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Electrical Wiring
Ask questions here about proper wiring and electrical installation here.
4,935 Questions
How do you hook up solar panels to run 110v?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz power supply service.
Nowadays 120 volts is the standard voltage for low-power household AC (Alternating Current) socket outlets.
Solar panels produce DC (Direct Current) so, because household power is AC, you will need to install a "DC - to - AC" power inverter, also known as a "grid tie inverter", of the right size and connect it safely into your house wiring.
Without knowing the make of the panels, the voltage they produce and the total number of them you are planning to install, it is impossible to give you a more helpful answer.
After you have installed the panels onto your roof, or wherever, the best advice anyone can give you is to call a licensed electrician to connect them to your household wiring in a safe manner that complies fully with the wiring codes or regulations in your locality. (Town/state) .
For more information about installing solar panels and grid tie inverters, as well as standard household power supplies, see the Sources and related links shown below this answer, and also the answers to the Related Questions.
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 powerat 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.
Can electricity pass through cloth?
Some materials used to make cloth - such as cotton or polyesters - are not good conductors if they are completely dry.
But if such a cloth is damp or wet the water it holds will easily conduct electricity and this can cause dangerous shocks or start fires if the voltage and current are allowed to get high enough.
Why is your Socket getting hot?
Possibility #1 Plugging in a high consumption appliance. Possibility #2 Loose connection. Look for glazing, or discoloration on the prongs of the device. Old receptacles can lose tension in the female spring loaded contacts. Check to see if the receptacle is Back wired through a hole in the back, or if the wires are terminated on the side screws. Back wired receptacles use the same spring-loaded contacts on the wire connection. Any loose connection can cause excessive resistance resulting in higher amperage and heat.
What kinds of motors can work as generators?
Some types of dc (direct current) motor can be used to generate dc, in which case they are often called 'dynamos'.
Some alternating current (ac) motors can be used to generate ac, in which case they are called 'alternators', but many types will only work as motors. For instance, a squirrel cage ac motor cannot be used as an alternator.
Which wire is the ground on a lamp cord?
For a flexible lamp cord:
If it is in the US, Canada or other countries using the similar wiring codes, if the insulation on the wires is colored then White is intended for the "Neutral", Black for the "Hot" or "Live" and - if there is one in the cord - Green should be used only for the protective safety "Ground" wire.
On lamp cords which are fitted with only a 2-prong plug, it does actually matter which way round the hot and neutral are connected. Except for very old style appliances or lamps because the plug can be inserted into a socket outlet only one way on modern devices.
One kind of plug which has 3 prongs - for separate hot, neutral and ground wires - can be inserted in only one position to ensure that correct connections are made for each of those wires. Another kind is a polarized plug where one prong, the neutral prong, is wider than the hot prong.
If the lamp cord is clear or a solid color, and has only 2 wires, one side may have a raised ridge and the other side will be smooth. The ridged side is intended to be used for the Neutral and the smooth side for the Hot. The National Electrical Code requires the neutral wire be identified.
Only do this if the device you are testing is unplugged: take a multi-meter, set it on ohms and check for continuity between the ridged wire (or wider prong) and the outermost metal part inside of the light socket, to confirm the lamp is wired correctly if it is you will get a reading close to or zero ohms.
The reason for this is if one accidentally touches the metal shell of a light bulb while unscrewing it, he or she will not be in contact with a hot wire and not get a shock. The hot wire is the switched wire and always the center contact in screw in light socket.
Note re. lighting cords in the United States: most of UL-approved 2-prong power cords have a polarized plug. The bigger prong is for the Neutral and the other prong is for the Hot.
If it is in a country in Europe or other places around the world using similar wiring codes, the Neutral wire is colored Blue, the "Hot" or "Live" wire is Brown and the Ground wire, if there is one in the cord, is colored Yellow and green.
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Old style lamp cords do not have a ground wire in the two wire set. It just has a hot and neutral wire. The neutral conductor has a raised rib for identification.
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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.
Time constant of an RC circuit increases if the value of the resistance?
increases. Time constant, denoted by τ, is equal to the product of resistance (R) and capacitance (C), τ = RC. If the resistance increases, it will take longer for the capacitor to charge or discharge, resulting in a longer time constant.
What wire colors are the Neutral and the Ground or Earth wires?
In USA, Canada and other countries using a similar 60 Hz system:
- the Neutral wire is colored White or Commercial Gray
- the Ground wire is colored Green or is bare wire
In Europe and other world areas using a similar 50 Hz system:
- the Neutral wire is colored Blue
- the Earth wire is colored Green and Yellow
How do you wire an Italian electrical plug?
The modern standard Italian 230/240V grounded household plug is the
Type F CEE 7/4 (German "Schuko" 16 A/250 V grounded) plug.
This is a symmetrical plug with grounding clips on the sides and Live/neutral on the pins- as the plug is symmetrical, the location of L(black or brown) and N (blue) wires is "Don't Care" and can be either. The ground (yellow-green) is connected to the side plates.
The E/F hybrid configuration is asymmetrical (polarized) the ground hole on the plug makes it impossible to insert the plug into an F type socket with a grounding pin in more than one way. Insertion into an E type socket is ambiguous so the N and L conductors may be interchanged in the E socket.
Will a wall switch kill power?
Not necessarily, it depends how it was wired, and IT IS VERY DANGEROUS to assume that any particular wall switch was wired to kill the power to whatever it controls. (Such as a light fixture or a socket outlet.)
