| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| wiring outside the house | 8/30/2008 | Greg Hughes |
Q: Is there any way to reconnect to a short line coming through the basement wall? Our old well pump ...
A: I guess that is why they are plumbers and not electricians. You are going to need to find where the ...
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| subpanel | 8/30/2008 | Greg Hughes |
Q: the subpanel in my detached garage did not pass inspection because the main breaker did not have a ...
A: You gave me the model of the subpanel, which does not have a main breaker. I believe you are ...
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| wall mounts | 8/29/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: i've just replaced an old wall mount with new one, the problem i'm having, is with the new one ...
A: Is this a wall mount light fixture? Do you have a wall switch? Does the power enter from the ...
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| Breaker keeps tripping | 8/29/2008 | Rick Miell |
Q: After a thunderstorm and a brief power outage the circuit to my bathrooms was tripped. There is also ...
A: Since the outdoor circuit is not having problems, I doubt if it is causing your current problem. ...
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| 2 power wires going into 1 electrical outlet | 8/29/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have 2 power wires going into 1 electrical outlet. The outlet had been split. I want to change the ...
A: Did you replace the outlet? When you use a split outlet, you have to remove the tab between the ...
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| Lost Circuit but no circuit breaker tripped | 8/29/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: My daughter was using a hair dryer in the bathroom, and then, lost power in the circuit, which ...
A: I did not think they used aluminum in 1968. Aluminum wire can be quite a hazard unless it is ...
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| WELDER HOOK UP | 8/29/2008 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I NEED TO RUN A 240 V CIRCUIT TO A SYNCROWAVE 200 WELDER. ITS RATED OUTPUT IS 150 AMPS AT 26 ...
A: The voltage drop should not be a concern for 60 feet. I would recommend #4 gauge and a 60 amp ...
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| Lennox start capacitor not grounded | 8/29/2008 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I believe - red, yellow, green wires) recently burned out on my 10+ old Lennox outside air unit. A ...
A: Start caps have a tolerance whereas run caps do not. The start cap should have a % of tolerance ...
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| Ceiling fans | 8/29/2008 | J Cook |
Q: I am helping a friend install ceiling fans in rooms with light fixtures leading to single wall ...
A: It will require one more wire to the fan. The current switch has the hot circuit on one side and the ...
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| Residential Wiring | 8/29/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: Bill I have a older 3 story building, in the past was a general store but now is just a home. The ...
A: This is a job for a professional electrician. I would also think that a job like this should be ...
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| Wiring a garage | 8/29/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I just ran underground conduit with two 12-2 cables inside. I would like to have two circuits for ...
A: You are not supposed to run nonmetallic wire in conduit. You should be running THHW wire through ...
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| ceiling fan | 8/29/2008 | Dale |
Q: I installed a ceiling fan and was doing great until...I was forced to include a remote the mix. ...
A: Cap off either the black or red in the ceiling box, which ever one is switched if both are, it ...
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| finding wiring thru sheetrock | 8/29/2008 | Benny |
Q: is there a tool that will help you locate electrical wiring thru Sheetrock. So you do not hit it ...
A: Yes, there are tools to help with this if you are willing to spend several hundred dollars. Also ...
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| Mixing BX and Romex | 8/29/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I am doing a kitchen remodel, and I am planning on adding several new 20 amp circuits, and adding on ...
A: If your house is wire in BX I would replace it all. BX does not have a desdicated ground and uses ...
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| wall plugs without power | 8/29/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: We recently renovated a room, put in hardwood floor. I changed 5 wall plugs from brown and beige to ...
A: If your renovating you rooms it would be a wise choice to rewire and replace as much of that ...
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| adding outlet to existing box with switches | 8/28/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I'd like to add a double outlet to an existing gang box in my garage. The existing box contains 2 ...
A: You can do it, as long as the power enters this box first. Take a look in the box. If you have ...
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| Adding a power outlet in a shed. | 8/28/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have a shed next to my house. It has one light switch which turns on/off a light above the door. ...
A: You will need to get another cap, and connect a short piece of wire to the switch to the cap along ...
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| wiring three way to outlets! | 8/28/2008 | Greg Hughes |
Q: I'm Currently working on renovating my house, In my upstairs bedroom i want to have my recepticals ...
A: Here are the different ways to wire it according to where the power comes in and if the light is ...
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| Electrical wiring | 8/28/2008 | J Cook |
Q: During a remodeling project I forgot to write down how a switch box was wired. There are two ...
A: With out being able to test the voltage, each switch appears to need the black and red conncted to ...
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| Electric panel | 8/28/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I have a customer who wants some additional track lights and outlets and other electrical "extras" ...
A: The picture is hard to see in great detail. It look to me to be a newer(in the last 20years) ...
