| Subject | Date Asked |
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| wire size calculation | 11/17/2009 |
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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| Fan w/light fixture wiring | 11/16/2009 |
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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| reduce 240v to 110v | 11/15/2009 |
Q: Bruce, I have rebuilt my old wellhouse. The service was 240v. There were no 110 outlets. We have ...
A: JD, I assume (correct me if I'm wrong) that you still need the 240V to power the pump, but also ...
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| electrical wire ground | 11/10/2009 |
Q: I want to relocate main box but from the box to mental pipe it about 22 feet so can I do rop to the ...
A: Hai, I apologize for the delay in responding. We've suddenly had several family medical issues to ...
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| light dimmer | 11/8/2009 |
Q: I am attempting to install a light dimmer ( Lutron DVH - 603ph - WH ) after turning off the power ...
A: Shawn, I apologize for the delay in responding. We've suddenly had several family medical issues to ...
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| wiring microwave and refrigerator | 11/7/2009 |
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 ...
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| Tripping breaker | 11/4/2009 |
Q: I dug a trebch to the garage and just routed the cables underground to the garage. Installed a ...
A: Bill, First, you should know that #10 wire is rated for no more than 30 Amps, not 50. Therefore you ...
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| 30 Amp Service installed | 11/3/2009 |
Q: My wife and I bought a 1927s house that we are remodeling. It has a 3 car garage that I intend on ...
A: Terry, I'm glad I could help you. I'm amazed at just how much work you are doing in such a short ...
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| Wiring a motion sensor light switch | 11/2/2009 |
Q: I have a motion sensor light switch that I got from work. They were going to throw them away, so I ...
A: Scott, This is an easy one if you follow my logic. == First, you were probably right in using the ...
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| Main disconnect | 11/1/2009 |
Q: Happy Halloween! New construction, SIPS not stick frame. Meter base going on outside garage wall, ...
A: John, Code requires an outside disconnect switch, even if the Main Breakers can act as one. That ...
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| broken busbar | 10/31/2009 |
Q: I just moved into a doublewide. One of the breakers keep kicking off so i looked in the breaker box. ...
A: Steve, Replacing the busbar is not practical. Even if a replacement were available, its price ...
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| replacing old non grounded receptable | 10/22/2009 |
Q: I have to replace an old non grounded outlet with a grounded one for use with a particular ...
A: Replacing that old wire with 12/2 NM-B cable is an excellent solutions unless the current wiring ...
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| Weird Voltage | 10/21/2009 |
Q: I recently bought an old double wide home and was checking the wiring. The outlets in two bathrooms ...
A: Double-check the wiring to the new GFCI receptacle. There are usually 2 sets of connections, 1 set ...
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| High residential voltage | 10/20/2009 |
Q: I happened to be using my digital multi-meter in the house when I decided to check the voltage at ...
A: Because you say there has been nothing abnormal about your TV, lights, etc., I would blame the ...
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| Fuses | 10/20/2009 |
Q: I have two rooms next to each other. Each time I turn on the heater and the TV in one of the room, ...
A: TVs draw a reasonably large amount of current, but electrical heaters usually draw huge amounts of ...
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| Pulsating lights in home | 10/19/2009 |
Q: I live in Ireland ( voltage 220v.) in a 3 bedroomed 60 yr. old house which has original rubber ...
A: Bill, I would definitely look to the dimmer switch itself as the culprit, particularly if it were ...
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| Ceiling fan too slow | 10/19/2009 |
Q: I replaced 9 yr old builders ceiling fan with a 70" Hunter Grand Vista Model #23285 , I believe. ...
A: Steve - As a rule of thumb for ceiling fans, the larger the diameter, the slower the maximum RPM ...
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| voltage problems | 9/25/2009 |
Q: Several of my electrical outlets and lights are working improperly. Many of my 120v outlets meter ...
A: This is unbelievably serious! CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POWER COMPANY IMMEDIATELY to troubleshoot this ...
