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something in your question, but in essence a GFCI receptacle is wired about the same as a conventional receptacle

as detailed

at OUTLET, HOW TO INSTALL guide for home owners & home inspectors - it's easy but important details make the difference between a safe installation of an electrical receptacle and one that is both dangerous and illegal.

except that it is particularly critical to wire the supply hot and neutral wires to the LINE terminals on the GFCI - else it won't fully protect the building occupants.

See your question repeated along with more details at GFCI WIRING, TESTING & SAFETY GFCI Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter & AFCI Arc-Fault Detector Wiring, Defects & Testing

On 2020-11-19 by Richard

How do I hook up GFCI breaker on to phase using a common one, neutral

On 2020-11-02 - by (mod) -

Bobbie

Usually that's a burnt or open electrical connection; your electrician will start at the "dead" wall receptacle, open it for inspection, and if there's no trouble found there, she'll trace the circuit back towards the panel to look for an open connection.

Meanwhile for safety, don't fool with nor try to plug anything into the "dead" receptacle as wiggling it around could cause a short or fire if the breaker or fuse isn't operative.

On 2020-11-02 by Bobbie Morris

Electric wire is dead near wall receptacle

On 2020-09-26 - by (mod) -

Michelle

Wall plugs on power cords are a standard item available at electrical suppliers, hardware stores, etc.

If you're having a particular difficulty perhaps you could attach a photo and describe the trouble and we can comment further.

Watch out: if you're not familiar with safe and proper electrical wiring get some help from an expert, as making a mistake can cause fire, shock, or worse.

On 2020-09-26 by michelle tank

I'm trying to replace my plug for the power cord to the i have the gold series pump

On 2020-09-17 - by (mod) - How to choose a motor capacitor

Bruce:

Please see CHOOSE a START / RUN CAPACITOR, HOW TO where we provide the guidelines to capacitor size range when replacing a capacitor.

And yes, you'll still need a motor start capacitor at the higher voltage. But your 165VAC Max capacitor would burn up quickly in a 230VAC wiring setup.

On 2020-09-17 by Bruce Jennings

Hi. I am in the process of replacing a bad start cap on a 1hp USMOTORS compressor motor (GAST). The original cap was a 450-540 mfd-165vac rating.
2 questions:

1) All I can find now is 540-648 mfd/165vac start caps....will the "540-648 mfd/165vac" work where the 450-540 mfd/165vac was originally?
&

2) I took this repair opportunity to change the line voltage from 120 vac to the optional 230 vac...do I need to use a start cap (if it can be found) with a higher than the
165 vac max rating of the original cap?

Thank you, Bruce Jennings

On 2020-09-15 - by (mod) -

That doesn't sound right to me, JR; the neutral in a sub panel is normally connected back to the neutral in the main panel. Be sure local grounding electrodes are correct.

On 2020-09-14 by JR

Running 120v power 150ft to an out building, is it safe to run one #8 wire Hot to building then put in 2 gruond rods for neutral and ground at the out buiding?

On 2020-09-13 - by (mod) - Items to consider to bid on a job

Barry

Assuming you're a licensed electrician,

Make a list of all the materials needed,

Take your typical labor time to install power to one building and multiply it x 15, then adjust downwards to allow for savings by not having to figure out or travel to multiple jobs
Add costs for services you may have to sub out such as an excavator to provide buried service entry cabling;

Check with your local electrical utility for anything you might have missed like costs to drop and restore power to the site.

Check with your local electrical inspector for details on who files for permits, pays what fees.

On 2020-09-13 by Barry

I'm wanting to take on this new project been offered to me it's a 15 site RV Park on one acre of land I have no idea how to bid this job I can install it but I don't know how to bid it any help would be anything any help would be much appreciated

On 2020-07-24 - by (mod) -

Anon, Please see

GAS METER CLEARANCE DISTANCES

On 2020-07-24 by Anonymous

How far electric meter form gasmeter

On 2020-07-20 - by (mod) -

John

I'm concerned that the problem that you described could be hiding a risk of fire in your home. I'm not sure if the problem is wiring errors or if the problem is that your home has too few circuits and they are overloaded.

Sorry to say you need an on-site electrician to look at the electrical system starting from your service entry where she can tell you what amperage and voltage are being delivered to the house and then continuing from your electrical panel to see how that electrical services distributed and how many circuits are provided of what size.

On 2020-07-20 by john

i have a 1980 buddy single wide. i can't run my refridgerator. my voltage sits at about 110 threw how trailer. If u run microwave or refridgerator my volts drop to 74-77. I have changed outlets. it dosa have copper wire. can anyone help me

On 2020-07-19 - by (mod) - Why does the neutral have a load and how do I correct the problem?