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| Code Requirement | 8/28/2008 | Rick Miell |
Q: Does currrent NEC require URD cable, that is being installed underground, to be put into conduit?
A: The NEC does not include URD as one of the wiring types approved for use. I looked at a wire ...
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| Wiring a ceiling fan | 8/28/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I am installing a ceiling fan in my bedroom. There is no existing wiring in the ceiling where the ...
A: As long as the light is a pull chain fixture, you can tie into it. If it has a wall switch, then ...
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| generator | 8/28/2008 | Rick Miell |
Q: I installed my first automatic transfer switch in a home. I fed it off of main panel and then fed a ...
A: It sounds like the controller is not sensing when the normal power is lost. Make sure you have ...
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| Convert light switch to receptacle | 8/28/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I have a room with two light fixtures, each with separate wall switches. I need to add a receptacle ...
A: You are correct if you match all like colors you will remove the "switch leg" from the circuit. By ...
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| Underground wiring from pole to apartment | 8/28/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I would like to know what type wire to run from our utility pole to our small apartment underground. ...
A: If a meter is involved, you will need to get the power company involved, and see how much is their ...
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| GFCI and a switch | 8/28/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I have a switch and need to add a GFCI outlet into a 2gang box so that the GFCI outlet is always HOT ...
A: That thing you use in the outlet is a voltage tester. I can't tell you what screws to use without ...
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| wiring: two switches powering two lights independently | 8/28/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I recently decided to replace the two lighting fixtures in my kitchen. The two lights are powered by ...
A: Always install the new fixtures the same way the old fixtures were wired. Most likely, the red wire ...
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| home wiring problem | 8/28/2008 | J Cook |
Q: my power keeps cutting in and out it will flicker go out for a few seconds and then return it does ...
A: The first avenue is to contact the utility to check their incoming lines. There is a loose ...
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| home wiring problem | 8/28/2008 | Dale |
Q: Yes I am having a problem with my home electricity. My electricity cuts in and out. It will ...
A: I would check the connections at the main breaker or the outside disconnect. You might feel the ...
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| Square D Safety Switch | 8/28/2008 | Robert Wilber |
Q: This unit is early to mid-60's with screw in fuses and I believe is the overload trip for the ...
A: OK then. I don't think this should be blowing the 15 amp fuse The only thing I can think is that you ...
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| Adding a power outlet in a shed. | 8/27/2008 | Bob Sponaugle |
Q: I have a shed next to my house. It has one light switch which turns on/off a light above the door. ...
A: The first thing you need to determine is where the power enters the system. Does it enter the ...
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| Hot tub wiring | 8/27/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I am moving my hot tub farther away from my house and i was told i needed to pull a bigger wire ...
A: When you are powering something over 100 feet away from your power source you stat to experience ...
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| Wiring Runs | 8/27/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I am installing a wood burning insert in my existing masonry fireplace. I need to add a receptacle ...
A: Your wood stove should have a fire wall between the the fire box and anything outside of it. That ...
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| Total load allowed for an electrical panel | 8/27/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: Our remodeling project adds three bedrooms and one bathroom to the house. This brings the total ...
A: Stop adding. It doesn't work like that. You have a three or four bedroom house you will be fine with ...
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| Clicking sound in walls | 8/27/2008 | J Cook |
Q: Hear an intermittent clicking sound in the wall of an interior bathroom. Sounds like it is coming ...
A: Since it seems to be from the exhaust fan, it may be a damper that is opening and closing that is ...
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| Replacing light switch and receptacles | 8/27/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I just completed replacing 3 light switches and various electric receptacles. Two of the switches ...
A: With out looking at it it is hard to answer this problem. Here is how I would start. I would remove ...
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| Wall Oven Wiring | 8/27/2008 | J Cook |
Q: I have 2 questions I was hoping you could ahelp with: 1. I am remodeling the kitchen and will ...
A: 1. It will be no problem running the oven on a circuit with wiring rated for 50 amps, which would be ...
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| Main Load Panel & Portable Generator | 8/27/2008 | Bill Lutz |
Q: I am working on connecting a portable generator for the home. First, the main load center may have ...
A: What you need to install is called a generator Transfer switch. Each switch will have instructions ...
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| Circuits using 12-3 w/ground | 8/27/2008 | Rick Miell |
Q: Instead of pulling 4 cables of 12-2 w/ground to an attic for 4 separate 20 amp circuits (lights and ...
A: This is an acceptable method of home wiring. Make sure that the two hot wires are connected to ...
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| Wiring in Abandoned Gas Line | 8/27/2008 | Rick Miell |
Q: I am installing a wood burning insert in my existing masonry fireplace. I disconnected and removed ...
A: If you are just using s short piece of pipe as a sleeve through the brick, then you can do it. If ...
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