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| vintage electric stove | 9/25/2009 |
Q: I have the opportunity to purchase a 1950-1960 electric stove. The woman says that the wiring is ...
A: This is expensive to do IF you do not already have a 240 Volt receptacle in your kitchen or nearby. ...
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| Outlets not working | 9/24/2009 |
Q: I have 4 outlets in the kitchen and 2 in the dining room not working. I have replaced the outlets ...
A: If I am understanding you correctly, the circuit breaker trips immediately after you have reset it ...
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| bathroom electric | 9/24/2009 |
Q: ... I need to hook up one bathroom light and one bathroom exhaust fan .... i have a double ...
A: Bad news, Dave. You really need that 3rd wire. Look closely at the 2 wires at the light switch; one ...
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| GFCI Receptacle Trip | 9/18/2009 |
Q: I have several GFCI receptacles in my home--as you would expect. Occasionally, one trips but it ...
A: I think you have already properly determined the immediate cause of the problem -- moisture entered ...
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| older home having electrical prob | 9/17/2009 |
Q: I don't know much about electricity at all and how it works.We have a home that's over 150 years old ...
A: I'm glad your 15-month-old didn't electrocute himself. Since the problem began when he stuck the key ...
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| exhaust fan to existing light switch | 9/17/2009 |
Q: i am trying to wire a bathroom exhaust fan to an existing light switch. on a double switch i tied ...
A: Mike, Your description of what you did is a bit confusing, but it sounds like your wiring was ...
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| installing spot lights | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I would like to install spotlights in a room. The room does not have any light bulb in the ceiling, ...
A: Bad news first -- this won't be inexpensive unless you are *extremely* lucky, because it is actually ...
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| L1430C connector wiring | 9/16/2009 |
Q: I just had the wires all pull out from this connector on a 220 extension cord. The L1430C plug is ...
A: The L14-30C plug should only be used with FOUR-wire cord, #10 or larger. Correct wiring is 2 Hot ...
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| 30 Amp Service installed | 9/15/2009 |
Q: My wife and I bought a 1927s house that we are remodeling. It has a 3 car garage that I intend on ...
A: Terry, Your concern about safety and doing things correctly is one that most people should have -- ...
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| pre-running conduit before insulation. | 9/15/2009 |
Q: I am planning on getting cellulose blown-in insulation. I would like to pre-run some kind of wire ...
A: Your idea to install this wire raceway for future use is an excellent one. It will certainly make ...
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| Light Dimming Problem | 9/14/2009 |
Q: Sir, I am having a problem with lights in my home dimming when another light is turned on. To ...
A: Charles, First, let's consider voltage drop. A standard rule of thumb for voltage drop (and there ...
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| outside light GFCI fault | 9/14/2009 |
Q: I have an automatic outside lamppost that seems to be wired to the GFI in the garage. If it rains ...
A: Todd, The wiring for that lamppost is probably not through a nearby outlet. Electrical wiring is ...
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| Chandelier wiring | 9/12/2009 |
Q: I have a chandelier that I need to lengthen the cord on because we do not have wiring in the ...
A: Lisa, This sort of gets into the area of what is Code-legal and what is not? The Code's primary ...
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| Branch Wiring for Kitchen | 9/9/2009 |
Q: I have an orange (believe 10/2) wire from a 20-amp circuit that a contractor wired to a simple ...
A: Michael, I apologize for the 5-day delay in answering your question, but since it was not directed ...
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| Service Upgrade | 9/6/2009 |
Q: A bidder to do my service upgrade opened the meter can and removed the meter and told me that the ...
A: Wow! This is a tough one to call without seeing things myself. You are right to be cautious, but ...
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| Splicing into an existing circut | 9/6/2009 |
Q: Bruce, I am installing a ceiling fan in a room that never had a ceiling fixture. This is an older ...
A: Splicing #12 and #14 wire together just requires more care, since the unequal sizes won't stay ...
