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Electrical Wiring
Ask questions here about proper wiring and electrical installation here.
4,935 Questions
In most cases it doesn't matter, but some appliances like a light dimmer will not work correctly otherwise. If it is a electronic device it will have a capacitor between signal ground and neutral. Faulty wiring will make it possible to get small (non lethal) shocks by touching earth and signal ground or introduce hum in audio devices. So, important no, but wise.
What are the colors in a 240 Volt electrical circuit?
Flexible cords come in two basic insulation ratings 300 volts and 600 volts. Both insulation ratings have the same wire count and colours inside the outer jacket. Two of the most commonly used cords are, a three wire that has, black, white and green and a four wire that has black, red, white and green. Other flexible cords are manufactured for submersible pumps and the pump manufactures have their cords made to their specifications with multi colours for identification. Flexible cord is also known as "cab tire (tyre)". I was told that the name was associated from the rubber that was put on carriage wheels to quieten the steel rims on the cobble stone roads. The wheel rubber looks like the modern flexible electrical cords.
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A Green wire (or bare wire with no insulation) is normally the local "Ground" wire.
A White wire is normally the "Neutral" wire. It is common to both hot legs on a standard 240 Volt supply.
A Black wire can be one of the two "Hot" legs of a standard 240 Volt supply or it can be the single "Hot" wire of a standard 120 Volt supply.
A Red wire can be the other of the two "Hot" legs of a standard 240 Volt supply.
Answer for countries in Europe and other world areas running a 50 Hz supply service.
A Green/Yellow wire is normally the local "Earth" wire.
A Blue wire is normally the "Neutral" wire on a standard 230 Volt supply.
A Brown wire is normally the "Live" wire on a standard 230 Volt supply.
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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
What creates the charge in an electrical current?
It requires a power source such as a battery, generator, or static electricity, (which is a form of a battery).
Can a 15 amp extension cord be plugged into a 20 amp breaker?
It is not recommended to plug a 15 amp extension cord into a 20 amp breaker because the extension cord may overheat and pose a fire hazard. It is safer to use a cord that matches the amp rating of the breaker to prevent potential electrical issues.
How can a breaker work on 60Hz and 50 Hz supplies?
A circuit breaker is like an automatic switch, designed to break a circuit if the current flowing (measured in amps) exceeds a predetermined maximum amount. The frequency at which the alternating current is changing is not relevant provided it is the normal one for which the circuit breaker has been designed to operate. In USA, Canada and other countries using similar power supply standards, that frequency is 60 Hz. In Europe and other world areas using similar power supply standards, that frequency is 50 Hz. A circuit breaker designed for use on 50 Hz or 60 Hz supplies should not be used to protect a circuit in a ship or aircraft running on a 400 Hz supply because its magnetic and capacitive components may not operate correctly. For such applications a circuit breaker designed to operate at 400 Hz must be used.
What size wire do you need for a 200 amp service?
200 amp service is the rating of electrical power available to your home. Older homes only had 60 amp service. Newer homes were updated to 100 or 150 amp service. The standard for most US homes today is 200 amp. You can find out what your service is by looking at the top breaker in your electrical box, it should be stamped on that.
A compass needle changes direction if the flow of electricity in the wire near it is reversed?
Yes, when the flow of electricity in a wire near a compass needle is reversed, the magnetic field generated by the current also changes direction. This change in magnetic field influences the orientation of the compass needle, causing it to change direction accordingly.
Is it dangerous to leave a halogen light bulb on for several hours?
PROVIDED * that the power of a halogen light bulb is not more than the maximum power rating of its lamp holder or light fitting AND
* that lamp holder or light fitting is of a type suitable for its location and application to provide light, it should not be dangerous to leave a halogen light bulb "on" for several hours.
In other words if a light fitting is rated at 150 Watts maximum the rated power of the halogen bulb used in that fitting must never exceed 150 Watts.
