| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
|
| Wiring | 11/10/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: My house is 24 years old. I have a 20amp circuit that services three double outlets (2 plugs each) ...
A: Is the circuit breaker a double pole breaker? If it has a shared neutral, it should be. Also, GFCIs ...
|
| ELECTRIC DRYER | 11/10/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I HAVE EN ELECTRIC DRYER THAT WAS MOVED FROM ONE END OF THE HOUSE TO THE OTHER. IT WORKED IN IT'S ...
A: Do not use your dryer until it is wired correctly. Connecting a dryer with 12 gauge wire can cause ...
|
| connecting 12/3 GFI receptacle to 14/2 wiring | 11/10/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have a new 12/3 wire coming from service panel(connected to 20Amp breaker)to a box in the garage ...
A: No it is against code and not safe to use 14 gauge wire on a 20 amp circuit. You will need to use ...
|
| home electrical problem | 11/10/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Here's my problem: After my house was vandalized, there was a damaged outlet in the living room ...
A: There is another problem besides the living room outlet. It sounds like half of the electricity is ...
|
| Centering a chandelier | 11/10/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: The chandelier is slightly off center due to the ceiling joist. The electrical box is attached to ...
A: The ceiling joists are rarely found in the center of a room so you will need to have attic access. ...
|
| Size &t ype | 11/10/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I have a new detached garage 150 ft from main box. I want 220& 110 underground (no conduit)type ...
A: What you need to know is how many amps you plan on using. Add up your lighting, your air compressor, ...
|
| Generator hookup to breaker box | 11/10/2009 | Ben |
Q: I have a portable generator and have been told it can be wired directly to the breaker box. I ...
A: Jim You can not wire it to the breaker box with out the generator hooked up to some sort of transfer ...
|
| nutral wires hot | 11/10/2009 | J Cook |
Q: Plugged in a lamp blew the bulb, knocked out outlets and lights on circuit. Took the outlet out ...
A: There is either a damaged device on the circuit, or the wiring itself. I would start at the breaker ...
|
| GFI to wall switch to garbage disposel | 11/9/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: can U send me a wire diagram to help i have 2 sets of wires coming in 2 the box top 1 from bottom ...
A: That is very immature to give me a low rating, just because it is against the code to do what you ...
|
| Single duplex to double toggle switch | 11/9/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: The electrician put in single duplex switches, the easiest, cheapest way to do it. I have replaced ...
A: As long as all the connections are made in the boxes, and the wires between the boxes are the proper ...
|
| amps volts | 11/9/2009 | Robert Wilber |
Q: Hi I have changed most of my appliances plus from australia to uk they only worked for a coupke of ...
A: Sorry. I don't know ANYTHING about UK and Australia electricity, not even voltage levels. What I ...
|
| Range Outlet | 11/9/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I have a question regarding moving the outlet for my range. I am doing some rearranging of my ...
A: You should test the outlet for power after you turn off the breaker and before you disconnect it, ...
|
| defestive rheostat? | 11/9/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Suspended 3 light ceiling fixture suddenly fails to light. When taken down and plugged into wall ...
A: Rheostats went out a long time ago, they have been replaced by electronic dimmers. Dimmers can be ...
|
| wire gauge size to amperage | 11/9/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I know that a 14 gauge wire is 15 amps 12 gauge =20 amps 10gauge=30 amps is the 8gauge=40 amps and6 ...
A: It's not quite that simple. It depends on the type of wire and the conductor and the length. If it ...
|
| Light delay in coming on | 11/9/2009 | Ben |
Q: Recently some electrical wires were replaced in my 68-year old house. Now my kitchen light (3-way: ...
A: wanjie First of all who did the wiring was it a Electrician? What sounds like somewhere there may ...
|
| house wiring | 11/9/2009 | PASCACK VALLEY ELECTRIC Bob Mossman |
Q: what is best to use in a house 12-2 or 14-2 wiring wanting to upgrade our house and make sense of ...
A: Thomas, Follow this simple rule: Use 12-2 for receptacle's and 14-2 for lighting and never mix the ...
|
| Loss of Power to Ceiling Lights | 11/9/2009 | Benny |
Q: I recently removed my kitchen lights. The ceiling remained lightless for a week or so while I ...
A: I have a feeling something was not connected back the same way. Maybe a wire was pushed out of the ...
|
| removing a dimmer switch on a circuit with 3 switches for 3 lights | 11/9/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I replaced a bathroom fixture and removed the dimmer on the light switch. Problem is I can't get ...
A: If the only live wire is connected to the bathroom, that is why it is the only thing working. It has ...
|
| gfci switch/outlet combination | 11/8/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I would like to know how to wire a gfci switch/outlet combination. I recently had a pool installed ...
A: First of all, you have to figure out which wires/terminals are for the switch, and which ones for ...
|
| help! | 11/8/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I was drilling a hole into our bedroom wall and drilled into the electrical wire for the ceiling ...