Please see your post at

https://inspectapedia.com/Manufactured_Homes/Mobile_Home_Troubleshooting.php

On 2020-07-19 by kingsperm88@gmail.com

Recently checked a wall outlet that stopped working. I get no reading on the volt meter. After taking the oulet out of the wall, I put one probe on the neutral and one on the ground and I got a reading of 119.4, same thing on the hot.

On 2020-06-14 - by (mod) -

That looks like the system electrical ground - and is critical for electrical system safety. It should connect to a grounding electrode.

On 2020-06-09 by Cornell Ma

The Twisted aluminum wire coming from the house got cut doing yard work what is this wire for? I think it's some type of ground but what is it?

On 2020-05-22 - by (mod) - Beware of unsafe wiring conditions

It certainly looks to me as if there's several unsafe electrical wiring conditions here. I see a burned receptacle which tells me that it was overheating, perhaps overloaded and improperly fused and you're holding some damaged cartridge types fuses.

I'm very nervous about the possibility of a fire or shock hazard at your home with the wiring that you've shown me.

I urge you to get a license electrician on site to survey the whole electrical system.

I'm sorry, I know it's easy for me to give this advice and not convenient for you, but this just looks too amateur and dangerous to pretend that we can diagnose and fix it by a little bit of texting some photos.

On 2020-05-21 by Matt

My aps box is 240 V 3 w 60 hz TA 30 kg 7.2.

I can tell alot of changes were made to it its wierd. This pic is from under the existing box in the previous message

..

1st ac runs input 820 w 7.7amp 2nd ac input is 1020w 9.2 amps. Landlord gave me a portable ac input is870 w current 7.7 A. Still have fridge water heater and microwave. .... power went ape today 3 times in a matter of 15 min.

And this is my box. Fuses from main outside before replaced. Still gotta do the 30 amp. Believe I got the wrong 30 so gotta head back to store.

On 2020-05-21 - by (mod) - Too few circuits, too many things plugged in, insufficient incoming electrical power

Matt

I'll be glad to help but we must start with this warning

Watch out: if you are not trained in proper and safe electrical wiring there is a very real risk that you can be shocked, or killed, or may burn down your home.

It sounds as if your trailer has too few electrical circuits, too many things plugged into them, and probably not sufficient incoming electrical power.

START: by avoiding a fire. That means don't screw in an over-sized fuse, and don't run so many things that you trip a fuse.

Continue as follows:

if that were my home I'd start at the point where electrical service is delivered, and I'd want a circuit breaker panel of 100Amps 240Volts, or larger if I have a lot of heavy-usage appliances.

An electrician would survey the home and what you're going to run and would figure the necessary panel size.

I might then simplify the wiring, moving the current over-protection from the 5 fuse boxes back to suitably-sized breakers in the panel.

And from each of those 5 boxes, that then become electrical junction boxes, I might have to split up the load and run several individual circuits, preferably back to the main panel, since at a trailer those are not going to be long wire runs.

The wire size and breaker (or fuse) ampacity have to match, e.g .a #14 copper can supply a 15Amp circuit or a #12 copper can supply a 20A circuit.

This article series describes basic wiring methods, but honestly it sounds as if you need an electrician on site.

On 2020-05-21 by Matt

Just jumped into a 70s maybe 80s trailer. Off the get go plumbing was screwed I'll get into that later I'm sure. Right now I have an issue only being able to run certain appliances at a time before my power trips.

I have 2 large acs, wall receptacles that don't work with switches in the kitchen.

My problem is I need to run wire to the box to the kitchen to run an electric range oven . There's 5 fuse boxes that constantly trip. Where do I start and what the hell is the first thing to tackle respectfully asking.

On 2020-05-08 - by (mod) - Detecting electromagnetic fields

James

We have a series of articles on electromagnetic fields, beginning at

EMF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS & HUMAN EXPOSURE

You might want to take a look.

You'll see that you can detect an electromagnetic field at any household 120VAC or 240VAC wire or circuit. That will be true around the panel even with the breaker "OFF" as there is a field around the serving wires.

On 2020-05-08 by James

why am I getting high e field and h field readings even after I trip the main breaker

Reader Question: Can I Hook Up Two Power Sources to One Electrical Panel?

Is it possible to connect two sources of Electricity to one Sub-Panel? - Muhammad K., Jordan

Reply: Use an isolation switch to avoid simultaneous (and unsafe) electrical power feeds to an electrical panel or sub panel - use backup electrical generator hookups as an example

By "possible to connect two sources of Electricity to one Sub-Panel" I presume you don't mean is it physically possible to connect two power sources to a single electrical panel since that would be trivial to accomplish; Rather I presume you mean is it acceptable practice or is it "safe" to connect multiple power sources into a single electrical panel or sub-panel.

The basic answer is no. In general it is very dangerous to have multiple sources of power into a single panel or subpanel because of the possibility of backfeeding and shocking someone who thinks power is off from a given source. So we don't hookup simultaneous live electrical power sources to a single electrical sub panel or main panel.