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| wire my barn from house service | 9/6/2009 |
Q: I want to run a 100 amp service to my barn from my house it will be 125-150 feet from my electrical ...
A: The minimum size for that line would be #4 wire, but I would recommend #2 for an extra level of ...
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| Installing a ceiling motion detector in old electric installation | 9/5/2009 |
Q: I am having trouble installing a ceiling motion detector. I am trying to connect it to a light ...
A: Ivan. Now that you've shown me that diagram, I can answer your questions knowledgeably. The black ...
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| Faulty plug? | 9/5/2009 |
Q: I have an outlet that tests to be "hot", but when I plug something into it-IT, the appliance, radio, ...
A: Because you say that the outlet tests "Hot" (with a meter or test light, I assume) and it doesn't ...
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| new light fixture | 9/5/2009 |
Q: I am installing a new light in my nursery i took the old light down and found 3 sets of wires (1 ...
A: Justin, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to answer your question. I intended to do so several times, ...
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| Help, Main Panel & SUB | 9/5/2009 |
Q: First Thank you for having such a wonderful site, with so much knowledge. My question I am Building ...
A: SE Type R seems to be a good idea as a more heavy-duty wire, that is also water-resistant. Size AWG ...
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| No lights, no power | 9/4/2009 |
Q: renters moved in. circuit breaker tripped 2 days ago. reset and all was well until today. lights ...
A: Evelyn, I must apologize for being in too much of a rush when answering before. Apparently I ...
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| Power loss over a long run | 9/4/2009 |
Q: Bruce' Can you tell me how many watts of power I will have at the end of 1000 feet 10/3 coming from ...
A: Sorry, Kim, but #10 would still be insufficient for that long a run. I know the cost for larger wire ...
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| utility room ceiling light fixture | 9/4/2009 |
Q: I bought a house a while ago and this light worked a week before I moved in.now it doesn't ...
A: The first thing to do electrically, whenever you move into a home new to you, is to get the panel ...
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| tankless electric hotwater heater | 9/4/2009 |
Q: I am installing an electric tankless hotwater heater and the call is for (2) 50 AMP DOUBLE POLE ...
A: I'll try to help you. First, though, I don't know what you mean by a PNY panel. If that is just a ...
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| Installing a ceiling motion detector in old electric installation | 9/3/2009 |
Q: I am having trouble installing a ceiling motion detector. I am trying to connect it to a light ...
A: Ivan, I've installed motion detectors in place of light switches, but I've never wired one designed ...
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| No lights, no power | 9/3/2009 |
Q: renters moved in. circuit breaker tripped 2 days ago. reset and all was well until today. lights ...
A: Check outside your home where the power enters the building (3 thick wires twisted or bundled ...
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| cbreaker panel | 9/3/2009 |
Q: We just moved in to an old trailer house while we build our new house and since then the dryer quit. ...
A: It is possible that the problem is a defective circuit breaker, but it's NOT as likely as other ...
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| voltage drop | 9/2/2009 |
Q: Should I expect a voltage drop of 12 volts over 150 feet using 10 gauge wire? Would the voltage drop ...
A: Your voltage drop on 120/240V circuits would be 5.4 volts (4.5%) with a 30 Amp, non-inductive load. ...
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| Residential Electrical Circuit | 9/2/2009 |
Q: I recently found that several of the lights in our home are not working. Naturally I went to see if ...
A: Tracing and labeling all the circuits is always an excellent idea, so as to avoid confusion in the ...
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| main breaker panel and new construction | 9/1/2009 |
Q: we are in the process of building a 1600sq.ft slab home in Mn. We will have a 200amp main panel. ...
A: Mike, The panels that are 40/40 are, I assume, roughly 15-20% taller than the 30/40 panels. ...
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| Master light switch/dimmer for multiple fixtures | 9/1/2009 |
Q: I am an assistant pastor at a church, and have recently been put in charge of changing a few things ...
A: The best way to do what you want is to add a new, small sub-panel, connected to the existing panel ...
