| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| GFCI Outlet problem | 11/19/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: My question is: I have a GFCI outlet in my bathroom which we have an exhaust fan and two lights that ...
A: I have never heard of a GFCI making a clicking sound. You can start by replacing it. If that does ...
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| Hot Ground - Fixture Screw Shock | 11/19/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I saw a response on 4/6/2009 about a hot ground reverse. Your answer is that this would cause a ...
A: Things can get pretty complicated. To get the exact problem, a very experienced electrician with ...
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| Testing low volt transformer | 11/19/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: New home. Five years old. My low voltage lights don't work in my bath and I tried replacing the ...
A: First you test the high voltage being supplied to the transformer. Since a transformer merely takes ...
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| wiring circuit | 11/19/2009 | Robert Wilber |
Q: I have power to outlet "B". There are outlets "C" and "D" to the right, and outlet "A" to the left. ...
A: Robert Wilber Licensed Philadelphia Electrician Philadelphia License # 3516-16765 * LIFE SAFETY ...
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| Ceiling Fixture Wiring | 11/19/2009 | J Cook |
Q: U resolved a similar problem to mine already. Unfortunately his problem only had two main wires ...
A: There is most likely a circuit feeding through this junction and also a drop down switch leg. Do you ...
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| smoke det | 11/19/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: If you have smoke detectors ran with 14/2 with ground or 12/2 with ground, couldn't you use the ...
A: It is dangerous to use the ground as a neutral. There is current in a neutral wire, there should ...
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| Ceiling fan | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I am trying to move a ceiling fan to the center of the room and I'm not sure how to do that, also ...
A: I am not exactly sure what you mean by the fan connected to the light. Any lights are usually part ...
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| electric wire | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 200 feet of 14/2 w/grd UF wire. Can I use it to install 6 recessed lights and a GFCI outlet ...
A: It depends on what you use the outlet for and how many watts the lights are. The absolute max on 15 ...
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| romex to knob and tube switch leg in wall | 11/18/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: ..I'm try to abandon knob and tube in the attic...will run 12/2 romex from new panel..should i use ...
A: In my experience some of the most dangerous incidents of k and t is in the wall so I hope you are ...
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| Repairing cut Romex wire | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Yesterday, I was digging a trench along side of my house so I could install some pvc pipe, and I ...
A: You should get a UF splice kit. They are sold in most home centers. It should be where the wire ...
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| blowing fuses in a 2 bed mobile home | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I keep blowing the fuse in the mobile I live in when I turn on the microwave. What goes off is the ...
A: If the microwave is in the kitchen or dining room, there has to be 2 20 amp circuits in those rooms, ...
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| Bathroom Fixture | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I just took down a light fixture in my bathroom that was functioning normally. When I put up the ...
A: This sounds very strange. The GFCI should not connect to any light fixtures. It's OK if it does, ...
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| New electric range | 11/18/2009 | J Cook |
Q: We wanted to replace our gas range with an electric range and we want to know if we have the right ...
A: Very excessive. Locate the breaker feeding this receptacle to ensure it is of the proper amps for ...
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| voltage surges/ uneven voltage in breaker panel | 11/18/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: In late summer we had what seemed like a very close lightening strike, followed by some power ...
A: To me, the power company's answer is totally unacceptable. I would call them again. Yes, it is ...
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| potential shop power need | 11/18/2009 | Robert Wilber |
Q: I am anticipating building a relatively small shop to house: three 3-phase Oliver machines [mdl ...
A: You need to contact the utility "new service department" or whatever they call it where you are. Try ...
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| kitchen circuits | 11/18/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: i am updating my kitchen which has 15 amp circuits, do I have to upgrade existing circuits to 20 ...
A: If you are pulling permits for this job you will have to follow what the AHJ dictates. So you will ...
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| dryer wire | 11/17/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I want to replace the wire to my dryer. It has a 3-wire electrical cable (black/red/white wires) ...
A: The code changed in the 1990's, and you are now required to have a ground wire. At the dryer end, ...
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| ceiling light wiring | 11/17/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: have just bought a ceiling light, has a black and a white wire coming from it. the ceiling has a ...
A: It sounds like there is another problem there. If you have 2 wires on the fixture and 2 in the box, ...
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| 110v to 220v | 11/17/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I'm shopping around for an air compressor for my garage. All the ones that do what i need are 220v. ...
A: You really can't change a 110 volt outlet into 220. You would have to run a new circuit from your ...
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| 220 V 2 pole Breaker | 11/17/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I have a motor that I am running an outlet for. The motor is 230 V 14 amp and comes with a 30 amp ...
A: In the U.S.A this is how we would do it: If you buy 10-2 with a ground you will connect the ground ...