As for any light bulb, if it were too powerful for its lamp holder or light fitting, there would be a serious risk of overheating. In other words, if a light fitting is rated at 100 Watts maximum and a halogen bulb rated at 150 Watts is used in it, there will be a serious risk of overheating which would lead to: * premature bulb failure as the least consequence and
* catching on fire - leading to a house fire - as the worst consequence. As for any light bulb within any overall long period of time, if it were left on for a greater rather than a lesser percentage of that time, there would be two key consequences: * it would reach its rated service lifetime more quickly and would therefore have to be replaced more often during that overall long period of time;
* it would consume more electricity and would therefore cost more money to run during that overall long period of time.
How do you check a 3 phase motor?
Depends firstly on the type of motor and secondly what your testing for.
If you are the manufacturer, you test according to the IEC/AS Codes for electromechanical machines.
Considering just one type of 3 phase motor, the Squirrel Cage: if you are testing it electrically, then first of all you have to check the insulation resistance of each phase to earth with an appropriately sized megger (insulation tester). Then you measure the stator's winding resistance between each phase. (You don't check the phase-to-phase on the rotor as it's basically a dead short for Squirrel Cage motors.)
If you are load-testing, depending on the codes you are following, you start it up and run it for around 8 hours. During this period you take temperature measurements on the windings and the bearings and vibration measurements of the bearings. For the stator windings, you just measure the temperature of the stator housing unless the motor is big enough to have its own set of built-in RTDs. (Remote Temperature Detectors.)
If this is a standard light controlled by two switches you will need to use the red wire too. For more information and a wiring diagram see the answer to the Related Question shown below.
<><><> Maybe you need to use the red wire not the black? In situations where you have black and red wire in light boxes, the black is often used as an "always hot" wire coming from the breaker panel and the red is then used as the "switched hot" wire. But do not assume anything when working with household electricity: you must always check with a properly insulated voltmeter or some other type of safely insulated voltage indicating device. <><><>
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.
What is the meaning of Peak period and Off-Peak period?
Some electricity supply utility companies offer electric power at cheaper charge rates during their "off-peak" period each day, for example in "Cents per kiloWatt-hour". (The actual charge obviously depends on what your local money is.)
The "peak" period is usully during normal daytime hours and the "off-peak" period is usually during the night. The start and finish times for these periods are controlled by a time clock connected to the electricity meter which has to be "dual-charge-rate" meter to record the total electricity used at the two different charging rates. As you don't say where you live, the best answer to help you is to advise you to contact your local electricity supplier to ask for the local electricity charging rates and the times of day for peak and off-peak electricity supply periods.
If some installation instructions came with the water heater which tell you what kind of wire to use, the same instructions should also tell you how to connect the wires to the water heater. <><><>
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.
What are the main parts of microwave oven?
Basically a top level object is any object that comprises smaller objects. A good example would be the rooms of a house. Each room has numerous smaller appliances in it, so you could consider the kitchen, living room, and bedroom top level objects of the house. In the case of the microwave, you just choose the larger parts of it (your own microwave, or finding a picture online can help with this). For instance, the door could be considered a top level object. It helps the microwave perform its function, and is made up of smaller objects such as the latch, hinge, window, and the grid that keeps you from frying your face.
Do positrons have a positive charge?
yes it does. (pro) meaning positive. the proton identifies the atom. change the proton of a specific element and it is no longer that specific element. the element changes when the number of protons change. the protons are the same as the atomic number. ALWAYS
What can you use to show the magnetic field of a magnet for people to see?
You can use iron filings placed on a piece of paper above the magnet to visualize the magnetic field lines. The iron filings will align along the magnetic field lines, making them visible. Alternatively, a magnetic viewing film can also be used to show the magnetic field of a magnet.
Why would there be low voltage in your 110 volt outlet when the breaker is off?
