0
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
The 240 transformer that delivers power to your home has a "center tap", which gives 120 VAC to each side from the center and 240 from "hot" to "hot". It sounds like you're describing it correctly. Use the center tap and one of the hot lines to give you 120VAC, and there should be a ground bar inside the breaker panel that you would use to provide ground to the plug. The neutral and ground may or may not come from the same "source", depending on what you're trying to do. If you run a 240 feeder to a subpanel in a separate building you run two hots and a neutral and you put in a separate grounding rod to connect to the ISOLATED ground in the subpanel. The neutral and ground are not allowed to be connected together in that configuration. If you're running a 120 circuit instead, you run hot, neutral and ground together from the main panel to the subpanel.
Three wire strand running between 2 switches is for a 3 way switch. It is only one side of the circuit. Since it is only one side and switches between the 3 wires there is no way to use it for a light. There may be power at the hall light, but I have seen all types of wiring and each circumstance has to be looked at on it's own.
== == (LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Should you be doing this yourself?)
The only reason there is "not enough voltage" somewhere is because there is a partially or completely open connection providing resistance and a location to allow a voltage drop [bad splice, bad switch, bad breaker, broken wire, burned splice, ...].
It is the knowledge of how electricity works, and of the methods and materials used to create a functional wiring system, that enables a skilled troubleshooter to locate the problem and repair it.
Where should the "voltage" be, and how does it get there?
When you understand that, you will understand what is keeping it from getting where it should be...
What are the possible routes from the items that don't work back to the panel?
I would suggest that there is something on this circuit which still has power, but which is not allowing it to continue to the rest of the circuit.
There may be a receptacle at the other end of the house which works but has a burned connection to the outbound conductor.
Happy hunting!
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
TURN THE POWER OFF!
You are more likely to be killed by 110 volts than any other. It can create PERFECT fatal current through human body's electrical resistance! <><><>
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 electricians 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.
How do you install a two lamp fluorescent ballast?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries using similar 60Hz mains supplies
Now, I'm going to make some assumptions here and it will be up to you to determine if my assumptions are correct. I am assuming you have a two tube fixture that you need to connect to 120 volts. If that is the case the ballast usually has 8 wires coming from it, usually four on each end, also make sure your ballast is for the type of tubes you are using. There should be: 1 black wire 1 white wire 2 yellow wires 2 blue wires 2 red wires The black wire would get connected to the "hot" wire of your house wiring and the white wire would go to house neutral. The two yellow wires are the fixture commons and should be connected to both lamp holders on one end. In other words connect the two yellow wires to one of the lamp holders, one wire on each terminal, then add a jumper to the other lamp holder, one on each terminal. On the other end of the fixture the two blue wires would go to one of the lamp holders and the two red wires to the other. It is easier for me to do than explain
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.
with two tubes connect to the ballast will the fixture consume more electric than the rating of the tubes
What should you do if your 200A breaker panel box is full and you need to add a 240V 30A breaker?
There is a device that you can pick up from a DIY store. Ask the clerk to show you their duplex breakers. The one that you should be looking for is a 15-30-30-15. This will allow you to remove two 15 amp existing breakers and install this new one. The two existing 15 amp circuit loads will be connected to the new 15 amp positions on the new breaker. Your required 30 amp load will be connected to the center position on the new breaker.
<<>>
It depends on what you mean by the breaker panel being full. It depends on the equipment involved and would require more detailed information about the existing electrical panel.
If you don't know the answer, contact a licensed electrician.
<><><>
Take two breakers out of the box and add a high power 240 volt circuit. Run that to a subpanel, and add the breakers (including the two you took out) to the subpanel.
Remember that the safety ground and the neutral must be kept completely separate in the subpanel.
<><><>
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.
If you only have 3 wires you don't have the fourth wire for 120V. Since this is a 240V only device it doesn't need it. Black and white are your hots and green is 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.
How do I connect the wires on a 1986 ford F150 solenoid?
To connect the wires on a 1986 Ford F150 solenoid, start by removing the negative battery cable, then connect the wire from the ignition switch to the "S" terminal on the solenoid. Next, connect the wire from the starter to the "I" terminal on the solenoid. Finally, reconnect the negative battery cable. Be sure to consult a wiring diagram specific to your vehicle for accurate connections.
Based on the description, it sounds like you should wire the stove outlet as a 3-prong outlet since the cable you have appears to have two hot wires and a ground wire (wire braid). Connect the two black wires to the hot terminals and the wire braid to the ground terminal on the stove outlet. Remember to ensure that the circuit is properly grounded for safety.
Where is the ground wire for rear defrost in a 1993 ford escort?