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| wiring ceiling light | 9/1/2009 |
Q: help please. I have a new 2 lamp ceiling light to install. it seems the wiring is in the middle ...
A: Lee, with the existing ceiling box having a black/white pair of wires coming in one hole and another ...
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| Pole barn wiring | 8/31/2009 |
Q: What is the best gauge wire for my pole barn, which is 200' from house, I have a 50 amp breaker ...
A: I would definitely use the copper wire. Aluminum wire is no longer recommended because of problems ...
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| breaker panel failure | 8/31/2009 |
Q: I trip the same breaker with microwave 15 times over 5 months. Now only half of the panel's ...
A: Your friend is on the right track, definitely. Normally, close to your electrical meter should be ...
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| Power loss over a long run | 8/31/2009 |
Q: Bruce' Can you tell me how many watts of power I will have at the end of 1000 feet 10/3 coming from ...
A: I apologize for the delay in answering you. I've just been too busy this week to check the ...
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| Operating Two Lights with a Single 3-Wire Cable | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I currently have a light in my ceiling that is operated by a switch on my wall. For whatever reason ...
A: Mark, I apologize for the delay. I thought I had already answered this, but apparently a short ...
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| adding amps to residential | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I need to add a 60 amp subpannel to my existing power, to accomodate a home based lighting showroom. ...
A: You will probably have to contact your local electrical utility and arrange for them to see whether ...
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| Circuit Breaker | 8/30/2009 |
Q: I relocated a water heater and attched the same cable from the 30 amp circuit breaker. The new ...
A: The circuit breaker is doing one of its jobs. If a hot lead is shorted to ground, the breaker should ...
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| central air cuts our sound from HD cable box | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I thought this might be an audio question but that department told me to ask an electrician, so here ...
A: It still sounds like the main service to your house is insufficient and overloaded. Maybe you have ...
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| dead outlets | 8/18/2009 |
Q: i have 4 dead outlets in kitchen presumably on same breaker. after running my AC on one for about a ...
A: If any of those outlets has a GFCI, then it may have tripped, with the other 3 being on the LOAD ...
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| central air cuts our sound from HD cable box | 8/18/2009 |
Q: I thought this might be an audio question but that department told me to ask an electrician, so here ...
A: It sounds like the main service to your house is insufficient and overloaded. Since starting up is ...
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| wiring for AC | 8/18/2009 |
Q: i recently had to replace one of my units. I have a 5 ton, 3 ton and 1.5 ton unit. Was told i ...
A: Since I don't know pricing except in my own area and I don't know your home, I can't give you any ...
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| upgrading | 8/18/2009 |
Q: bruce, i know this is an age old question but; putting all rumors aside we have an older home that ...
A: Mark, you'll need to contact your local utility company to find out what current "service level" ...
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| G F I | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I have replaced a regular 125 volt receptacle with a 125 volt 20 amp GFI (12 wire) in the kitchen. ...
A: Well, for starters, I'd say that the Department of Redundancy Department would be proud of this ...
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| wiring | 8/17/2009 |
Q: I have a standard outlet near the swimming pool. The pool filter gets plugged into it. I purchased ...
A: It sounds like this outlet was installed before the pool existed, since Electrical Code requires ...
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| no power on one circuit | 8/17/2009 |
Q: Was reheating a cup of coffee with microwave when power went off in that room. Went down to breaker ...
A: First, recheck the breaker box: a tripped CB places the switch in a position that's usually about ...
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| Intermittent Power Failures | 8/16/2009 |
Q: Bruce: I could use Tim’s professional advice today. My house lights flicker periodically, and I ...
A: Normal home power service is 3 wires, a Neutral and two Hots 180 degrees out of phase with each ...
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| wires are not hot in electrical outlet | 8/16/2009 |
Q: First off, thank you for your time. I have fixed many things electrically related in the past, but ...
A: Well, Laura, it sounds like you've done your homework, and I can understand why you're stumped. My ...