A: I would turn the breaker off until it is fixed. It won't be easy to fix because you can't just ...
|
| Electrical Questions | 11/8/2009 | Ben |
Q: Ben, I recently purchased a new home. I noticed that my well pump (AWG 10 Ground Type UF-B 600 ...
A: Charles Uf wire is made to direct burial in the ground,your installation has a hole in the concrete ...
|
| Electic | 11/8/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Good evening Bob I am installing Recess lighting in our basement, I have a ceiling with a foot and ...
A: NM stands for non-metallic, which is sometimes called Romex, which is a trade name. B is the ...
|
| wiring for ceiling fanhoe do you | 11/8/2009 | Benny |
Q: how do you hook up the switches when you want to control the ceiling fan and the light on separate ...
A: There are several ways to do this depending on the wiring configuration of your home. For this ...
|
| 100 amp vs 200amp | 11/8/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have been told that it is cheaper to run a 240v A/C (or anything for that matter ), than to run a ...
A: It does not matter how many volts you run appliances on. You are billed for watts, and that does ...
|
| Electric to detached shed. | 11/8/2009 | PASCACK VALLEY ELECTRIC Bob Mossman |
Q: .. I am running electric out to my detached shed, and have a couple of questions. Here are the ...
A: Steve, 1. 30 amp 2 pole. 2. You could use a 12 circuit 100 amp sub panel which sould be plenty and ...
|
| electric furnace | 11/7/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I just installed an electric furnace by Nordyne. Book stated to use 6seu wire with 60 amp. I did. ...
A: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.southwire.com/images/products/seu_alum.gif&imgrefu ...
|
| Kiln | 11/7/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: We have had a kiln running in our garage for about 6 years now and just recently it started popping ...
A: Sometimes, either the male or female plug does not make good connection, and the electricity arcs ...
|
| Electic | 11/7/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: Good evening Bob I am installing Recess lighting in our basement, I have a ceiling with a foot and ...
A: Five lights will probably be OK. If you have 65 watt bulbs, it will be 325 watts. The maximum on a ...
|
| Four Way Switch | 11/7/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I recently switched an existing four way switch to a white one and since then the whole system ...
A: If it worked before you changed the switch it means you have miswired the new switch. The new ...
|
| Fridge cutting out | 11/7/2009 | Kevin L. Ogle |
Q: After a couple of hours we put it on again, and it repeats the same process. Can you help?
A: I am not a fridge expert, please see my qualifications. Most likely, you have a part on the fridge ...
|
| switch for blower | 11/7/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: Im replacing a dimmer switch for wood stove the old switch has a blk and white wires the new has 2 ...
A: They are different because they were made at different times, perhaps from a different company, both ...
|
| Outlets go dead | 11/7/2009 | Benny |
Q: Benny, Thanks for your time and help. Have two circuits at opposite ends of the house that quit ...
A: This is a tough one to solve. It takes a lot of patience and time. You will need a multimeter to ...
|
| Wiring outlets on backporch | 11/7/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I am about to add a new circuit and install 4 outlets on my back porch. I would like to have one ...
A: That is easy, and you don't need 3 conductor wire. At the first outlet, all the blacks to the brass ...
|
| Tracing wire | 11/7/2009 | PASCACK VALLEY ELECTRIC Bob Mossman |
Q: Here's the situation. I built my own house - had a guy running the wires. Asked him to label ...
A: Mike, The tracer you mention is for "live" circuits only and yours are not live. What you could use ...
|
| Outlets work, switches do not | 11/7/2009 | Ben |
Q: I just bought a house and 4/4 bedrooms have switches just inside the door (you would think to turn ...
A: Jason The reason the switch does nothing is because the black wire is always hot so it won't allow ...
|
| wiring microwave and refrigerator | 11/7/2009 | Bruce Grant |
Q: I'm installing an under-the-cabinet microwave in our kitchen against a wall that is also shared by a ...
A: Terry, I apologize for the delay in responding. We've suddenly had several family medical issues to ...
|
| Ghosts in my Wiring | 11/6/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I had an office built in my garage a couple of years ago, a new panel put in and all new wiring ...
A: You may have a wire that is not making contact. A neutral wire broken will cause the two phases to ...
|
| 12X3 wiring | 11/6/2009 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I am replacing a ceiling fan that had 12X3 wiring from the switch. I am installing four recessed ...
A: If you don't need the red wire, then cap it at both ends. However, it depends on why there is a red ...
|
| adding ceiling light in existing room | 11/6/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: Is there a technique for running the wire (romex) in a finished wall and ceiling without tearing up ...
A: Pulling wires is partly technical and partly an art form. Having the right tools makes all the ...
|
| Shop Wiring | 11/6/2009 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I recently built a shop and need to get power to it. An electrician suggesting taping my main power ...
A: The amount of lighting will depend on several factors. One is your age, another is what type of ...
|