We do not hook up multiple electrical power sources to a single electrical sub panel without using an isolation switch.

In our photograph of an isolation switch hook-up (above left), the main electrical panel (1) is at left.

In the photo center is an isolation switch (2) that allows the homeowner to switch individual circuits from being powered either by the main electrical panel's service entry mains or by an electrical generator (located outdoors)

that is connected to the isolation switch by a removable plug shown hanging on the wall (3).

You can see the receiving plug receptacle at the bottom center of the isolation switch (2).

The sub panel shown at right (next to our client) was an addition to the original electrical system to support central air conditioning and is not part of this discussion.

Watch out: Emergency backup electrical generators produce 120V and 240V which may cause fatal electrical shock if precautions are not followed. DO NOT under any circumstances connect your electrical generator to any circuit or receptacle that is receiving electrical power (home, office, etc) from any other sources as this is likely to result in a fire and damage all electrical systems and could also shock someone working on the system.

Our auxiliary electric generator photo provided here shows a backup "home" generator that the owner had set up to keep a basement sump pump working.

Some owners connect an extension cord to the generator's electrical supply receptacle and connect the other cord end to a tool or appliance - which may be safe.

But using that same extension cord to "back-feed" a home electrical circuit without an isolation switch is unsafe and should not be done.

Other key safety warnings include the warning that the backup generator should not be operated indoors nor in an enclosed area - there are fire and also potentially fatal carbon monoxide hazard risks.

Note that other safety precautions also apply - be sure to see the instructions provided with the generator.

See BACKUP ELECTRICAL GENERATORS for complete details.

Reader Question: History of Electrical Wiring in the U.S. - Split Receptacles or Electrical Outlets?

When were houses commonly built with split outlets/receptacles? I am doing research to find out how many houses in the US may not have them. Thanks! - Maria S.

Reply: A Nano-History of Electrical Wiring Devices in North America - Guessing: 1950 - 1965

You are referring to the practice of providing separate power from separate electrical circuits individually to the upper and lower receptacle openings of a duplex electrical receptacle.

That feature has been technically possible and therefore almost surely was done in some homes from around the time that duplex receptacles were first installed.

See SPLIT WIRED RECEPTACLES

under MULTI-WIRE CIRCUITS for details.

The two-pin electrical receptacle was invented by Hubbell in 1904 as a device that screwed into light bulb sockets (electrical power for lighting was sold at a lower rate! - Wiki.)

Grounded electrical receptacles date to around 1915, though they were by no means in widespread use until much later.

Because sources (Wikipedia and others) note that the dominant way to plug in electrical appliances was by connecting them (using the screw-in adapter) to light bulb sockets into the 1920's (in North America), it is reasonable to argue that it was not until the mid or later 1920's that duplex electrical receptacles began appearing in homes.

Labre patented the grounded plug in 1928. Ten years later, twist-on locking electrical receptacle connectors date to Harvey Hubbell way back in 1938.

Polarized plugs (one blade wider than the other) were not introduced until 1948 and were not widespread before the 1950's. (The neutral wire is connected to the larger slot on the electrical receptacle.)

Ring circuits (adopted only in the U.K.) first saw use in the U.K. around 1947 - providing the functional equivalent of our split wired receptacle approach and suggest the history of origin of the idea.

The sum of this history to date (subject to revision as our research continues) is that I'd place duplex receptacles in widespread use by 1935-1940 and it would be fair to assume (barring a code restriction yet to be found) that split wired receptacles, being physically possible, appeared in some uses as early as 1940.

IN sum it is more likely that split wired electrical receptacles were in use by the late 1940's, expanded during the post-Korean war boom, and began seeing widespread use in North America after 1965-1970.

That last OPINION derives from guessing at the onset of surge in use of multiple electrical appliances at once in home kitchens.

On 2020-03-19 - by (mod) - how to trace an electrical circuit

Joe

Some help on tracing and identifying electrical circuits and their wiring is at

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ID, MAP & LABEL

On 2020-03-19 by joe

no power to outlet and do not know where it comes from

On 2020-03-09 - by (mod) - wall-hung clock electrical connection or mounting receptacle

Tony that looks like a power cord connector or power connector for a wall-hung electric clock that was made, depending on country, probably before 1950.

The clock would have been hung on the wall by connecting it to a special wall-clock mounting receptacle that in turn was wired through and fastened to the building wall, perhaps in an office or kitchen.

An example of a flush-mount wall clock electrical receptacle is shown above.

On 2020-03-09 by Tony Jarrett

Hey, does anyone recognize this type of receptacle ?

It is on an old wall clock.