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| outdoor Flood light | 8/16/2009 |
Q: 2 bulb outdoor flood dusk to dawn sensor. Only one flood works. Checked wiring black to black and ...
A: You don't mention if this is a new installation or an existing one that recently started being a ...
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| Several outlets do not have power | 7/27/2009 |
Q: Bruce: Last week I asked one guy to power wash the exterior siding of my house. After that, I ...
A: Checking the CB's the way you did was correct and was the obvious place to look. However, is the ...
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| I can get my dryer to work | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I have to change my dryer plug to a 4 wire connection and on accident I switched the black wire with ...
A: Based on Electrical Codes, both the Red and the Black should have been 120VAC Hot wires of opposite ...
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| high voltage in my home | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I live in Mexico. Recently, I checked my outlets with a multimeter and discovered that my home's ...
A: A steady 134VAC power supply will be bad for many items, and of no effect on many others. As an ...
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| motion sensor & switch | 7/26/2009 |
Q: Is there a way to wire a light so that both a switch and a motion sensor can be used to control it? ...
A: You're in luck! You don't need to do any special wiring to get the function you want because most ...
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| need help | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I have a 200amp service and a disconnect box on my house.Iam wanting to run service to my garage i ...
A: The size of the breaker depends on multiple factors. The primary factor is how much of a maximum ...
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| 240 volt wiring | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I would like to know if there is a available on the market a 240 plug in which would then give you ...
A: Sorry, but there's no such thing for 240V that I know of in the US. Most items in the US which ...
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| turning a single outlet into a double outlet | 7/20/2009 |
Q: Can you tell me how to turn a single outlet into a double outlet? We're building in cabinets beside ...
A: The answer assumes that the circuit the existing outlet is on has sufficient Current capacity for ...
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| 110 to 220 | 7/20/2009 |
Q: We just purchased a home in Punta del Este, Uruguay.I have tried to find a chandelier for my dinning ...
A: Marge, Surprisingly, IF the same wiring principles are followed in Uruguay, you can safely use ...
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| Panel to 5th Wheel | 7/19/2009 |
Q: We are currently living in the 5th wheel while we are slowly building our home. I am a general ...
A: Upgrading the main panel breakers to 40A would be fine, but don't exceed the current capacity of any ...
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| add switch to wall sconce | 7/19/2009 |
Q: I added a 3 amp 125 volt push switch to wall sconce. It blew the breaker. What did I don wrong?
A: Apparently you miswired the switch. A defective switch shouldn't cause this type of problem. There ...
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| Adding a service panel | 7/19/2009 |
Q: My main service panel has 4 200A main breakers, I want to add a panel in my basement, maybe 100 Amp. ...
A: First, you will probably want to write us again with more details, but maybe this answer will be ...
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| Dishwasher electrical connection | 7/18/2009 |
Q: I just replaced an old dishwasher in my home with a new Bosch unit. In the old unit the 12/2 wire ...
A: Although I can't find the specific reference, I believe there is a Code requirement that your ...
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| Pot lights burn out quickly | 7/18/2009 |
Q: I have some small pot lights installed in my kitchen bulk head. The bulbs burn out extremely ...
A: Unless the incorrect voltage is going to these lights, this kind of problem is almost always caused ...
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| Replacing an electrical outlet | 7/18/2009 |
Q: I'm hoping you could answer an electrical wiring question for me. I was replacing an outlet and the ...
A: Uh-oh! No, it doesn't make sense! It sounds like someone who knew nothing about Code and wire color ...
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| the right servise amps.... | 7/14/2009 |
Q: my friend just purchased a house and I will remodel her kitchen and I have to add new double oven, ...
A: You can probably trust what the inspector said, since he likely noted what wire size is feeding the ...
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| ceiling fan | 7/14/2009 |
Q: how do i install a ceiling fan in a 1958 home. the wires are the original wiring, two black wires, ...
