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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
How many voltage is in a two prong outlet?
A standard two prong outlet in the US carries 110 volts. Actual voltage in your area may vary from below 100 to 140 volts, but these extremes are unusual. Most of the rest of the Americas (North and South) uses the same standard. In Europe, the standard voltage in a "two prong outlet" is 220 to 240 volts. In the US, this voltage is reserved almost exclusively for use by stoves and ovens in the home.
If the plastic box has a ground wire attached to the GFCI and the ground at the fuse panel, you do not need to ground the box itself. As long as the ground wire is connected to the GFCI and the fuse panel, the box will be effectively grounded. Just ensure that all connections are secure and properly fastened.
What size wire for a welding extension cord 220v 50 amps?
For a 220V 50A welder, you would need a minimum of 6-gauge wire for your extension cord to ensure it can handle the current safely. It's recommended to use a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cord with appropriate wire gauge and length to avoid voltage drop and overheating.
What gauge wire is needed to supply a 220v 50' 30amp service?
For a 30 amp service at 220 volts over a 50-foot distance, you would need a minimum of 10-gauge wire to ensure safe and efficient electrical transmission. Thicker wire gauges such as 8 or 6 can also be used for extra safety margins or voltage drop considerations. It's important to follow local electrical codes and consult a professional electrician for specific installations.
Can a 40 amp cook top be connected to 10 3 wire in a 30 amp circuit?
If you are talking about splicing a 40 amp cook top into an existing 3C #10 30 amp circuit then the answer is no. An appliance with that load ampacity needs to have its own dedicated circuit. This would consist of 3C #8 wire cable fed from a two pole 40 amp breaker located in the distribution panel.
How do you wire a three wire 220v for dryer White to white but where does black and ground go?
If the cable you are trying to connect the dryer up to only has a white, black and ground wire, then the dryer is not going to work. The cable needs to be a three wire, the ground wire is never counted when discussing house wiring.
Open up the electrical access panel on the back of the dryer. You will see a terminal block. A red and black and white connect to this terminal strip. The "hot" wires are connected to the outside terminals. The neutral (white) wire will be in the center. Connect the ground wire to the frame of the dryer. It is very important that this ground wire be connected as this is the wire that carries the fault current to trip the breaker should a fault arise.
If This Is For Say A House Or A Distrubition Center, I Would Use 000 Which Will Handle Around 240 Amps With No Problem. I`m Sure This Will Handle It. At Anyone Time You Would Or Should Never Have The Loadcenter Maxed Out ( If This Is For A Home ) And If You Fill You Might Or Are Only Running One Item On This Wiring At 250Amp, You Will Have To Install 0000 Cable. Hope This Helps
What will happens if you use 14-2 wire on outlets?
It's not a problem so long as you use a 15 amp breaker. If you have any questions about electrical regulations in your area, contact the local building inspector or a local electrical contractor.
Will a GFCI outlet trip when the current is reduced or shut off?
A GFCI outlet will trip when it detects a ground fault, not when the current is simply reduced or shut off. The purpose of the GFCI outlet is to quickly shut off power when it senses a potential electrical hazard, such as a ground fault or leakage.
Why is an earth wire connected to metalic parts of appliances?
The ground connected to metal parts ensures that no voltage potential can exist on the metal part where it could shock the user of the device. If the hot wire does touch the metal case because of some fault in the device the breaker will trip or the fuse will blow that protects the circuit.
How do you connect multiple lights to one switch starting at the light?
You put switch in series with the black supply wire and the black wire to the first light. Then connect black wire of first light to black wire of second light, black wire of second light to third light and so forth. Do the same with the white wires and ground wires.
How does a circuit breaker use an electromagnet?
The electromagnet in the circuit breaker is used for instantaneous tripping if short-circuit condition arises. At defined current level the electromagnet develops the force high enough to cause the tripping of the mechanism.
What is the max load on a 30 amp breaker?
The maximum load on a 30 amp breaker is 30 amps at 40 degrees C. If the ambient temperature is higher that 40 degrees C then the breaker will trip at a lower current. Keep in mind the breaker is a dual function device. On a short circuit the magnetic component will trip the breaker instantaneously.
If you are designing a branch circuit for a load that is constantly on, code may require you to "derate" the branch by 20 percent so that the ordinary load is not at the rated load of the overcurrent protection.
Is the red wire the hot wire in Canada?
