DIY Home and Mobile Home Electrical Wiring
Look at Mobile Home Electrical for infomation that applies to homes and mobile homes.
ALWAYS TURN OFF POWER TO ANY CIRCUIT BEFORE DOING ANY WIRING WORK, THEN CONFIRM IT IS OFF! IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING... CALL AN EXPERT
Switch and Outlet Combination Wiring
If you want to replace a switch with a switch and outlet combination this is what you do. On one side of the switch/plug you have two brass screws and if you look closely you will see that there is a little bridge between them, this is where the hot wire (black) from the power will go. On the other side there is a brass screw and a silver screw. On the brass screw above the silver screw connect the black wire that goes to the light fixture, on the silver screw connect the neutral wire (white). You must hook up the white wire to make the outlet work and don't forget a white wire must also connect to the light fixture, you may have to make a "pigtail" to accomplish this. Connect ground to the green screw. Before you connect the wires make sure you have power between the hot from your power source and the neutral using a volt meter.
Shorted Wiring Circuit Breaker Trips
Assuming that the outlets worked and the circuit breaker is good and then just starting tripping the breaker and you do not see any obvious damage in or under the home. This is what I would do. The power comes from the breaker and goes to outlet "A" then outlet "B" and outlet "C" and so on. Outlet "A" would be the outlet that is closest to the breaker box in most cases. You need to make sure the power is off then take this outlet completely loose from the circuit. This should also isolate all the other outlets from the breaker. There should be a cable with a black (hot), a white (neutral) and a ground wire leading in from the breaker and one or possibly two cables leading out to other outlets down line to "B" "C" and so on. Cap these wires off to make sure they don't short out to each other. Once this is done turn the breakers on to see if it trips. If it does trip then the short is between this point and the breaker in the wire. If it does not trip then the problem is either at the "A" point or beyond. In which case you need to check the "A" point for bare wires or any obvious sign of shorting, such as burned spots. Remake the connection and turn the breaker back on. If that solves the problem fine, if not you need to do the same thing at each outlet down the line. I know this is time consuming and frustrating, but that is the only way to do it. I don't know your skill level or the tools and volt/ohm meters you have. This would be a way to troubleshoot with only a screw driver.
Aluminum Wiring
When working with aluminum wire some rules must be adhered to that you don't have to worry about when using copper wire. If you have to change switches or plugs you need to find the type that is for use with aluminum. They will be designated AL or AL/CU. Most that you find are for CU or copper wire only. When stripping the wire do not scratch or groove the wire as this will cause weak spots and invite corrosion. I strongly recommend that you use an anti-oxidant compound. This is a corrosion inhibitor that you would sparingly apply to the bare wire before attaching to the screw down terminals (follow package directions). This compound can be found at most home supply and hardware stores. I have a 1 once tube that has lasted a long time. It is also a good idea to apply it to aluminum wires that are attached to circuit breakers and as a matter of fact is required by code.The use of aluminum wire was discontinued in 1976 in site built and mobile homes as branch conductors. Aluminum conductors are still widely used for main services and appliance circuits.
Blinking Lights or Intermittent Outlets Open Circuits
One thing I seem to run into more and more is people calling me with the complaint that part of a circuit is not working, the plugs on one side of a room are not working or lights blink on and off. The problem I usually find is that the outlets or switches have been "back wired" by this I mean that the wires are shoved into holes on the back rather than wrapped around the screws. The wires after time get loose because of heating, cooling and corrosion of the wire. I do not like this practice, even though it is within code. I would not do this at my house or yours. Contractors do this to save time. This problem seems to show up in homes built in the 60's and 70's or later if the circuit is subjected to heavy loads such as kitchens, bathrooms and any place where high current devices are used. I recently repaired a major problem to an outlet where a wood burning stove circulating fan was plugged. To correct this I would replace the outlet or switch with a new one and wrap the wires securely around the screws. Do not confuse the back wire plugs with the clamp type, which are fine to use.
Compact Flourecent Bulbs
I highly recommend compact flourescent bulbs as an alternative to incandescents. I have been using them with great results for years. My power bill was reduced by 30%. They last far longer than regular bulbs and they produce very little heat. They come in many varieties such as dimmable, three way and flood type bulbs that are great for recessed lights. Recessed lights can get very hot and anytime you can reduce heat you can prolong the life of the fixture. Outdoors is a great place to use CFL too! Be sure to use the types suitable for outdoor use.
Extension Cords
I dislike is extension cords. They are potential problems. Extension cords are really meant for temporary use. If you have to plug something in with a extension cord long term because there is not an outlet nearby I recommend that you have a licensened electrician add an outlet. Extension cords are responsible for many fires.
Surge Protectors
Did you know that surge protectors wear out and loose their ability to protect those precious electronics. They should be changed out every few years or in the case of a big surge that may have occurred, such as a nearby lightning strike. Some models come with a light that will alert you when they have lost their ability to protect. They are rated in joules, which is a current or amperage measurement, the higher the joule rating the better the protection.
Water Heaters and Refridgerators Energy Saving Tips When considering ways to cut energy cost a lot of people overlook the two things that consume power 24/7. They would be your refridgerator and the water heater. Look for the rated power consumption sticker for comparison (the yellow one) and pick out the lowest. Now if your not about to buy any new ones maybe you could adjust the fridge with the use of a thermometer designed for this purposes and get the settings for the fridge and freezer to their proper levels. These levels are indicated on the themometer. Remember that any adjustment that you make could take a lot of time before the temperature may actually change in the unit. Read the instructions that comes with your themometer. Don't forget to keep the coils cleaned and make sure that there is adequate space for the unit to breath. Now, for the water heater turn down the thermostat to about 120 degrees or less and install a timer switch designed for water heaters. When going off for a while, like a vacation, turn off the breaker. These two things help keep my power bill down. WARNING... if you are not sure of what you are doing...call someone who does...the voltages inside the water heater at the thermostat and elements WILL SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL YOU. BE SAFE
Turn Off or Leave On Lights Energy Saving Tip
Turn it off or leave it on? I sometimes get asked the question if it is less expense on your power bill to leave a light on rather than turn it on and off as you enter or exit rooms. Recent tests results I have seen say turn it off. This makes sense in a two ways. 1. The light is not consuming power while it is not needed and 2.The life of the bulb and fixture is extended. This applies to incandescent and flourescent lighting. Yes, it takes more power to cause a light to light up than it does to leave it on... However you would have to exit and re-enter the room in microseconds to have an issue with this. Save power and turn it off!
LED Bulbs
I just got my first L.E.D. bulbs to test out. They consume a fraction of the power that an incandescent or even a florescent bulb would use. The one I got draws about 1.5 watts (less than half of a night light bulb) and gives off about the same amount of light as a 25 watt bulb.This bulb is great for accent lighting or a low light lamp use. In my case we use it in the lamp on baby's changing table so as not to have a harsh overly bright light in the middle of the night. The draw back of these bulbs currently are the cost and some people may not like the color of the light. The bulbs I have are about $6.00 a piece and would not be useful where a lot of light is required. The brighter bulbs comparable to 60 watts can cost about $60.00 apiece. From the data I have seen if you use these bulbs 4 hours a day they should last 63 years. WOW! More on this later.
Circuit Breaker Box Connections
After time the connections in your breaker box can loosen up. If they are loose they tend to heat up causing corrosion and arcing. This is an energy waster. It would not hurt to have an expert check these. Especially if your home is more than 10-15 years old.
Ground Fault Receptacles GFCI
If your home was wired before codes required ground fault type (GFCI) outlets in bathrooms, kitchens and outside. It might not be a bad idea to install them for safety's sake.
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