A: Based on Codes, the Hot should be black, and the Neutral should be white, indicating that the wire ...
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| light fixture exploded | 7/13/2009 |
Q: The upstairs hallway light fixture exploded. It did not fall and break. The light bulb did not ...
A: The only other reason I can think of right now is that the fixture was still hot from being on ...
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| Dead bathroom | 7/13/2009 |
Q: My freind had her son replace an existing light switch in her bathroom to a slide dimmer type. I ...
A: The wire found in the attic was probably an NM-2 cable (Romex) containing a Hot wire, a Neutral wire ...
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| sodium outside security light | 7/13/2009 |
Q: Bruce...Is there any way to test a sodium light with an Ohm meter? My light will go out for a while ...
A: Bill -- Unfortunately, an ohmmeter is useless for testing a sodium light, since these lights ...
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| light fixture exploded | 7/12/2009 |
Q: The upstairs hallway light fixture exploded. It did not fall and break. The light bulb did not ...
A: This is almost always caused because the bulb was of higher wattage than the fixture was designed ...
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| GFI wiring | 7/12/2009 |
Q: I have a GFI outlet that runs back to panel, I wired 2 lights and an outlet (another GFI) to a ...
A: Steve - From your description, it sounds like your wiring is logically like the diagram I just drew ...
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| Buzzing noise coming from light | 7/12/2009 |
Q: There is a buzzing noise coming from a light fixture in my attic. It's just a single light bulb with ...
A: If you replace the bulb, your problem will probably go away. Sometimes when a bulb is burning out, ...
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| 110V to 220V conversion for gas/electric stove in apartment | 7/12/2009 |
Q: The current apartment furnished stove is gas. There is a 110V outlet serving the stove, and there ...
A: WOW! That's some resume you have! At least I don't have to "dumb down" my answers. First, you are ...
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| Fixture replacement | 7/11/2009 |
Q: If I'm replacing a pullstring fixture, do I need to put another pullstring fixture in it's place?
A: Nope. You can install almost anything to replace it that you'd like. The primary restriction is ...
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| Oven Electrical wiring | 7/11/2009 |
Q: I am getting Kenmore double oven #911.49013 installed during a kitchen remodel. The electrician says ...
A: The only specifications I could find online for Kenmore Elite 30" double wall ovens said 40A maximum ...
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| 220v outlets | 7/10/2009 |
Q: I want to have installed a few 220v outlets in my garage to set up a catering kitchen. I have one ...
A: A 100-Amp service, the most common, is insufficient for a catering kitchen in a typical home garage ...
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| outdoor outlet | 7/10/2009 |
Q: My wife raised the cover on the electrical outlet on our porch and a "couple" small bee's flew out. ...
A: If the outlet is a GFCI, press the reset button. If it springs back out instead of locking (or if ...
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| wiring in old home | 7/10/2009 |
Q: We recently found out that the three prong units in our home These were put in by a previous owner. ...
A: Your questions require a lot of answering, but I only have time right now for the basics. If this ...
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| Circuit Upstream/Downstream GFCI | 7/10/2009 |
Q: On an existing circuit hidden inside walls where one has identified all outlets on that circuit, how ...
A: That's a toughie! All I can think of right now is to use an extremely sensitive voltmeter to measure ...
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| guage of wiring | 7/9/2009 |
Q: When wiring a home would it not save money on your electricity bills to use a thicker wire than code ...
A: It might do so, because there would be less voltage drop than with the minimum size wire. There is ...
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| Noise switch is making | 7/9/2009 |
Q: I live in an apt. in NC. This only happens on occasion, but when turning the light switch on or off, ...
A: Jenna -- This answer assumes, from the wording of your question, that the same switch controls both ...
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| Two circuits on UF 10/3 wire | 7/8/2009 |
Q: Please tell me if my approach is correct... I'm having a boat lift installed at our small dock. ...
A: You are correct about the wiring. Each motor will operate at 120VAC and 13.6 Amps. That will also ...
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