The ground wire for the rear defroster in a 1993 Ford Escort is typically attached to a metal surface on the vehicle's body near the rear window. It is essential for the proper functioning of the rear defroster system, so ensure it is securely connected to maintain a good ground connection. If you're having issues with the rear defroster, check the continuity of the ground wire and make sure it is free from corrosion or damage.
Can the new bright white LED lights be used on a circuit with a standard TRIAC-type dimmer switch?
If they do not have a ballast, then yes. If you can see the wiring look for components other that resistors. If you see caps, chips, inductors, or diodes you cannot dim it. I cannot offer more without more details on the lamp. Consult the packaging.
Need more info to give you the most usefull answer. However, generically speaking, sounds like what you need is a 120v relay. Put the relay output contacts in series with the fan (aka the load) then wire the relay coil in parallel to the light bulb power. This will make the load come on when the light is powered on. Tip, if the fan is driven by an induction motor (most are, if it has brushes it is NOT an induction motor) then your speed controller will have to be the kind for an inductive load ( NOT the kind for a resistive load, like a lightbulb ). Good luck.
AnswerA solid state relay, or SSR should do it for you. SSRs take a broad range of input voltage as you require, and have snubbers to allow them to switch inductive loads such as the fan.The negative battery cable bolts to your engine block and body/chassis of the vehicle. Which means that any metal part of the car is essentially the negative terminal of the battery so whenever you need to ground or earth something on a vehicle you simply find a bolt, nut or screw attached to a metal part of the vehicle and attach the wire to it.
if the ground is from your old stereo either follow it and ground you new stereo there or wire them together uses heat connectors. better yet buy a wiring harness and don't worry about the whole mess.
Neutral is at the jumper that changes it from 120v to 240v. Two stator windings are used in series to make 240v; at that junction is (when wired in Series)your neutral/common/ground. Ground this terminal and use it for your neutral/common. When wired in parallel you have 110v and the jumper is removed and there is no common/neutral and ground is from the frame of the generator.
Can you add a second main breaker box to control breakers in the out buildings on a farm?
yes. But this is not a handyman level project. It is suggested you "Call a pro." What you're looking for is not another "main breaker" but a "sub-panel" that is fed by a "feeder" cable from the main panel. Have your electrician calculate the load you'll need in the out-building, then design and install a new feeder circuit and sub-panel for it.
What is the breaker size for a 10 KVA electric heater?
The breaker size for a 10 KVA electric heater would depend on the voltage it operates at. For example, for a 240V heater, you would need a 41.67 Amp breaker (10,000 VA / 240V = 41.67 A). It is important to consult with a licensed electrician to ensure the correct breaker size and electrical setup for your specific heater.
How do you convert an outlet to a switch?
I am not trying to be mean here, but the fact that you need to ask this question tells me you should have a qualified electrician do this for you. The age of your home will have alot to do with what needs to be done, as will your local electrical codes.
+++
If by wall switch you mean one for controlling lamps... you shouldn't! (Unless it's the practice in your country to run both power outlets and lighting off a single, common ring-main: in the UK the lighting and power circuits are separated at the main fuse or circuit-breaker box.)
Well, maybe. What is the current rating on the spa circuit? What is the current rating on the welder? If the welder is larger than the outlet, then no. It must be the other way around. If the current ratings are OK, then yes. Your welder doesn't need 110V so it doesn't connext to neutral. Connect the hot leads to hot and ground to ground.
Sure, as long as it is not exposed to direct contact with water (the phrasing of your question is confusing). You should have a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupt) outlet in this wet location. Its purpose is to protect the user of an electrical appliance from electrocution. It is highly sensitive to moisture intrusion into the circuit, which causes it to trip.
WARNING
Do not use 2 conductor with ground cable to feed a 3 prong 120/240V dryer outlet. The outlet is ungrounded, and the third conductor is neutral not ground. Your ground wire must be sheathed by code. You cannot use the bare neutral conductor as ground.Another answer
You should not connect a three wire circuit for a dryer to a sub-panel, it should go all the way back to the main panel. The code never allowed a three wire circuit with a bare neutral to go to a sub-panel. By connecting the three wire cable to the sub-panel you take the chance of energizing the enclosure for the sub-panel if something were to happen to the grounding conductor from the main panel. Four wire circuits were required for dryers anytime they originated from a sub-panel, now the code requires all dryer circuits to be four wire: two hots, neutral and grounding conductor.
<><><>
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 smoke detectors on a circuit breaker?
While smoke detectors draw very little power, you can only put a certain amount on a circuit. This is determined by the manufacturer's specifications which must ALWAYS be consulted. Some manufacturers only allow 9 per a circuit, others 11, and some brands may even be more. If you were to try to put more than the designated amount on that circuit, the detectors would not work as they were designed to, and most certainly would not pass a fire inspection. If it is a large house that a system is being installed in, a low-voltage system is always the best way to go.