Low voltage in a 110 volt outlet when the breaker is off could be attributed to a faulty wiring connection, loose or corroded terminals, or a problem with the outlet itself. It is recommended to have a licensed electrician inspect the outlet to identify and rectify the issue to ensure safe operation.
Do you need a special plug for a 120 volt 20 amp circuit?
Yes, you will need a special plug for a 120 volt 20 amp circuit. The plug should match the configuration of the receptacle to ensure proper connection and safety. Consider consulting with an electrician to determine the appropriate plug for your specific circuit requirements.
What are the types of transformer?
There are a variety of types of transformers. These include autotransformers, polyphase transformers, leakage transformer, resonant transformers, as well as audio transformers.
the decepticons are the bad guys, and the autobots are the good guys. bumblebee and optimis prime are autobots. megatron is a decepticon.
Examples of heating effect of electric current?
-kettle
-electric heater
that's all i have! :))
When a current passes through a wire, the wire heats up. This is caused by the conversion of electrical energy into heat energy. /the heat produced depends on the resistance of the wire.
Splice a new green wire to extend it, using the same size gauge of wire. Do not use wire nuts, use a proper electrical connector with grub-screws which can be securely tightened-up. <><><>
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.
Adding a 220v 20 Amp AC circuit to an existing breaker box?
By asking this question you are probably not quite ready to take on this particular task. You may or may not get lucky and receive some information in an answer here! If you hope to get enough information on this site to be able to do this job properly and safely, please do not rely on getting accurate information about such a potentially dangerous subject. Really, don't do this one yourself. Electricity is far too dangerous to handle if you have not been trained how to do this work. If you put just one wire in the wrong place you risk being killed by electrocution or you could even start a house fire.
How to do this job depends entirely on the Wiring Codes or Regulations for the locality (Town/State) and on the exact locations of some of the outlets you wish to install. If they are anywhere 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 - in many places nowadays it is actually illegal to attempt to do this kind of work unless you are already a licensed electrician. If you don't want to go to your local library or bookstore - to find and read some books about electrical wiring and appliances and how to install them safely, and to find out about your local Wiring Codes and Regulations - then the best advice anyone should give to you is to call a licensed electrician either to do the job for you or to advise you what you may be allowed to do yourself. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS. If you do this work yourself, always turn off the power at the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator
to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
Is it ok to wire a 240 Volt air conditioning unit with 10-2 gauge wire?
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That answer assumes the A/C is to be installed in a residential installation, because the service voltage is 240.
The length of wire-run should also be factored-in when deciding the correct wire size.
To get the right answers refer to the Wiring Codes or Regulations for your locality. (Town/State.)
<><><>
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 do you wire 220v 20amp outlet?
By asking this question you are probably not quite ready to take on this particular task. You may or may not get lucky and receive some information in an answer here! If you hope to get enough information on this site to be able to do this job properly and safely, please do not rely on getting accurate information about such a potentially dangerous subject. Really, don't do this one yourself. Electricity is far too dangerous to handle if you have not been trained how to do this work. If you put just one wire in the wrong place you risk being killed by electrocution or you could even start a house fire.
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 outlet you wish to install. If it is anywhere that is 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 - in many places nowadays it is actually illegal to attempt to do this kind of work unless you are already a licensed electrician. If you don't want to go to your local library or bookstore - to find and read some books about electrical wiring and appliances and how to install them safely, and to find out about your local Wiring Codes and Regulations - then the best advice anyone should give to you is to call a licensed electrician either to do the job for you or to advise you what you may be allowed to do yourself. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
If you do this work yourself, always turn off the power
at the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND
always use an electrician's test meter having metal-tipped probes
(not a simple proximity voltage indicator)
to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
Yes, there may be a disconnect switch near the air conditioner unit in the attic that needs to be checked and potentially reset. Look for a switch similar to a circuit breaker near the unit and ensure it is in the "on" position. If this does not resolve the issue, consult a professional HVAC technician to diagnose and repair the problem.