On 2020-01-27 - by (mod) -

Sam I'm not sure what you mean by receptable (receptacle) since we use the word "receptacle" as the technically correct term for what normal people call electrical outlet or wall plug or socket.

Just to review the terms that one would see in an electrical wiring text,

"receptacle" or "wall or floor receptacle" is the device that you plug a line-cord into. (What some people call the names I list above).
while

"outlet" in codes often refers to an electrical box or junction box into which wires are routed and from which the electrician may wire and mount a "device"
where "device" might be

- a wall switch or light switch

- an electrical receptacle (what you plug stuff into)

- a light fixture

- something else

See details at

ELECTRICAL OUTLET, HOW TO ADD & WIRE - home

Our photo below shows a 20-A 120VAC electric receptacle being connected into a metal electrical box.

On 2020-01-27 by sam

how do you wire a receptabl and a outlet together

On 2020-01-02 - by (mod) -

I don't think I have a clear understanding of how the wiring is arranged in your home. If 60 amp 220 volts is provided at the location where you want to install electric range than your electrician would simply install the connector there and remove the other unused wiring to the built-in oven or at the very least disconnect it at both ends.

On 2020-01-01 by Sheliah Wall

I have a 1942 home. I want to install a stove. Original layout was a range top on one side and a built in oven on the other.

The oven died. I noticed they split up the wiring to do this. It's connected to a 220 60 amp cartridge. I understand installing a cord on the appliance but the outlet I need to make for the wall is daunting.

I live on social security disability so an easy cheap way to do this would be great. Any suggestions?

On 2020-01-04 0 - by (mod) -

Tiffany

It sounds as if you need an electrician to trace the circuit. A very common problem is that an upstream connector at a receptacle or junction box that feeds the downstream parts of the circuit that are dead has come apart.

Electrical receptacles can be fed from below or from above.

On 2019-12-29 by Tiffany

Hello all. We have a 1982 mobile home, I'm not sure of the make or model. The issue we're currently having is with one bedroom not having power at all. We've checked the breaker, plugs/recepticles, etc and can not find the issue. My husband even went as far as to changing the actual breaker thinking it could've have gone bad, and that didn't help.

The strange thing is that this particular breaker has other recepitals that run off of it that are not in the same room, and these HAVE power!

On 2019-09-14 by (mod) -

Alan

Thanks for commenting.

On 2019-09-12 by Alan

@Rhonda,

I wonder of what you mean when you say LV lighting system. All the lamps are less than 50V, possible but doubtful

Not enough information to speculate what is wrong with your light fixture. My WAG guess is the neutral at the new fixture. More common LV switching systems where the LV switches pull in a relay at 120v

On 2019-08-18 by (mod) - New ceiling light is LED. Can a low voltage lighting system handle this kind of light?

Rhonda

In general LEDs use less current (Amps) to produce the same light output as more-conventional older type bulbs, but it's entirely possible that the LED bulb installed in your home isn't properly matched to the low voltage supply and circuit.

If the LED bulb is designed to be connected to 120VAC and it's installed on a 12-14-volt low voltage system, it's the wrong bulb type.

Find the LED bulb brand and model and let's look at its rating vs. your LV system.

On 2019-08-15 by Rhonda

I have a low voltage lighting system in my house. I had my kitchen ceiling light replaced and it wasn't long after that the light started flickering and will sometimes turn itself off. New ceiling light is LED. Can a low voltage lighting system handle this kind of light?

On 2019-08-13 by (mod) - what is covered in an electrical code inspection

Dave

Typically there is a rough-in inspection: showing wires run, locations of electrical boxes, but devices not installed

Then a final inspection: all devices installed

Check with your local inspector first to be sure you've got things in the order she wants to see them.

Watch out: if you're not familiar with safe proper electrical wiring you could be shocked or killed.

On 2019-08-12 by Dave

Hi, I'm going to wire an addition to my brick and motor home. My power panel is a 200 Amp, and I have 10 open slots for additional breakers.

Once I have the wires pulled to the panel, do I wait to attach the wires to their breakers, till after the code inspection or will the inspector want to see the wires terminated to the breakers, and to the light fixtures and receptacles,

so I should wire everything up, and have it working when he arrives? I can be reached at: flywelder@live.com

On 2019-07-14 by (mod) - Can you run a 50 by 16 single wide off 240 v

The question isn't normally voltage but amperage. You need a panel and service with enough ampacity for the home. It's common to deliver 240 volts to the panel where it is divided into two separate 120 volt sections feeding individual 120 volt Branch circuits.

On 2019-07-14 by Michae

Can you run a 50 by 16 single wide off 240 v

On 2019-06-21 by (mod) - photo of a fuse panel, some unused circuits, some over-fusing

Nice photo, Elaine. Aside from over-fusing on at least one of the circuits, what's the question here?

On 2019-06-21 by Elaine

On 2019-06-19 by (mod) -

Sorry I don't understand the question.

