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About Ben
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
Can answer questions in the residental,commericial electrical fields. From Trouble shooting to new installation,service changes and related items. We can answer questions about Generators,We are a Authorized dealer and service center for a few major Brands Visit us on line at www.gbelect.net

Experience
30 years in the electrical trade. Ran jobs from small houses to large shopping centers to new construction on Wal-Marts Nursing homes and Factories, CCTV,CARD ACCESS SYSTEMS

Organizations
NFPA,NEC CODE ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION,VNM/MC VIET NAM VET OF OHIO VIET NAM VET K-9 HANDLER ASSOCIATION VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

Education/Credentials
OSHA APPROVED TRAINING,UPTO DATE CODE BOOK DISCUSSIONS,MEMBER NFPA FROM 1996 TO PRESENT MEMEBR OF ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS NETWORK OHIO CONTRACTORS LICENSE FLA CONTRACTORS LICENSE MASTER ELECTRICIAN IN 5 STATES

Awards and Honors
HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE UNITED STATES NAVY VIET NAM SERVICE MEDAL,GOOD CONDUCT AWARD EXPERT MARKMANS SHIP AWARD

Past/Present Clients
WAL MART, TOYS R US,BLIMPIES REST,McDONALDS CORP,ADENA HEALTH SYSTEMS, OSHP, STATE OF OHIO, US COAST GUARD,

You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Home Improvement/Repair > Electrical Wiring in the Home