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The white wire, regardless of outlets or ceiling, is often the neutral wire. the black wire is also often a hot wire tho this may not always seem the case. ex: in a ''switch leg" (wires to turn on and off a light switch) the black is often the hot from the loop circuit coming to the light switch. To insert the switch the black is broken and you send the black down to the light switch. Then a "red" goes up from the switch and is connected to the hot side of the light, completing the circuit. This known as a switch leg... In three wire bundles with a ground wire, red can also be used as a hot, as long as you label it.
Red and black often hot wires, white is often neutral. If a white wire needs to be used as a hot it must be marked by wrapping it in black tape and this is sometimes the case in 3- way wiring circuits.
Safety note: don't ever assume a wire is not a "hot wire" just because it has a certain color!
Nor should anyone ever assume what a wire is being used for just because of its color!
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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 amps does a 1000 watt ballast use?
To answer this question the voltage of the ballast must be stated and the type of lamp in the fixture.
What is the function of the live wire in a 3 pin plug?
A 'live' or 'hot' wire is a wire that is connected to a power source. This wire supplies voltage to a load ( light bulb, hair dryer, etc.). When the load is also connected a neutral or another live wire this becomes a path for the flow of current (amps) known as a circuit.
Can you splice a small length of 16 gauge wire to 18 gauge wire for a repair?
Yes, you can splice a small length of 16 gauge wire to 18 gauge wire for a repair. Make sure to use wire connectors or solder the wires together securely to ensure a strong and reliable connection. It's important to match the wire gauges properly to maintain the integrity of the electrical circuit.
Can a 12000 BTU air conditioner run on 15 amp breaker?
It is possible for a 12000 BTU air conditioner to run on a 15 amp breaker, but it may cause the breaker to trip if there are other appliances drawing power on the same circuit. It is recommended to have a dedicated circuit for the air conditioner to prevent overloading the breaker.
How do you add a circuit when panel is full?
That depends on the manufacturer of the breaker panel.
Some manufacturers sell dual breakers that can be plugged in where one of your single breakers are now.
You can also do an audit of current panel, ideally by a qualified electrician. You may have unused or underused circuits. For example if you had two 15A circuits that had a maximum aggregate usage of 5A, you could splice those circuits external to the main panel in a junction box (and wire to one breaker) and use the leftover breaker for your new circuit.
In any solution you need to ensure that your panel service is compatible with the loads in your house. In some cases you may need to increase the size of your panel. Consult an electrician and ask for a free estimate.
Can you tie-in 12 gauge with another 12 awg wire?
Yes but there are two stipulations, one that the join or splice must be made in a junction box that is accessible and has a removable cover and the second stipulation is that the breaker that is supplying the power can not be larger that the smallest conductor. In this case no breaker larger that a 20 amp breaker as #12 wire is only rated at 20 amps.
If your house wiring is encased in armoured (metal) sheathing back to the panel, then you can secure the green ground to the ground screw in the box. Make sure the armoured cable connector is tight on the box. This should ground the light back to the panel. If you are on "knob & tube" I would suggest thinking about re-wiring the house.
What do you usually mean by hot wire?
That depends on the context.
In the case of a vehicle, if you "hot wire" the ignition it means that you have bypassed the keyswitch.
In the case of the electric service to your home or business, the HOT wire is the one that carries the current. The ground wire is literally connected to a rod that is driven into the ground. The neutral wire (according to code it should be white) is connected to the center tap of the transformer and if everything is functioning properly there should be little or now voltage potential to ground.
Leaving the BLACK (or red) wire to be the HOT wire.
Why a freezer must have a dedicated circuit?
You don't want your freezer breaker to trip while you are away for the weekend and spoil all your frozen food. The dedicated circuit will be sized so breaker will only trip because of some truly dangerous situation. If you are sharing the circuit, some load could inadvertently cause the breaker to trip. For example, if you had a refrigerator and separate freezer on the same circuit. They might run just fine for a while, but then they both decide to turn on their compressors at the same time causing an over-current situation and cause breaker to trip. Naturally this will occur at the worst possible time.
Will a 34 amp appliance work on 20 amps?
No, a 34 amp appliance requires more amperage than a 20 amp circuit can provide. It is important to match the electrical requirements of an appliance with the circuit it is connected to in order to avoid overloading the circuit and causing potential safety hazards.
