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Electrical Wiring
Ask questions here about proper wiring and electrical installation here.
4,935 Questions
What color is the hot leg of 12 2 120 volt residential circuit?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
There should be a clarification of what a three wire cable is. A three wire cable consists of three main wires and a bare ground wire. The wire colours are, red, black and white. In normal circumstances the red and black wires are used as "hot" conductors. The white in this cable set is usually used as a neutral.
Two commonly used procedures for a three wire cable in home wiring are for kitchen counter split receptacles and the other is for the traveler cable connection between three way switching. Also in home wiring, larger three wire cables are used for the range and dryer connections.
In larger square foot homes, circuits that are right across the home from the distribution panel are fed with three wire cables. This allows two circuits to be connected to the one cable much like the kitchen counter receptacles.
Now if your definition of a three wire cable includes counting the ground wire, the electrical terminology of this cable is a two wire. In a two wire cable the black conductor is the "hot" wire.
As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Why is phase voltage not twice line voltage?
Line to line voltage is not the same as line to neutral voltage because line voltages are 120 degrees apart. They are related by: Line to neutral voltage * tan (120 degrees) = Line to neutral voltage * 1.73.
Additional Comment
For delta-connected systems, the line voltage is the same as the phase voltage.
For wye-connected systems, the line voltage is larger than the phase voltage by a factor of 1.732. The reason for this is as follows:
Because any two phase voltages are displaced from each other by 120o, they must be added vectorially, not algebraically, to find the line voltage. As the above answer points out, this means that the relationship between the two is the square-root of 3, or 1.732.
How does Kenya generate its electricity?
Kenya generates its electricity primarily from hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar sources. Hydropower is the largest contributor, with several large dams providing a significant portion of the country's electricity. Geothermal energy has also become a crucial source due to the country's location along the East African Rift where there is significant geothermal activity.
Why is an electrical switch always placed on the line side of the wire?
Hots are dedicated to a specific circuit. Neutrals can be shared by other circuits. All the current in a circuit must travel through the hot. This is not always the case with the neutral. The purpose of a switch is to stop the potential voltage from being applied to the load. With the switch on the neutral side of the load this condition is not fulfilled. By shutting the load off with a neutral switch you could not work safely on the load as the potential to ground will still be there and create a shock hazard. <><><> As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed. Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
How to tell if 1964 240 V stove plug is tripping the circuit breaker or is the circuit breaker bad?
To determine if the stove plug is tripping the circuit breaker, plug the stove into a different outlet with the same voltage rating. If it doesn't trip the breaker, the issue may be with the original outlet or circuit. If the stove still trips the breaker, it may be a problem with the stove itself. If the circuit breaker seems problematic, consult an electrician to diagnose and fix the issue.
First understand, a circuit breaker doesn't trip on low (60) voltage. It trips on overcurrent, or too many amps being drawn by the circuit.
A 60 volt reading in a 120 volt circuit is a typical "backfeeding" reading. You have something miswired. You may have tied into another circuit on the same phase. Go back and disconnect the feed to your 2 additional outlets. Check voltage on the last outlet on the original circuit. If you've got 120 volt, turn the circuit off, then wire in the first new outlet. Do not tie into any other wires other than the wire you ran from the last outlet in the original circuit. Turn the circuit back on and check voltage. You should have 110-120 volt. Then add the second additional outlet as per the above. Do not tie the neutral into any other wire than the one from the original circuit. This should clear your low voltage problem.
Do dry ice conducts electricity?
Good question! But before we consider why an ice-cube doesn't conduct electricity, let's consider how something does conduct electricity! As you probably already know, conductors of electricity allow electricity to flow through them. The electric current is passed through a conductor by the 'sea' of electrons present within it. The electric current will only flow if these electrons can move about freely. So, now can you guess why an ice-cube is such a poor conductor of electricity? Yes, it's because when water is frozen the mobility or the movement of the electrons within the ice is significantly decreased. As the icy lattice structure of the ice-cube forms, the electrons become rigid and unmoving and their ability to conduct electricity is reduced.
Will 120 - 277 volt electronic fluorescent ballasts work on 208 volts?
NO! a 120-277 electronic ballast requires one "hot" wire and a neutral from either a 110V or 277V supply. If you supply it with two "hot" wires from a 208 V supply, it will instantly burn up.