An electrician would connect hot-to hot (usually black wire) and neutral to neutral (usually white); she'd test the wires as well as trace them from their source to solve any confusion about which wire was used for which purpose.

Watch out: if you're not familiar with proper electrical wiring you could make a mistake that gets you killed or burns down the house.

On 2019-06-17 by James

No the wires are already easily accessible im just not sure how exactly they recconect because of the red wire arent they isnt it white with wh and black with black wherre does the red one go

How would i go about reconnecting a electrical wire in a mobile home if one side of the damaged wire has a red black and white and copper and the other side just has the black and white with the copper

 

Question: electrical problems in mobile home

(June 24, 2014) Danny said:

we have an older mobile home that has had no probs for 14 yrs,a few weeks ago all the lights and plugs went from 110v to 220v burned tvs cd players rite up so my ? is dose anyone know the reasons this happend and whats the repair that has to be done...thank you

Reply:

Danny I'm not clear just what happened. You are describing what I'd expect to be found to be a voltage surge coming in from the power transformer.

You'll want to check with your electrical company who may need to check the step-down transformer.

Keep in mind that other failures such as a lightning strike or a short circuit also cause power surges that damage equipment.

The repair will probably include replacing damaged equipment, diagnosing the cause, and if the cause is found to be fluctuating power you'll want to be sure your home has adequate surge protectors installed

See details at MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

Question: fan runs at wrong RPM

(June 26, 2014) sandeep said:

Dear Team,

We are using a condensing fan in a unit input voltage is 380v but wn we are running it on the site its giving 600rpm as per fan specification at delta connection it will give 900 rpm we check the connection also its was delta. When we check this fan in our factory again we 900 rpm as per our desired.
I am confused why is this happening

Hello again sorry i didnt give enough info,there was a water leak under the kitchen sink rite under the sink is a 110v recptl it did not have a gfi present,thats when the trailer surged to 220v but upon inspection of the plug i didnt see any shorts they do however have the plug backwired

Reply:

Backwiring is not reliable

Question: single wide mobile home electrical problems

(Aug 2, 2014) Anonymous said:

hello we have an older single wide,we have replaced the gas stove and water heater with electric units and they are working fine but although all the outlets read 117v there dose seem to be enough amps being pushed thru them when a load is put on any plugs the lights go very dim or out. thank you...Danny

Reply:

Danny, we may be confusing voltage (nominally 120V so your 117V is normal) and amps or current. If lights dim I suspect either bad wiring connections or an overloaded circuit - too many things ripunning on one circuit. Check too that the ampacaty of the circuit breaker or fuse is properly matched to wire size so as to avoid a fire. Check too for problem brand breakers that may not be tripping earn they should in rennes to overload - aLso a fire risk.

Question: can I convert radiation into current?

(Aug 4, 2014) prasanna said:

Is there is any possibility of converting radiation into current

Reply:

Certainly.

Solar radiation is used to heat water to drive a turbine or directly to produce electricity using photovoltaics.

Nuclear radiation is used (dangerously) in nuclear reactors to drive turbines to produce electricity.

Magnetic "radiation" or fields are key in the operation of electric motors.

Question: floors are vibrating

(Aug 14, 2014) gonnagetu75@gmail.com said:

Hello. Me floors are vibrating like I have grounding issues. I don't know what it is and electricians are expensive. It is a constant vibration and it is strong, medium and light modes. Any ideas? Thanks!

Reply:

Gon

Sounds like we're confusing building vibration with electrical grounding.

Question: defective light pole sensor dusk to dawn light

(Aug 23, 2014) Paul Catsburg said:

My exterior light pole had a defective sensor (automatic dusk to dawn type); I have since replaced the sensor, but the power to the light pole is non existent. I have checked all breakers at thE main panel, and still no power ? This is in an Onrraio Canada house built in 2003; is there something else that SHOULD BE CHECKED ?

Reply:

Watch out for a dangerous buried broken electrical wire. I'd shut power off to the pole until an electrician has debugged the circuit.

Question: Eagle brand AC DC receptacle tester operating range

(Sept 16, 2014) al said:

I have an Eagle brand AC-DC 90 to 660 V neon receptacle tester. It works fine on 120 v, but I am wondering if I can stick this into a 240v outlet? It has no other markings on it.

Reply:

Al

Since your tester is marked as 90 to 660V and also as AC/DC, it is designed to handle voltages up to 660V which is more than the 240V you ask about - so yes.

Watch out: making a mistake can still get you killed - such as touching live contacts or wires.