Questions Answered By Expert Ben
In Category Electrical Wiring in the Home

Subject	Date Asked

electical wiring troubleshooting	8/22/2008
Q: I recently wired a new light fixture with new switch and added 2 additional outlets to the same ... A: john What may have happened is that the outlet may have gotten wet or there is a loose connection ...
New Stove	8/21/2008
Q: We recently purchased a home built in 1984. The wall oven was the original oven. My wife wanted a ... A: Russ The wiring that you found sounds like a 120 v circuit on a 20 amp breaker. They probably used ...
connect gas generator to dryer 220 to backfeed breaker box	8/21/2008
Q: I have a 5500 watt gas electric generator. I have not had time to get an electrician to install the ... A: Eric This will work as it will energize the panel and turning off certain breakers will help the ...
breaker tripping	8/20/2008
Q: This may be one of the most random occurrences you have ever heard of but here goes....a breaker ... A: Michele If this circuit trips between 9:30 - 11:00 check to see if the pump is coming on at that ...
Hot Neutral	8/20/2008
Q: My parents have 4 outlets on one circuit that have a hot neutral. Other outlets on the same circuit ... A: Richard You have what we call a open neutral somewhere along this circuit the white wire (neutral) ...
Wiring new ceiling light	8/18/2008
Q: I replaced one-bulb light fixture with a two-bulb fixture. The ceiling box has one black, one ... A: Karen Is this on a switch? The wires up in that ceiling should be 120 volts take the meter and test ...
Wiring Wall Oven 6-4 to old 6-3	8/18/2008
Q: Ben, I am installing a new wall oven/microwave combo and want to use the outlet that served range ... A: Etienne The reason there is a 4 wire on new ovens is because when they just used a 3 wire the ...
Run Seperate Bare Ground to Stove	8/16/2008
Q: I am remodeling my kitchen and I bought a new stove. The existing stove is on a 50 AMP breaker and ... A: Dennis Yes you can run a ground separate because the ground just protects the appliance only if the ...
Outlet for Welding Machine	8/14/2008
Q: I have a Chicago Electric (China) Dual MiG 131 welding machine,new. The welding electrical cord is ... A: Will Actually this is on the border line because the wire for the welder is a 14 Gauge black white ...
3 Way Issues	8/13/2008
Q: I have two lights controlled (at the same time) by two switches. I installed a new fixture last ... A: Andrew You have to trace down where the red wire goes to.Open the switches up and look for a red ...
Dimming Lights	8/13/2008
Q: I live in a house built in 1980. Whenever a big motor item like the air conditioning (new unit was ... A: John Since your house was built in the 80's your panel should at least 150 amps or 20 amps.Usaualy ...
outdoor chandelier	8/10/2008
Q: can i install an outdoor chandelier to a pergola where the top is not fully covered and water and ... A: Fern Probably not as the rain or snow would start to corrode the fixture and may short the fixture ...
220 single phase exceed a 125 amp panel?	8/9/2008
Q: I am bringing in 220 volt single phase into my shop/apt. by way of two 4/0 and one 3/0 wires. The ... A: Dave The 4/0 wires is usually for 200 amps if this is aluminum wire. All you needed was a #2 ...
Dryer 4 prong	8/6/2008
Q: I just rented a small house that was build 30 years ago and I have a new dryer with a 4 prong plug ... A: Joter No you can not use a converter with a 20 amp 120 volt to convert to a dryer outlet. You dryer ...
re-wiring a house?	8/5/2008
Q: I just purchased a home built in 1926. It has knob and tube wiring. I wanted to re-wire it but was ... A: Martha Who ever told you that was wrong if you have only 2 wires (normal in Knob & Tube) you can not ...
hidden doorbell wiring	8/4/2008
Q: When my home was resided, the company covered up my existing doorbell. How can i determine where ... A: Edie The way this can be done with out making a lot of holes is to get a Toner the toner has a ...
Old Wiring In Old Bungalow	8/3/2008
Q: I live in an old, run-down 1931, tiny “Milwaukee” bungalow owned by my boyfriend, whose father owned ... A: Sheri Move out the house it is a death trap,the wiring problem is because the voltage is too low ...
Wiring of new stove top (with a twist)	8/2/2008
Q: Ben, I saw the Q/A regarding wiring of a new stove and need additional help/clarification. I have ... A: Mitch The reason the new stove has a 4 wire connection is because of its features, Timer,clock etc ...
Troubleshooting Interior Wiring	8/1/2008
Q: I own a rental that the tenant says a breaker keeps tripping. It is 15 amp and I replaced it ... A: John The first thing is to find out what makes it trip,like you said find out exactly what is ...
connecting 3 #6 wire	5/26/2008
Q: What is the best way to connect three #6 wires in a metal junction box? I am wiring a wall oven and ... A: Bob You can use a split bolt these use allot of space and tape. You can use a big blue wire nut ...
Wiring a new receptacle from single-pole switch	5/25/2008
Q: I am trying to add a receptacle near a new work box that currently has a single-pole switch in it ... A: David Ok in that box you have 2 black wires on the switch. One of those wires is the hot the other ...
wall oven install, 240V	5/25/2008
Q: I have brand new KitchenAid wall oven/microwave combo. Needs 220V/40 amp separate breaker. I ran ... A: Gabriel On the oven you connect the wires to the respective colors and then the green gets screwed ...
temp generator bypass	5/24/2008
Q: i buy homes often with no power turned on .i was wondering how the hud inspectors hook up their ... A: Scott This is a dangerous thing to do as you must be 100% that the main is off as you can back feed ...