Yes. A ballast with a specification range of 120 volt to 277 volt will work on 208 volt. These ballast use intelligent voltage sensing technology and it does not matter if the source is a hot and neutral or two (2) hots. Don't believe it? Call a ballast manufacturer instead of giving incorrect answers.
What happens to the sideways force when flux density increases?
When flux density increases, the force experienced by a current-carrying conductor due to a magnetic field (sideways force in this case) will also increase. This is because the force is directly proportional to the magnetic flux density and the current in the conductor.
How do you make 110v outlet to 120v outlet?
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By asking this question you probably aren't quite ready to take on this particular task.
That you asked this question here shows that you don't already know your local Wiring Codes or Regulations so don't know how to calculate the correct wire size to use for the length of run from circuit breaker to power outlet.
Really, don't do this one yourself. Electricity is far too dangerous to handle if you don't already know your local Wiring Codes or Regulations or you have not been trained how to do this work.
For your safety - and that of anyone else who may use the 240 volt appliance - ask a professional licensed electrician to advise you or to do the work for you.
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How to do this job depends entirely on the Wiring Codes or Regulations for the locality (Town/State) and on the exact location of the appliance you wish to hook up: if it is in any place subject to water splashes or spray - such as in any room supplied with running water pipes, like a kitchen, bathroom, shower room, etc., or in a pool-side area - the codes specify that special precautions must be taken.
Depending on where your home is, it may be illegal to attempt to do this kind of work unless you are already a licensed electrician.
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
How many phases does a 2 pole contactor have?
Yes, as long as the amperage rating is sufficient. Just don`t wire the second pole until the first pole contacts are spent. Then move the wires over and you effectively get twice the life out of it.
Can you run a 115 volt 15 amp air conditioning unit on a 110 outlet?
Residential power is usually 115 volts to 120 volts and will power a 15 amp air conditioner. If it is on a 15 amp breaker it may heat up the breaker and cause it to trip if it runs continuously in which case you would need to move it to a 20 amp circuit.
A 20 amp circuit will handle 18 amps continuously without overheating the breaker and making it trip. A 15 amp circuit can handle 12 amps continuously without over heating the breaker.
You cannot simply replace the 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker because the 15 amp circuit uses smaller wire which might overheat.
The term 110 is an old one. Most home power now is at least 115 volts.
How do you correctly wire a three blade 220 volt plug?
To correctly wire a three-blade 220-volt plug, you should connect the hot wires (usually black and red) to the brass-colored screws, the neutral wire (usually white) to the silver-colored screw, and the ground wire (usually green or bare copper) to the green screw. Always make sure to follow the specific instructions provided by the plug's manufacturer and to disconnect power before working on any electrical connections.
A fuse is not used for increasing electrical current. Fuses are designed to protect electrical circuits by breaking the circuit when there is an overload or short circuit, preventing damage to the circuit and potential fire hazards.
One unit in electricity meter consumes how many watts of power?
A standard unit of electricity that is the minimum charged is a kWh. Therefore 1 unit of electricity is equal to 1000watts being used for an hour. eg. A 100w light bulb burning for 10 hours would use 1 kWh which equals 1 unit.
Answer
A 'unit' is short for 'Board of Trade Unit', a government organisation that used to regulate the cost of electrical energy in Britain. A 'unit' is exactly equivalent to a kilowatt hour. Further to your question, though, you do not 'consume power'; you consume 'energy'. So, asking how much power (watts) is consumed by energy (unit) makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
A unit or kilowatt hour is defined as 'the amount of energy consumed, over a period of one hour, at the rate of one kilowatt'.
Do you have to be licensed to install electrical outlets?
There are some states that allow the homeowner to do any electrical work once the service is installed. The only requirement is that it must be inspected by a qualified inspector before put into service. Best to check with local building inspectors.
Check the ac outlet you are using. Most likely a wire is loose or something is not quite right within the outlet or wiring. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHECK IT TOO MUCH ON YOUR OWN. ALWAYS USE PLASTIC HANDLE COVERED PLIERS AND TOOLS. CONTACT SOMEONE WHO KNOWS, YOUR BF, HUSBAND, FRIEND OR CALL AN APPLIANCE REPAIR SHOP ASAP.