The only safe way to kill the power supply in your home before you do any work on anything like a light fixture, a socket outlet, a kitchen range - or anything else! - is to switch off the big "main switch" on your home's breaker panel.
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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.
Can natural disasters be caused by any source of electricity?
No, natural disasters cannot be caused by any source of electricity. Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and floods, are natural phenomena that are not influenced by electricity or human activities. However, electricity can play a role in responding to and recovering from natural disasters.
My AC fan don't work could this be the capacitor?
Yes. Or the motor has just burnt out! If there is no burnt smell from the motor's windings and you know the power supply to the fan is good, it is worth replacing the capacitor with an identical one. NOTE: It must not be a polarised electrolytic type, it must be non-polarised and rated at the peak mains supply voltage or higher. Such capacitors are usually sold as "AC Motor Start" or "AC Motor Run" capacitors. For a 120 Volts motor use a capacitor rated to operate at 170 Volts peak. Usually these are manufactured to handle at least 200 Volts Peak AC . For a 240 Volts motor use a capacitor rated to operate at 340 Volts peak. Usually these are manufactured to handle at least 400 Volts Peak AC. <><><>
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.
Do you put the green wire on the green screw?
Maybe, but we could probably give you a much better answer if you could also say what it is that you are trying to hook up...
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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.
A power supply receives 120 volts of power from a wall outlet and converts it to?
A power supply receives 120 volts of power from a wall outlet and converts it to a lower voltage output suitable for electronic devices. The conversion process typically involves transforming the voltage using transformers and regulating it with circuits to provide a stable power source for the connected devices.
How to wire a 230 volt outlet?
To wire a 230 volt outlet, first turn off power to the circuit. Connect the red and black wires to the brass screws on the outlet, the white wire to the silver screw, and the green or bare wire to the green screw. Make sure to follow all local electrical codes and consult a licensed electrician if needed.
Your electrician should be shot for even building such a thing. Buy a whole house unit or a manual switch that will take you completely off of the grid. You will be held liable for any deaths or damage you do. Lawyers will be camping out on your doorstep for years.
Another answer
If you needed an Electrician to fix up a "Backfeed Rig" you are probably not qualified to use it properly. The wire conflict between a 20 amp plug and a 30 amp plug is O.K.
What you should be worried about is who will get killed first, you or the lineman for the power company!
In our business we call that a "SUICIDE RIG" for a reason. If you can't afford an automated home stand-by system, at least install an open transition manual transfer switch!
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If you have any doubts about an answer that you get, check the answerer's bio by clicking on their name to check their qualifications.
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 white wire for in an electrical circuit?
The Black wire is the "Hot" wire.
The Green wire is the local "Ground "wire.
If you do any such 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 indicatorto insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO SOME ELECTRICAL WORK
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
What process uses electricity to seperate organic compounds?
Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to separate organic compounds by passing an electric current through a solution containing the compounds. This results in the compounds being broken down into their individual components based on their electrochemical properties.
What is the energy of electric charges called?
The energy of electric charges is called electrical energy. It is the energy associated with the movement of electrical charges through a conductor in an electric circuit. This energy can be converted into other forms of energy, such as light, heat, or mechanical energy.
What of the element below is a shiny element that conduct electricity and heat?
The element that fits this description is silver (Ag). Silver is a shiny metal that is an excellent conductor of both electricity and heat.
No, dry wood is not a good conductor of electricity as it has high resistance. This is because it contains very few free ions or electrons to carry electric current. Wet wood, on the other hand, can conduct electricity better due to the presence of moisture.
How much CO2 will be produced for every kwh?
On average, about 0.45 kg of CO2 is produced for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated in the United States. However, this value can vary depending on the fuel source used for electricity generation.
What kind of wire do you need to make a light bulb work a metal wire or a steel wire?
Steel wire is a metal wire. Copper wire is a metal wire. Aluminum wire is a metal wire.
Most electrical wiring is done using insulated Copper wire these days.
The question does not say what type and size of light bulb is to be hooked-up.
- If it is a light bulb designed to run on mains voltages, such as 120 volts or higher, then, for safety reasons, good quality insulated copper wire intended for that purpose should be used, and nothing else.
- If it is a low voltage bulb, such as 1.5 volt bulb for a flashlight, or a 12 volt bulb of the kind used in a car, then any type of insulated metal wire should be fine.
Note: Plain uninsulated metal wire would never be a good choice even for low voltages because the bare wires could easily short-out the circuit!
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 ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
Is it dangerous to put plugs in wall sockets when they are switched-on English sockets?
This question may be asking if it is safe to plug things into mains wall sockets if they have been left switched on with nothing plugged-in, and if it is safer to plug things in only after the sockets have been switched off? If, and only if, that is the meaning of this question, the answer is probably:
It should not be dangerous to plug something into a switched-on socket but it is always a good idea - and safer - to switch off any socket before you plug anything into it.
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The hazard is not in the plugging-in, but may arise from the appliance itself, if it starts unexpectedly.
An atom has the same amount of protons and electrons which makes it neutral unless disturbed. when an atom comes in contact with another atom one of them will be come (-) and one will be (+) creating and equal amount of (-)(+) atoms. the one that becomes negative received electrons from the other one, and since the other one now has less electrons then protons it becomes + charged it is a constant chain reaction.
