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Modification of Old Electrical Work
Electrical and building codes have changed over time and new methods proscribed for safety. Converting the old to the new leads to lots of questions.
4,592 Questions
If you will notice, your individual breakers add up to much more than 100amps. So it is entirely possible not to trip an individual breaker but still draw more than 100amps, which would cause the main to trip.
If you haven't had this problem in the past, I wouldn't worry about it unless it happens again. If it does, you need to upgrade your service to more amps.
It is entirely possible your main breaker has malfunctioned but that is not easy to test. If it is replaceable, and if you have further problems, you can consider replacing the main breaker to see if that fixes the problem. That is much less expensive than upgrading the service.
Why light fixture has red and white wire instead of white and black?
In the US (and others?) black is hot and white is neutral. The two are never connected together. However, the code allows a white conductor to be switched hot if the ends are properly identified, such as by wrapping with color identifier (usually black) tape. Before you make any changes, however, look at the entire circuit. If an error has been made in one part, it is often that a "correcting" error was made in another.
Will circuit breakers be damaged when installing dimmer switches?
No. Installing dimmers should have no affect on breakers. Be sure to turn the circuit off before doing this project.
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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 you connect black wire to red wire?
In some cases in residential wiring you do. From a light fixture junction box to a switch box, the cable is a two wire, black and white. To connect the switch into the circuit at the fixture box, the "hot" conductor is connected to the white wire that goes down to the switch. The switched "hot" comes back on the black wire and this is then connected to the fixtures black wire. The white (neutral) is picked up in the fixtures junction box and connected to the fixtures white wire.
Is it safe to substitute a 45 watt halogen bulb for a use 40 watt or less type G bulb?
The base of the bulb obviously determines where it can fit and for most home fixture cases determines the voltage (Unfortunately there are many speciality bulbs where the base can fit different voltage situations and you have to be more careful). Light fixtures are rated for a maximum wattage. Bulbs have both a wattage and voltage rating. So if the halogen fits the base, is the same voltage and the fixture is rated for 45 watts or better, then you are good to go.
What to do if there is no ground wire in the ceiling box but the new light has one?
for USA, Canada and other countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
Always ask your local town's Building Standards office if a permit is required for this kind of work.
First thing to check carefully is this: do the wires already going to the light switch include a ground wire, and, if so, is it actually grounded?
If the answer is no then you can wire the switch as described in the manufacturer's instructions and just omit the ground wire step. This does not make the light switch any less safe than it was but it is not the preferred option. It can sometimes be done legally under the National Electrical Code (NEC) when using valid exceptions and/or any subsequent local jurisdictional approval.
If the answer is no and you want to add the ground, that is the preferred method of repair. You will need to pull new set of wires including a ground. If this is a single household fixture on a 15 amp breaker and you are replacing it with a 15/20 amp switch, use 14/2 romex and you should be good. If not get the advice of an electrician to help you.
<><><>
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 size ground wire is needed for 20 amp?
A #14 wire will do fine for grounding a 20 amp device. That is the size of the ground wire in a 2 conductor # 12 wire building cable.
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
White goes to neutral. White is an incorrect color for ground.
Upon further investigation you might find, however, that the white wire is connected to the casing of the appliance. If this is true and if this is the only function of the white wire then it is truly a ground wire. It should be wired as such to the outlet and it should be marked on both ends with green tape or paint or some other method of marking, or it should be replaced with a green or bare conductor.
If it serves the purpose of ground and neutral you may want to consider replacing the cable with a 4 conductor cable and isolate the neutral from the ground.
<><><>
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 pole on a square d circuit breaker gets the black wire?
In a Square D breaker panel, the two hot legs are fed through the center buss bar and breakers snap to the panel getting their power from the bars that run through the center, and the WHITE wire is connected to a neutral strap that has multiple connections for the neutral wires of each circuit.
When connecting a circuit to the breakers, the BLACK or RED wires are connected to the breakers and the WHITE wires are connected to the neutral strap.
I seriously recommend that you work with a qualified electrician to help with any new electrical work or electrical modifications. There are far too many ways that you can introduce serious hazards to your home if you make a mistake in the wiring. Even if you hire a retired electrician to help you, he could give you the pointers that will make your wiring project more safe for you, your family and your property.
Do NOT attempt any wiring project if you do not have a good understanding of this and other, similar issues.
Do electric dryers require a 220 v plug?
They usually operate at 220 to 240 volts with a 30 amp breaker. So the answer is yes.
How many 75 watt bulbs can be placed on track lighting with 20 amp breaker?
Theoretically a 75 watt bulb at 120 volts draws .625 amps. You would add the individual currents to determine maximum amperage. That would be 32 bulbs. However, you would then be right on the edge and breaker would likely trip often. You should de-rate to 80% of the breaker rating or 16 amps in this case. That would be 25 bulbs. You should also check to see if there is a maximum amperage or wattage rating on the track. Twenty Five bulbs will create quite a heat source.
What voltage is required for a 3 pin plug to operate?
Voltage has nothing to do with making a plug operate. If you are asking about a power plug on an appliance or device of some type, it is connected to a wire which typically is then connected to the device. You get power by inserting the plug into a receptacle. The connections inside the receptacle contact the prongs of the plug and typically provide 120 volts across the two bladed prongs of the plug and the rounded prong is ground.
