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New Electrical Work
Electrical work ranges from the installation of new electrical components to the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. It may also include wiring airplanes, ships and other mobile platforms.
4,938 Questions
How do you wire a 6 way junction 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 location of the junction box 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. : ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL WIRING SAFETY OFFICE BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO CHANGE ANYTHING : - BREAKERS, CABLES OR OUTLETS - :
: ON ANY ELECTRICAL POWER CIRCUITS
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.
What is dBu? A logarithmic voltage ratio with a reference voltage of V0 = 0.7746 volt ≡ 0 dBu
The origin of the index of dBu comes from "u = unloaded" and of dBV is from "V = 1 volt". Some say:
The "u" in dBu implies that the load impedance is unspecified, unterminated, and is likely to be high. The home recording level (consumer audio) of −10 dBV means 0.3162 volts, that is −7.78 dBu. The studio recording level (pro audio) of +4 dBu means 1.228 volts.
If this question is asking about the box supplied by your utility company which counts the kilowatt.hours you used, so they can send you a bill for electricity, it is called an electricity meter.
If you are asking about the name of the standard unit used to measure a quantity of electricity used, it is called the kilowatt.hour (or k.Wh for short.)
Into what should electrical wire sheathing project no more than about an inch?
The electric panel is something into which electrical wire sheathing shouldn't project more than about an inch. There are recommended guidelines, and non recommended actions, in electrical work. This is such a case, of recommended actions regarding sheathings and panels.
Can you get a solar outlet to hook up a solar street light for outside and where can you get one?
There isn't a Solar outlet to speak of although you could build one with pv panels/batteries etc.
There are Solar Street lights directly available with their own panel however, see the link I added.
What is the configuration for a 3 pin wall socket?
THE CONFIGURATION OF A THREE PIN WALL SOCKET IS THAT IT SHOULD BE WITH A SWITCH TO OPERATE THE PHASE THE NEXT SAME LEVEL PIN IS FOR THE NUETRAL AND THE THIRD TOP PIN IS FOR THE GROUND OR EARTH.THIS SOCKET IS USUALLY USED FOR ELECTRICAL HOME APPLIANCES LIKE COMPUTERS REFRIGIRATORS DEEP FREEZERS IRONS VACCUM CLEANERS MICROVAVES ETC ETC.
How do you test to see if wires are live?
With a voltage detector or a multi meter. Don't touch the wires to your tongue. That would be bad!
You can't. If you did do it as safely as possible, it still would not be UL listed for cord-and-plug use (which is exactly what you would be doing). In short, if your home burned down due to this contraption, your insurance would not pay anything because you did not use UL approved electrical fixtures. Many people do not know this and see such ideas on HGTV shows and the like. What the shows don't tell you is the consequences, and probably because they don't know what they are. I've never seen a professional electrician suggest making your own light fixture. It's usually an interior designer or similar.
Go to this site http://www.generatorjoe.net/html/nemaplugs.html and tell me what configurations you have and I might be able to help you.
Does a lamp plugged in but not on draw electrical current?
No, a lamp plugged in but switched off does not draw electrical current. The switch on the lamp has the electrical circuit in the open position. In open circuits no current will flow. As soon as you close the circuit the lamp will start using power at a rate that is the wattage of the bulb. It is this wattage that you pay your utility company to supply.
To purchase a Transformer are given input voltage output voltage and wattage sufficient?
How much does it cost? Will it fit in the space provided? Is cooling for it provided? When can it be delivered? Does it need provision for tapping for minor voltage changes? Does it need provision for remote monitoring? Voltage variation with load. Conformance with applicable standards. Frequency. A TRANSFORMER IS A PASSIVE DEVICE SO YES THE INPUT VOLTAGE IS NECCESSARY FREQUENCY OF OPERATION THE KVA OUTPUT IS ALL THAT YOU NEED.
How many volts does it take to arc 1 inch in air between electrodes?
This varies a lot with the conditions and can be between 10,000V to 30,000V per inch of air gap: Are the electrodes pointed? If yes, then on the low end of the range. The voltage increases with air pressure. Humidity and particulate matter also affect the voltage required to strike an arc.
How can you connect electric to food disposal having the wire under the sink without switch?
You must have a switch to turn the disposal on and off. If you are asking how to connect because you do not have a switch. Install the switch under the sink just above the door opening. You can buy disposals that turn on and off when you place the lid over the hole. InSinkerator makes one.
Can you wire a 40 amp range to a 100 amp box if you are already about at 60 amps?
Yes, you can, you just can't have 100 amps running through the box at one time. For instance, I have a 450 amp box in my house, but all the breakers add up to 900.
To reset a GFCI you need to first correct any ground faults in the circuit - or some other other fault in the equipment and/or its flexible cord and/or its plug - being protected by the GFCI, which is causing an imbalance in the currents flowing in the hot and neutral wires. Ground faults are usually caused by wet electrical equipment. Then you need to press the RESET button on the GFCI.
Do ground wires have to be covered with wire insulation?
Not always, the electrical code is quite specific as to the type of installation where the ground wire needs to be insulated and in what type of installation the ground wire can use bare copper.
What wire size is needed to 125 amp load for 340 feet?
== == 125 Amps is a very heavy current load for a household circuit so this 340 ft run may be for some industrial plant or equipment... You really should know how to handle wiring size calculations already before you install that kind of stuff.