Hot & Neutral Feeds Reversed	5/22/2008
Q: The electrician I hired to upgrade my service panel connected one of the two hot feeds from the ... A: Bernie Probably the only damage was to the devices that were hooked up. The wires can carry voltage ...
Ceiling fan installation - Arion "Bahamas54"	5/22/2008
Q: Ben, I just broke the ceiling fan from the box today, after purchasing it on Saturday at Costco. ... A: Don The red wire usually is the switched wire in the electrical box the black is the always hot.You ...
Electrical fire from GFCI	5/21/2008
Q: I recently had a bathroom remodel done. The contractor's electrician installed a new GFCI above the ... A: The wires have to be installed correctly or the GFCI will not work as it senses the difference ...
Short in electrical line	5/20/2008
Q: I have run a new line to my boat lift and everything worked fine for 60 seconds. Now the new 30A ... A: Chris Before you rule out the wire do a continuity test on the wire. Make sure that they are all ...
wiring new ceiling fan	5/19/2008
Q: I have a wiring question. In the bedrooms I have a switch on the wall that controls and outlet. I ... A: Gerry The constant hot wire should be the wire coming from the outlet to be sure you will have to ...
electrical placement	5/18/2008
Q: I am building a detached garage on the site of my home. My planes are to run a 50 amp service to ... A: Gary There is no limit the only thing is that if you bury wire in a conduit the conduit must be ...
Electrical mystery	5/17/2008
Q: my electrical problem is in my home. One of the circuits in the house loses power for 2 or 3 seconds ... A: Erik This sounds like a loose connection somewhere. The circuit may be overloading,but as you say it ...
Electrical fire from GFCI	5/17/2008
Q: I recently had a bathroom remodel done. The contractor's electrician installed a new GFCI above the ... A: Joe I would check to see if the GFCI receptacle was correctly wired. I have seen retrofit ...
wiring new ceiling fan	5/15/2008
Q: I have a wiring question. In the bedrooms I have a switch on the wall that controls and outlet. I ... A: Gerry First of all you can use 14-2 for the lighting this will make it easier to make connections ...
problems with installations	5/14/2008
Q: .30A.-125/250V OUTLET SO I CAN PLUG MY DRYER IN THE DRYER FITS THE OUTLET .WHICH HAS 3 PROGS ,BUT ... A: Randolph If the 4 wires coming out of the wall are red ,black,white and green. You should hook up ...
Flickering	5/13/2008
Q: My lights flicker in the master bedroom and Not anywhere else around the house. It started a week ... A: Abel if this is isolated to the bedroom there is a loose connection somewhere in one of the ...
Residential Service	5/12/2008
Q: Can I install the 200A panel in my garage and run 2/12 W-G through conduits to my house 20 feet ... A: Jim If you want to place the main panel in garage you can. Now you still would have to a sub-panel ...
3 AND 4 WAY SWITCHES	5/7/2008
Q: PLEASE HELP. HAVE TWO LIGHTS IN UPSTAIRS HALLWAY, CONTROLLED BY FIVE SWITCHES. FEED STARTS AT ... A: SEAN First of all you can only use a 3-way for power or switch legs. The 4 way is only used to ...
Outlet installation and buzzing noises	5/6/2008
Q: I recently purchased a whirlpool tub and had an electricial install an electrical box under the unit ... A: Jane The tub issue sounds like some loose connections,Take it apart and see if all the wires are ...
ceiling fan installation	5/4/2008
Q: Ben! i tried installing a ceiling fan with lights but it did not work well as i was not simply ... A: Nelson the fan should have a black a blue a white and a green wire Your electrical box should have ...
Changing to canned lights in kitchen	5/3/2008
Q: I am a weekend warrior when it comes to being a handy man - I've installed ceiling fans, but not ... A: Eddie If you want to change the fixtures to recess can lights. They sell them at the big box ...
power to shed	5/2/2008
Q: I have been working on this for three days now please help me. I put a 30 amp breaker into my ... A: dean First of all the wire that you used is not for a 120/240 V circuit together. You can have ...
rewiring for an OTR microwave	5/2/2008
Q: I read a question where a guy had to go from an outlet to hardwiring on his Over The Range microwave ... A: SUSAN What you can do for the microwave is before the cabinets are installed,run a new wire if you ...
undersurge?	4/30/2008
Q: I live in a apartment in Fresno county, CA. My problem has been reoccuring from time to time for ... A: Andrew After reading your message it sounds like the apartment has the problem. What I am referring ...
Faulty Light	4/28/2008
Q: I have recently had a chandelier fitted in my hall. It is on a double dimmer with an outside light. ... A: Dave You may have a bad dimmer make sure this dimmer meets the load of the chandelier wattage. count ...
baseboard heaters	4/28/2008
Q: what size wire and breaker do i need ?i have 2 4ft heaters with 1000 watts each 2ft and 12ft away ... A: Ken This depends on the wattage for each heater.the 2 4ft heaters will be 2000 watts that needs a 20 ...
Grounding wire	4/28/2008
Q: I noticed when I was adding a new circuit breaker to my panel, and was moving the white wires around ... A: chuck The neutral wire is what we called the unbalanced load.This wire carries unused power back to ...
Home tanning bed	4/25/2008
Q: ... 1 x 110 Volt Dedicated Circuit 1 x 20 AMP Circuit Breaker 1-Standard 110 receptacle My ... A: Rachel For now you can use the bed that way make sure you plug it into a outlet that has only a ...