Question: aluminum ground wire has been cut, breakers are tripping

26 Sept 2014 George Nochta Santee CA said:

I have a rental built in the late '50s. The electric panel is an older 50 amp service with an aluminum wire ground that is routed to the water heater closet where it is grounded to the cold water supply line. My tenant says when she is using her clothes dryer and runs her vacuum at the same time. The 115 circuit breaker blows for the outlet the vacuum is plugged into. The dryer is on a dedicated 220 30 amp circuit. When I checked on my own, I found that the aluminum conductor had been cut apparently when someone had replaced the water heater at some point. Could this severed ground line be causing the interaction between the 200 30 amp dedicated circuit and the 115 15 amp breaker that is tripping?

Reply:

George

Watch out: A missing electrical ground connection is DANGEROUS as the electrical system is then lacking a critical safety feature. That shoudl be repaired.

But a missing ground won't explain an overloaded circuit that trips the breaker; more likely the circuit is simply overloaded when both devices are running at once OR one of the devices is shorting to ground somewhere else.

Question: missing ground connection hazards, aluminum wiring, breaker is tripping

(Sept 25, 2014) George Nochta Santee CA said:
I have a rental built in the late '50s.

The electric panel is an older 50 amp service with an aluminum wire ground that is routed to the water heater closet where it is grounded to the cold water supply line. My tenant says when she is using her clothes dryer and runs her vacuum at the same time.

The 115 circuit breaker blows for the outlet the vacuum is plugged into. The dryer is on a dedicated 220 30 amp circuit.

When I checked on my own, I found that the aluminum conductor had been cut apparently when someone had replaced the water heater at some point. Could this severed ground line be causing the interaction between the 200 30 amp dedicated circuit and the 115 15 amp breaker that is tripping?

Reply:

George

A missing ground connection is DANGEROUS as the electrical system is then lacking a critical safety feature. That shoudl be repaired.

But a missing ground won't explain an overloaded circuit that trips the breaker; more likely the circuit is simply overloaded when both devices are running at once OR one of the devices is shorting to ground somewhere else.

Comment: U.K. Ring Circuit advantages

(Oct 20, 2014) Anonymous said:
The advantage of the ring circuit system used in the UK was that the circuit loop was fed at both ends so wire size could be halved. generally used in british kitchens. also the 220v circuit allows use of high power appliances like 2.5Kw 4 slice toasters and 3Kw tea kettles etc

Question: sparks when unplugging a hair dryer

(Nov 1, 2014) Anonymous said:
when unpluging and hair dryer had sparks at plug light is two rooms went out fuse isnt tripped but no power at plug

Reply:

The electrical receptacle that has no power may have been switched off by a GFCI-protected circuit that is electrically "upstream" or ahead of the receptacle where you find no power. Look for a button that's tripped on the receptacle or on other GFCI receptacles such as in other baths nearby.

Watch out: it sounds as if the hair dryer is unsafe (or the local circuit is unsafe).

 

Question: fixing a missing outlet and circuits in a double wide mobile home

(Jan 22, 2015) Anonymous said:
We bought a 1978 double wide mobile home a few months back. My daughter's bedroom was missing a light fixture; upon installing it, we put in one of those bulbs which need to stay lit for at least 45 minutes for maximum effectiveness.

When we left to pick her up from school, everything was fine- when we returned, there was no power at all to her room. We don't know what happened, and no matter what we have done to fix the situation, there is still no power... HELP

 

Question: electrical outlets are melting - what should I do?

3 April 2015 FRAN said:

I live in a rental house about 1400 sq. ft. I have some outlets that are melting from the inside out, I also have outlets that are loose and if you plug a lamp in, it wont turn on.

I also have breakers that trip when you use a blow dryer, mini face fan or a leave blower outside. Sometimes the lights in the master bathroom flicker and then I have a wall with an outlet that just doesnt work when you plug in a boom box (this one is outside on my covered patio). I also have outdoor flood lights that only last 1 month. Flood light are expensive to be replacing every 30 days.(thats $51.00 in 3 months) What do I need to do?

Reply:

Fran:

Watch out: you are describing a serious building fire hazard that could result in loss, injury or worse.

You need an experienced electrician, on-site, to determine what's going on.

The problem could be that the building circuits are both overloaded and are not properly protected with the right fuse or circuit breaker; or possibly the building is wired with aluminum branch circuits, or there could be other wiring errors, over-fusing, or other mistakes, all of which are unsafe.

I'd much like to see some clear photos of what you are seeing on and inside the melting outlets.

Meanwhile, while waiting for your electrician:

1. TURN OFF any circuits that are behaving as you describe and verify (just plug in a lamp) that they are off

2. be sure that you have working and properly located smoke detectors.

Question: the realtor did not like my inspection report on the building's electrical service

(May 2, 2015) Anonymous said:
I inspected a main service, there was two 125 amp breakers for 250 volts; I wrote it for evaluation the realtor didn't like it.

Reply:

Anon

Can you explain a bit what the defect was and how it was described?

If your report was factual and accurate you did the right thing.