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| voltage surges/ uneven voltage in breaker panel | 11/17/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: In late summer we had what seemed like a very close lightening strike, followed by some power ...
A: It sounds like the neutral is not making contact, and the two hot phases are in series with each ...
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| Ceiling fan shorted-out | 11/17/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have a CasaBlanca Inteli-Touch light/fan. Stupidly, I tried to unscrew a bulb while it was on and ...
A: This should be fixed ASAP, because you probably have a bare wire somewhere, and it can short out ...
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| wire size calculation | 11/17/2009 | Bruce Grant |
Q: I want to run single phase 2 200 amp services a distance of 700' from the 400 amp meterbase. What ...
A: Voltage drop is the limiting factor, with 5% maximum drop being the rule of thumb (5% of 120V is ...
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| Electrical light problem | 11/17/2009 | Robert Wilber |
Q: I had a room wired and when I installed the light, it will not turn off. I have continuity to the ...
A: something is missing here How is it you have 2 white and three black wires? [or 2 black, 2 white and ...
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| part of wire burnt | 11/16/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I know this is going to sound stupid but please bear with me. I was trying to install shelving on ...
A: I would turn off the breaker to that circuit until you fix it. All connections have to be made in a ...
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| Ceiling fan shorted-out | 11/16/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have a CasaBlanca Inteli-Touch light/fan. Stupidly, I tried to unscrew a bulb while it was on and ...
A: A wire probably did burn somewhere. You should get a tester and see where you have power, and where ...
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| replacing bath light, extra red wire | 11/16/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I am replacing an old bathroom fluorescent light fixture that has an integral electric outlet with a ...
A: What was connected to the old red wire? If the old black fixture wire was connected to it, then the ...
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| proper wire size from pole to service head? | 11/16/2009 | Ben |
Q: GOOD MORNING BEN, MY HOUSE HAS A 200AMP SERVICE. MY LIGHTS WERE DIMMING AND APPLIANCES STRAINING ...
A: TOM The power company has no juristicton on wire sizing.Basically they install what they think they ...
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| Electrical wiring | 11/16/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I'm having an irrigation well drilled on my property and need to provide a 220 receptacle on the ...
A: With all 220 volt outlets, the outlets have to match what you are plugging in. That is determined ...
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| Subpanel voltage loss | 11/16/2009 | Ben |
Q: I have an outbuilding with a subpanel supplied from main panel in the basement of house. Distance is ...
A: Steve When you get a lower voltage on a wire,it can mean 2 things 1 the neutral may be bad 2 the ...
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| Fan w/light fixture wiring | 11/16/2009 | Bruce Grant |
Q: I recently installed a fan w/light fixture in a bedroom. I followed the instruction verbatim and ...
A: David, I can only assume that the light is a CFL or other type of fluorescent light. There is ...
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| Ceiling fan lighting issue | 11/16/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I have an issue with my ceiling fan light kit. The first kit capacitor blew and Hunter sent me a new ...
A: Voltage in Japan is 100 volts, ungrounded, and either 50 hz or 60 hz depending on what area you are ...
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| Sensor Light | 11/15/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: hope you can help me out since Benny is On Holidays, please see comments below Thanks Bob Your ...
A: It looks like the instructions he gave you was to purposely not have the switch do anything. If you ...
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| Leviton oven power cord | 11/15/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: my first time here.Having trouble figuring out the positve and negative connectons on the power cord ...
A: What is the voltage and amperage of the oven? If it is a regular oven, and not a microwave, it will ...
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| Light Bulbs Burn Out | 11/15/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 4 pot lights in my kitchen. Two them burn out more frequently then the other two. I also ...
A: You should have the voltage checked. The circuit could be accidently wired for 220, or the power ...
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| breaker trips | 11/15/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: when i plug my new electric heater in an run things in the bath room it trips a breaker do i need ...
A: If you change the breaker without changing the wire, you will cause a fire, so do not do that. ...
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| Breaker Panel | 11/15/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have a breaker panel that I believe to be 100 amps. The main breaker is a double and says 100 on ...
A: You have 100 amp service. Changing the panel is usually not a homeowner job. The power company and ...
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| Is replacing the entire subpanel overkill? | 11/15/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: After inspecting our home built in 1965, an electrician recommended that we replace the subpanel in ...
A: If you have a certain type of panel then I would say yes you need to update it. That panel is over ...
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| 3-stage touch light swich not responding | 11/15/2009 | J Cook |
Q: I have installed 4 sets of 5 low voltage xenon lights each in my house. The switches are round ...
A: You need to check the rating on the switches. You may have overloaded them with the number of lights ...
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| Eletrical line problem | 11/15/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: We got a heater of 1500 watts and plugged in. But it went off and when we checked further we ...
A: You are talking about two things, fuses and tripped circuits. Fuses blow and are not resettable and ...
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