<><><> To do a proper calculation, working voltage is needed, whether it is single phase or three phase and whether the wire is copper or aluminium. Single phase - 125 amps at 120 volts, copper wire #3/0, 125 amps at 240 volts, copper wire #1 Three phase - 125 amps at 480 volts, copper wire #4 ----- 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 can I convert standard American 240 volts 3 phase to 1 phase 2 wires 1 hot and 1 neutral?
It doesn't need to be converted. The 240 Volt single-phase electricity is there already to operate any single phase devices. New breakers, the right size of wiring and a new wall outlet are what have to be installed to add a new single phase 240 Volt circuit to an existing breaker panel which already has a three-phase supply. For safety reasons only a trained and licensed electrician should work with this equipment. <><><> Careful! The statement above can be misleading. The Asker is obviously not from the US, he thinks US 240V is three phase, when its really single-phase. But note that he wants to convert to single-phase with one hot and one neutral. This is consistent with European standards with 230V single-phase where one wire is hot and one wire is cold (neutral). You cannot connect a European 230V appliance directly to US 240V because this would connect a hot wire to the appliance's grounded connection, potentially making the chassis components hot! So, while it is true nothing needs to be done to convert US 240V service to single-phase (because it already is), it is not correct to imply that US 240V can be used where you want 240 volts with one hot and one neutral. This would require an isolation transformer or other approved international voltage converter. For more information see the answer to the Related Question Can you plug a 230V 50Hz appliance into a 240V 60Hz outlet? shown below <><><>
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.
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.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
A #3 copper wire with an insulation rating of 75 or 90 degrees C is rated at 100 and 110 amps consecutively.
Can you put a 10 Amp GPO PowerPoint on a 15 Amp circuit?
In the United states a GPO power point is an acronym for General Power Outlet. 15 Amps is the lowest standard outlet used in the United States.
In general the breaker on an electrical circuit should have the lowest amperage rating of anything else supplied by the circuit.
The circuit breaker is a safety device and it is designed to trip to break the flow of current before any other electrical component reaches it's maximal load.
In this situation the 10 Amp GPO power point will reach its maximum load before the current reaches 15 Amps to trip the breaker so it should NOT be used. <><><> 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.
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.
What is the difference between ceramic and wire fuses?
Wire fuses are just that, bare wire between two posts/fixings. They come in current ratings which relate to its diameter like 5 ampere, 10, 15, 30 etc. Its old style. The wire can run through a sleeve of what used to be asbestos or just an underlay the wire rests on. This is to help prevent/suppress fire.
Ceramic, cartridge fuses, are safer as the wire is enclosed. So the fire risk is gone. The wire runs inside a ceramic sleeve like lead in a pencil. They are more closely rated too in that the 'blow' current is closer than the open wire types and they can be made with really low current ratings, say 1/2 amperes or less.
When a fuse 'blows' people say its a faulty fuse. In fact it did its job admirably. If it did not blow some other wiring in the installation would overheat and maybe blow and cause a fire. The fuse is a definite weak part of circuits to break the current flow that would otherwise cause mischief. So its not a 'faulty fuse', its a faulty circuit.
Don't just replace a fuse - it almost for certain means there is a fault that needs finding. A fuse may melt not blow violently. This is because it is passing more current than it is designed to but not a lot more. If a fuse blows with a bang it has been subject to a very much higher current than designed to carry. Probably a short circuit.
I have known very old fuses fail, in the true sense of the word, through carrying the correct current. This is age and oxidation and maybe even by being tightened to its posts too tightly. Any electrician knows that you dont put in new fuse wire tightly.
Modern safety devices are trips that can be re-set. They can be thermal types that overheat and trigger it to switch off. A bit slow these.
There are also magnetically operated trips that work very fast indeed. The trip has probably tripped because of a fault, a short, or overload. Be prepared for it to immediately trip again when you switch it back on/re-set. Don't keep doing this - get the circuit meggered/tested.
G4CIR
How do you wire ceiling lights with nob and tube?
If you are adding a new light, do not touch the old nob and tube. It is out dated and you should be in the precess of removing it. Never add tonob and tube. If you are just replacing a light fixture you want to put the new fixture back the same way you took the old one out. You need to take extra care not to move or disturb the wires too much. The old insulation can become brittle and break off. In general if you still have knob and tube you should start the process of replacing it.
How do you know if an outlet box can support a ceiling fan?
Most light boxes are not rated to support a ceiling fan. If you look at the box you should be able to see some marking on it telling you that it is rated for ceiling fans. Another way to tell is to look at the size of the screws that are used to mount the fixture to the box. In ceiling fan boxes the screws will be #10 in light boxes they will be #8. A common way to mount ceiling fans securely is to mount the fan onto the framing member directly. Since the light box is usually mounted to the structure of the building it is usually not too hard to mount the fan directly to the building structure too, and not to the light box.
What is non-ic housing with recessed lights?
IC means Insulated Ceiling. A non-IC can needs the insulation pulled back away from it so it won't overheat. An IC can may touch the insulation.
What is the Maximum number of outlets on a 20 amp circuit?
If following the National Electric Code (NEC) - most commonly used in USA there is no distinct limit to the number of outlets. You must calculate load in accordance with Article 220 and you must determine the largest motor load anticipated.