The real estate agent has conflicting interests, wanting the sale to go as smoothly as possible and not liking you to report defects that might sound dangerous or expensive.

But if you as a building professional go to a site and then fail to observe and report on a costly or life-safety hazard that you could have observed, simply by directing your eye in that direction, you are responsible for what happens to building owners or occupants in the future.

It's not necessary to kill the new owners to sell a home, nor are many home defects so costly that they raise a legitimate question about the financial viability of the deal.

Question: convert btus to tons

(July 20, 2015) Anonymous said:
55000 btu how many ton

Reply:

Try searching InspectApedia.com for BTU DEFINITIONS or BTUS of COOLING CAPACITY or BTUs of HEATING CAPACITY or for CONVERT BTUS to TONS

BTU to TON conversions are given and detailed at

inspectapedia.com/aircond/Cooling_Capacity.php

and at

inspectapedia.com/heat/BTU_Definitions.php

Question: My dad wants to see articles cited by university professionals and engineers

(July 30, 2015) linette leong said:

need pro bono work father is 100 i am 64. on exterior of building is 2 wood doors covering an indoor circuit breaker panel and a disconnect switch without a cover. the doors have a horizontal airspace above these items and circular holes over electrical meters? above indoor circuit breaker panel and disconnect letting in rain and fog. these have rust.

need better garage doors and locks cause someone comes in to do arson. father is more convinced if the information you send me is internet, written periodical with photos and written by engineering professors.

(July 30, 2015) linette leong said:
please email sergeylarry5150@gmail.com need pro bono work father is 100 i am 64. on exterior of building is 2 wood doors covering an indoor circuit breaker panel and a disconnect switch without a cover.

the doors have a horizontal airspace above these items and circular holes over electrical meters? above indoor circuit breaker panel and disconnect letting in rain and fog. these have rust. need better garage doors and locks cause someone comes in to do arson. father is more convinced if the information you send me is internet, written periodicals with photos and written by engineering professors.

Reply:

Linette, at the REFERENCES section as well as in the text of InspectApedia.com articles we include citations of supporting scholarly research. Articles at InspectApedia include a wide range of contributors including scholars and professionals from various fields. Search InspectApedia.com for ABOUT InspectApedia.com to see some of these frequent contributors.

I agree that that information is an important support for the opinions voiced by repair people, service technicians, building inspectors, and other building professionals: it's necessary, but not sufficient.

Please use the CONTACT link found at page bottom to send me sharp photos of the conditions about which you are asking and we will be glad to comment further.

Question: I split a single 240 V circuit into two separate 110 V circuits.

(Aug 2, 2015) Michael said:
I split a single 240 V circuit into two separate 110 V circuits. I replaced the 240 V breaker with 2 110V breakers but did not pull new wire. Replaced the old receptacle with a junction box and ran the branch circuits from there.

Now I read a small voltage, about 1-2 volts across the neutral and ground. Is it possible that a small current is induced in the neutral since the two "hot" lines run together in the same cable?

Reply:

Michael

I suspect there is a nicked wire somewhere or a similar short, or that something is plugged into the circuit and is running.

By the way, if your system is sharing a neutral with two hot wires (as is probably the case from your description) you must tie the two 110V breakers together so that either of them can shut down both circuits.

See inspectapedia.com/electric/Multi-Wire-Electrical-Circuits.php

Reader replies:

(Aug 3, 2015) Michael said:
Thanks Dan. Who would have thought that such a tiny nick (it took me forever to find it) would cause this.

As a follow up, I'm wondering about the need for a common internal trip breaker that you recommend.

Obviously, some kind of tie will be needed if work is being performed on either of the branch circuits, but I do not understand the caution about exceeding the rating of the shared neutral.
If the existing circuit services a 40 A, 240 V load, wouldn't the shared neutral be sufficient to service two 20 A, 120 V loads?

Reply:

Michael

The question isn't the adequacy of the neutral to carry the load. Indeed because the two poles are clipped into (most) panel buses such that we are guaranteed that the two poles are on opposite phases the neutral current is usually lower than the hot line current.

While you can buy "trip ties" that tie two breaker handles together they are not a great idea because of the possibility of a mechanical failure in which one breaker trips and the other does not. A factory-built two-pole circuit breaker has an internal trip mechanism that should trip both poles if there is an overcurrent on either of them.

The reason we need this is the shared neutral. Take it from me (who got a hell of a shock), that the un-tripped pole will send live current down the common neutral line if something is plugged in or in use on that circuit.

Please see the details at inspectapedia.com/fpe/FPE_Hazards_Multiwire_Circuits.php

Question:

(Oct 18, 2015) Anonymous said:
Can I turn a single washing machine outlet into one that provides two places to plug in machine and lamp?