There are all types of applications that have different types of plugs and connectors, so the answering community is just guessing what you are trying to find out. Try and be more precise in your questions and you will get better answers.
Assuming the wires are 2 blacks and 2 whites, and assuming one set provides power and the other set continues the circuit downline, you connect both black wires to the black wire of the lamp holder and connect both white wires to the white wire of the lamp holder. Turn the circuit off before making these connections.
If you can feel an electrical current when you touch old conduit lines in the attic, it's important to turn off the power at the circuit breaker before attempting to replace them. Once the power is off, you can replace the conduit lines using new wires following the color coding standards - typically, black is used for hot wires and white is used for neutral wires in residential electrical systems. However, it's always advisable to use a voltage tester to confirm which wire is carrying the current before starting the replacement.
What are the different types of household wires called?
The most common types of household wires are:
- Non-metallic sheathed cable (NM)
- Armored cable (AC)
- Flexible metal conduit (FMC)
- Electrical metallic tubing (EMT)
- Underground feeder (UF) cable
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
No.
A disconnecting means must be
1. Within 50 feet.
2. Within sight of.
3. Readily accessible.
A breaker with a breaker lock out installed is simply not readily accessible.
<><><>
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 a two way switch one controls the outlet the other the outdoor light with a pigtail?
You need two separate switches. You can get two switches that are in the same form factor as a single switch (2 gang switch). You use one switch for the outlet and the other for the light. You switch the black wires which are "hot".
What is amp rating 32 gauge wire?
In my experience there is no such thing as 32 gauge wire. If it existed it would be so small as to be breakable by 2 fingers, probably the size of a human hair or smaller.
I'm using 32 gauge wire in a project of mine. The amp rating can be found at the link below.
OK, I stand corrected. It certainly is not a wire listed in the NEC. According to the reference mentioned above, 32 gauge wire would carry 0.53 amps in free air and 0.32 amps in conduit.
Please note: that the amperage capacities in this chart do not align themselves with either the CEC or the NEC electrical code books.
See related link below
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
Yes, a 40 amp breaker can feed a 100 amp rated sub panel. The #8 wires are appropriate and the 4 wires consist of 2 hots, a neutral, and a ground. As a sub panel you keep the grounds and neutrals isolated from one another. If you are unsure of how to do this, consult a licensed electrician.
<><><>
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 hook up a range outlet with one red wire one black wire and one white wire?
There should be 3 insulated lugs in the dryer, two hots and a neutral. Connect the red and black wires in your new cord to the hot lugs (red & black are interchangeable), and the white neutral to the neutral lug. Neutral is the center wire on your older 3-wire cord, and should be a silver screw. Connect the green ground wire directly to the chassis of the sryer using a convienent screw. Use the four prong cord if you can. It is safer because it has the extra ground wire which older cords did not. If the neutral lug is bonded to the chassis, break that bond. It is for older 3-wire cords and is not needed with your modern 4-wire cord. Also, see the question "Is it possible to put a 4-prong plug on a dryer that uses a 3-prong plug and how would you do this?" It is a very similar question with more answers.
Just firmly connect the wires under the screws and that will couple them.
Each outlet has two hot and two neutral screws; just connect the wires appropriately and make certain that the outlet is properly grounded.
Why do you use a neutral wire in a circuit?
The power company uses a single transformer outside your home to reduce the voltage from the transmission line voltage down to the 240/120 volts that you can use when you plug in your appliances.
The power company is trying to be responsible with their money when they put that transformer out there, so they use a transformer that can provide both 240 Volts and 120 Volts, at the same time.
To do that, the output of the transformer is divided into two halves; one half provides 120 Volts, and the other half provides 120 Volts, with a "common" or "center tap" in the center of the 240 Volt transformer winding.
It isn't a coincidence that your 240 volt plug that operates the electric range or electric dryer is twice the voltage of the 120 volt plug that operates your TV.
By using half of the output from the transformer to provide your 120 Volt service, you are technically using the center tap/Common wire as one of the current carriers for the circuit. In theory, the common wire should be identical to the ground wire, but because real life isn't quite the same as the theoretic, it is necessary to treat them differently.
In some VERY OLD neighborhoods there were no 240 volt transformers, and as such, no neutral/common wire.
How many volts is 2 gauge 200 amp 3 ohms?
Ohm's Law states Volts = Amps x Resistance.
You would need to apply 600 volts across 3 ohm load to have 200 Amps flow in circuit.
Not sure what you are really asking and why you mentioned 2 gauge.
What size aluminum ser cable needed for 100 amp sub panel?
For a 100 amp sub panel, you would typically need a 2-2-2-4 aluminum SER cable. This cable consists of three insulated conductors (two hot and one neutral) and one bare ground wire. It is important to always consult your local electrical code and a qualified electrician to ensure you have the correct size and type of cable for your specific installation.
Who makes a main breaker 200 amp service that has built in 200 amp gfci?
Currently, there is no manufacturer that makes a main breaker 200 amp service with built-in 200 amp ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection. GFCI protection is typically provided through individual GFCI outlets or circuit breakers installed within the electrical system.