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If like you stated, the appliance tripped the second circuit the fault is in the device not the wiring. Check the microwave's cord to see if it has been frayed or cut and the lead wires are touching each other somewhere. If the cord looks good the short is some where inside the machine. Take it to an appliance shop, but first check out their rates. Sometimes it is cheaper to purchase a new microwave rather that get the old one repaired.
What size fuses are required for a 7.5KW Motor?
For a 7.5kW motor, you would typically use a fuse rated for around 25-30 amps. The exact size may vary depending on the specific motor and starting requirements, so it's best to consult the manufacturer's recommendations or a qualified electrician.
What type of switch would be used to switch on a kettle?
Its called a bi-metallic switch, which switches off when the kettle boils, as the switch is made from two layers of different metals, which expand at different rates when heated, which causes the sandwich of the two metals to "bend" when it heats up.
What is the minimum size of service conduit?
Conductors should not be smaller than #8 copper. With that that in mind a 1" conduit would work. Better to use at least 1 1/2-2" depending on the amps of your service. Bigger is always better!
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
This isn't an answer- it's from the questioner :) Just to clarify: This is the small, apartment-sized, stacked washer-dryer unit. They used to commonly come in 110V. They are still out there but old and sell for same price used as the used newer 220V. So we'd like to buy a newer used 220V and convert if possible and safe. Don't know the watts on these, tho. But must not be as large as regular sized dryers?
Is the term earth ground the same as chassis ground?
Technically, only if the chassis is connected to true ground (earch ground). However, often chassis ground may be termed earth ground when the chassis ground iis the most common and final gound in the system...Type your answer here...
Additional AnswerAn example of a 'chassis ground' is the way in which a vehicle is wired. One terminal of the battery (usually the negative) is connected to the vehicle's metal parts. One side of each electrical component is then connected to the metal parts, while the other side is connected, via a switch arrangement and a protective fuse to the positive terminal of the battery. The vehicle's metal parts then act as the return conductor back to the negative terminal of the battery, and we call this a 'chassis ground' or 'chassis earth'. The term 'chassis ground' is also applied to electronic devices where a metal 'chassis' containing the various electronic components provide the 'reference potential' for those components.
By contrast, an 'earth ground' describes a direct connection to the general mass of the earth itself -often as a means of limiting a voltage rise, or as a means of providing a low-resistance path back to the supply in the event of an earth fault in order to operate a protective devices such as a fuse or circuit breaker. By common agreement, the general mass of earth is considered to be a zero-potential reference point.
As the original answer points out, it is not unusual for a chassis ground to be connected to an earth ground.
Does the 230-240 volt circuit consist of 3 wires 2 black and 1 white?
This is not a cut and dry answer as it depends on the application. 240v only needs two wires to operate with a green (ground) for safety. Single phase (residential) 240 wires are generally black and red (or a red tracer), but the National Electric Code does not stipulate the colors (as long as they are not green or white). Three phase colors are generally black, red, and blue and also require a green ground (as does EVERY electrical application). The white wire is a grounded conductor. It is only used in 110v applications. For 240v home appliances such as ranges or dryers, 110v is required for the controls so the cable would contain a green (or bare) ground, a white (for the 110v, and a black and red for the 240v. Things like water heaters that don't require control voltage don't need the white wire.
Pinky
When you refer to a phase in voltage what does the phase part exactly mean?
AC reverses its flow direction 60 times every second (In North America). The physical act of stopping and reversing flow direction necessitates that 60 times each second there is no current flow (as it stops to reverse direction). When you have either two or three hot wires that have differing "stop" times from one another, they are out of sync, or PHASE with one another. In commercial installation, you could have three phases (A, B, and C). In a residence you only have two. Confusingly, this is referred to as Single Phase. That's because most house wiring is 110v and you only need 1 of the hot wires (or phases) for a 110v circuit. There is a true A, B, and C phase, although few pay attention to it (or even know about it). Phase hook-up rarely comes into play unless you are running a 3 phase motor. If the phases are in the wrong order, it will run backwards. To fix it, switch any two phases. Whether they are in true A, B, C order doesn't matter.
Pinky