Reply:

If it won't overload the electrical circuit an electrician can certainly convert a 120V single receptacle to a duplex one. But there may be a safety or other reason that that was not done in the first place - I can't guess without seeing the installation.

Question: what wire should i use 12-2 or 14-2

(Oct 29, 2015) harvey totter said:
i have a house built in the 1950 need to change some wire to so plugs what wire should i use 12-2 or 14-2

Reply:

Harvey:

the thicker #12 wire is always safe on both 20A and 15A circuits, but you may find that older electrical boxes are overcrowded or wiring is just more difficult with the heavier wire.

Or the boxes may be over-crowded, that would be improper, violate code, and be unsafe.

Therefore you can certainly use 14/2 (with ground) on your 15-amp circuits.

Question: Factory riveted ground wire broke

(Nov 21, 2015) Connie said:
Factory riveted ground wire broke when cleaning my Nutone bathroom ceiling light. Do I need
to have an electrician fix this.

Light is working fine, and the fan seems to be a separate plug in.
LS 100 Nutone unit is no longer available even though the unit is only 12-yrs. old.

Reply:

I think one should be able to repair the ground wire connection using a ground screw or clamp connector fastened in the same area of the metal fan body.

Question: insurance policy cancelled because I have a Zinsco electrical panel

(Nov 25, 2015) Wilson said:
I was advised by my homeowner insurance company that my policy is being cancelled because I have a Zinsco breaker panel.

They referred me to your website to obtain additional information as it is what is being used by them to make the decision. I have attempted to fully understand the problem, but without success. I acknowledge the concerns over the breaker not providing adequate protection for overload protection.

What I am missing is the proof of how many homes have burnt down as a result of the a fire or have just had minimal damage. Is there such documentation or is the company reacting as if "the sky is falling"? It appears the problem is mostly in areas of higher humidity or have continuous heavy electrical draw such as an AC or electric water heater.

I live in CA and my house was built in 1981. A

t this point in time I can't find any information that would help me justify the expense of a replacement or the panel or finding a new insurance carrier. If an electrician inspects the panel and verifies it does not have an issue, should I be able to sleep at night knowing I am safe?

Reply:

Wilson:

A number of insurance companies object, with reasonable basis, to insuring homes with electrical panels whose track record shows a failure to protect the home at rates stunningly worse than the industry in general. That has been demonstated more with FPE panels; though the data on Zinsco is also compelling the volume of field reports is less.

It is important to understand that only a tiny fraction, perhaps 1 or 2% of electrical failures are ever reported through formal reporting mechanisms and that fire cause data is also incomplete as the evidence has burned as because ordinary fire officials are not trained in forensic engineering nor does anyone make the detailed, costly forensic analysis that would be required.

Imagine driving around in your car with seatbelts cut to a mere-thread.

You won't be protected in a crash anywhere near the level you would be if you had an intact seatbelt. But, then, no crash has occurred, so you argue that your seat belts are fine: after all you've not been hurt.

No electrician can verify by visual inspection that a Zinsco panel is safe and intact, though she might discover the opposite if she or he observes burns and arcing in the panel or its components. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence of a hazard.

Worse, the physical removal and reinsertion of Zinsco breakers in order to make a detailed examination of the bus for arcing burns may actually increase the risk of a later failure since in some panels scoring the bus increases oxidation, corrosion, arcing later.

See ZINSCO SYLVANIA ELECTRICAL PANELS for details

The cost of replacing an unreliable electrical component is less than 0.01% of the value of a typical home and in my opinion would be a smart investment.

I agree that the case against Zinsco does not have as many field reports as some other hazards, but in my opinion the nature of the reports and an understanding of the failure mechanism makes the argument that these devices are unreliable a compelling one.

Question:

(Dec 8, 2015) GARRY LUTTMAN said:

I have a 2000 southern double wide an six outlets on the back outside wall have gone dead. there are know gf. outlets on this wall. were should i look for this problem.. thank you so much luttman-garry @ yahoo . com

Reply:

Garry

If power is ON to the circuit supplying the outlets in question then the problem is somewhere between the breaker and the first receptacle that's "dead" - perhaps a loose or disconnected wire.

If there are other receptacles on the same circuit that go "dead" when you switch off the breaker, the live receptacle on the same circuit that is closest to the first "dead" one may be where the disconnection has occurred.

I'd ask for help from a licensed electrician, and to be most safe, I'd turn off the circuit.

Question: can I flip a ceiling electrical box over to be opened from the attic side?

(Mar 24, 2016) Micklo said:
I realize you can't bury a box behind drywall -but I need to move a light fixture to about 3 feet farther away from its current location.

The box is in the ceiling open above to the attic. Is it permissible to pull the receptacle box up into the rafter a bit, then flip it over and put a cover plate on it after running another wire from it to the new receptacle location?

Reply:

Sure - you are keeping the box visible and accessible.

...

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