As a side-note, just because a given device only uses so much power, the National Electrical Code (NEC) still has guidelines that MUST be followed. A "continuous load" as defined by the NEC is something that stays on for more than 3 hours at a time - and it states that you can't load a circuit more than 80% of its capacity.
Lighting is a perfect example, so let's use light bulbs as an analogy.
A 60-watt light bulb uses .5 amps at 120 volts (60 watts divided by 120 volts is .5 amps). Therefore, on a 15 amp circuit, you would think that you're able to put 30 of these 60-watt light fixtures on a circuit, right? Actually, no.
Lighting is most certainly considered a continuous load, because you definitely leave your lights on for more than 3 hours at a time. Therefore, per the Code, that circuit can only accept 80% of its capacity because of the continuous load, leaving you with 12 amps (80% of 15). This means that you can only use 24 of those 60 watt fixtures, not 30.
Wiring is not a hobby - always hire a licensed and qualified electrician.
* Brown - positive * Blue - negative * Yellow/green - earth == == Find a continuity tester and remove all of the bulbs. Check continuity between the center of the socket and one of the wires. Whichever wire goes to the center connector of the socket should go to the BLACK wire of your house wiring. If you detect continuity to more than one wire, or if some sockets are wired differently, something is wrong and you'll need to get it checked out professionally. Next check the continuity of the rim of the outer connector of the socket. That would be where the outside of the bulb screws into the socket. Whichever wire goes to the rim of the bulb should go to the WHITE wire of your house wiring. Last, check the continuity between a metal part of the fixture and whatever wire is left. That should be the ground connection and should be connected to the green or bare wire of your house wiring. The procedure above is by far the safest way to be sure you have the right connections. However, the international (IEC) standard color-code for cords is: hot is brown, neutral is blue, safety ground is green/yellow stripe. Therefore, if everything is wired correctly in the lamp, you will have brown to your house black, blue to white, and green/yellow to the bare (or green) grounding wire. You have probably also discovered that European bulbs (E27) are not the same size as north American (E26). For a thorough discussion of light bulbs, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_bulb
What is the depth requirement for an under ground electric house wire?
It depends on the voltage and if it is a branch ciriut or a service. If it is under 30 v olts 6 inches will work. If it is 120 volt branch circiut it needs to be on a GFI, on a 20a breaker and either in a condiut or uf cable to be 12 in . If it is not on a gfi , and it is over 20 a then it must be 18 in. Regardless the wire must be in condiut or be of UF cable to make it water tight.
The 4 prong receptacle should be more in line with the latest wiring code. It is best to change the plug or the cord on the appliance you wish to use. If you have a 4 prong outlet, the purpose is to isolate the neutral from the ground.
There are numerous examples mentioned in Wiki s but they all amount to requiring that there be no link between the neutral terminal of the device [appliance] and the frame.
It is, however, allowed [by the NEC, unless disallowed locally by the "authority having jurisdiction"] to install a link to the neutral terminal from the chassis if there is already a three prong outlet existing.
ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL WIRING SAFETY OFFICE BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO CHANGE ANYTHING ON POWER MAINS OUTLETS
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.
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Should you be doing this yourself?)
- This is one of the most commonly asked questions in FAQ forums about electricity and wiring. It must be understood that new appliances will be designed to meet the newest standards.
- It is not reasonable to expect someone to rewire their home because they need a new dryer or range [stove]!
- According to the NEC [National Electrical Code], it is now required to isolate the neutral conductor from the appliance frame or chassis.
- It used to be allowable [and therefore common practice] to use the neutral as a grounding means by incorporating a link between the neutral and the chassis.
- The answer to this safety issue was to require a separate grounding conductor in the cable feeding the appliance.
- The NEC allows the replacement of the new four prong cord with a three prong cord for appliance replacements in existing installations only!
- It is then required, when the cord is thusly replaced, to establish the frame grounding link from the chassis to the neutral.
In the present case, the cord has a 10-50P male cord connector and the receptacle is a 10-50R receptacle device. These are standard NEMA configuration designations. See the following location: http://www.leviton.com/sections/techsupp/nema.htm The "crow-footed" terminals get the hot conductors. "W" gets the neutral.
<><><>
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 wire do you need to use to run a 240V plug for your electric stove?
number 8 wire is rated for 40 amps, number 6 wire is rated for 50 amps Your stove manual should tell you, for that model stove, you could also look at the plug on the back of the stove, draw the pins on a sheet of paper, take the sheet of paper to the supply house with you when you go and someone behind the counter will tell you which breaker to get and what correct size wire to get to go with your stove.