ground wire	4/24/2008
Q: Residential home The ground wire coming into the house is not currently attached to the plumbing. ... A: Randy To connect the ground wire to the plumbing you would need a ground clamp. Many hardware and ...
Wiring a new light switch	4/24/2008
Q: Ben - I am wanting to change the single light switch in my bathroom to a double switch. CUrrently, ... A: Brian What you have in the bathroom may be 2 hot wires and 1 switch leg.Maybe in your situation you ...
hot fuses	4/23/2008
Q: we live in a rental that was built in 1920.. there are two fuse boxes, with one that is original to ... A: Linda When a circuit gets hot that is a indication of a overloaded circuit. Check to see what's on ...
electical problem in a residential home	4/23/2008
Q: I recently ran into a problem while troubleshooting a water heater. Upon turning off the cicuit ... A: Eric What this sounds like is that used the 30 amp breaker to possibly feed a sub panel some where ...
220v	4/22/2008
Q: I have a small garage that has a 100amp service that is supplied by 10-4 wire is it possible to add ... A: Randal For your information the panel you have in the garage may be 100 amps,but by using a 10-4 you ...
277v	4/20/2008
Q: When your dealing with 277v lights, how would you wire them from the panel, to a j-box, feed down to ... A: Dan Using 277 volts is the same as using 120 volts,just that the voltage is higher and more ...
Replacing service wiring & meter bases	4/19/2008
Q: I've received 2 estimates so far for a service panel upgrade. One contractor (not the other) says I ... A: Cheryl It is wise when changing the service to change the service wires and meter base and any ...
RV electrical problem	4/19/2008
Q: This one is stumping me. I was using the outside receptical on my RV and the power quit. I checked ... A: Ron Sounds like you have a loose neutral somewhere on that circuit open the panel and check each ...
Open Ground	4/18/2008
Q: This is an older home and some of the wiring is 14/2. I am getting an open ground with my hand held ... A: Danny Someone must have added a circuit to this or extended the wires from a 2 wire device. See if ...
electrical neat plumbing stack	4/18/2008
Q: Ben, I am doing some remodeling in my kitchen, including adding a disposal and dishwasher. Need to ... A: Brad No there is no requirements other than you can not use another's trade to support your trades ...
20 amp dual circuts with GFCI	4/18/2008
Q: I am converting my garage into a woodshop. I want to run 20 amp dual circuit outlets along the walls ... A: Joe You would need to install a double pole breaker,the reason is if you shut down one of these ...
Power Supply for Battery Charger	4/17/2008
Q: We have just rented a Battery Charger (Brand:Hawker,Model 8MSE)for our newly vehicle shop. This ... A: Rodolfo If the charger is 230 volts and you use the 208 volts to this you would eventually shorten ...
Subpanel Ground Wiring	4/16/2008
Q: I asked about wiring the neutral and ground together in a sub-panel. You told me that in a ... A: Richard The ground wire needs to hooked up to panel frame via a bus bar or some sort of lug.Now in ...
wiring circuit	4/15/2008
Q: We just bought a house built in 2003 by licensed builder (with a good rep. but we're finding a lot ... A: Amy Outlets and lights are allowed on the same circuit. The reason the lights are dimming is ...
Main Panel (Load Center) Wiring	4/13/2008
Q: I have been planning an extension panel to our 200Amp service. The house was wired last in 1978 or ... A: Richard When it comes to a main panel with a main breaker installed the neutrals and the grounds are ...
Pool pump bonding	4/12/2008
Q: I have an Intex Easy Set pool and want to hook up a 1 horsepower 115 volt (grounded plug in ... A: Ed Grounding {Equipment Grounding} (Green or Bare) is the conductor which is not designed to be, ...
wiring new cooktop into older home	4/11/2008
Q: i am wiring a new cooktop into an older home. the home was built in 1962. it has been remodled at ... A: Michael For some reason and we as electricians don't know why. They always make wire with a white in ...
Reconnecting a chandelier	4/11/2008
Q: I am installing an old chandelier in an old house. I have a pig-tail with four wires (neutral wires ... A: Bryan Either wire on the chandelier will work on the fixture wires.You will see one of them has a ...
changeing service from 60 amp to 150	4/9/2008
Q: Where the connector comes thru the wall from the meter,does not line up at all with knock outs in ... A: Scott The correct wire size you need is 2 # 1 and 1 #2 plus a ground if the Local Power co allows it ...
electrical problem with manufactured home	4/8/2008
Q: my i beam under the house has a shock to it when you touch it, and my outside central air unit will ... A: Anthony Some where there is a wire loose and it is using the trailer and AC for a return path. The ...
Temporary Power / 50 Amp GFI Breaker	4/7/2008
Q: I am in the beginnings of building a home and hooking up temporary power. I have an older Temporary ... A: Todd I believe you are mis-understanding how GFCI devices sense a ground fault. Very very simply: a ...
220 curcit	4/4/2008
Q: i have a house that has a barn circuit from the panel box. the panel in the house is a 200 amp ... A: broderick Thanks for all the correct information. Just for your information bonding neutral to ...
discontinuing an outlet	4/3/2008
Q: i recently pulled a wall down that had an electrical outlet in it. i do not need the outlet any ... A: stuart The accepted way is to make that wire accessible with a j-box or a outlet. If there is a ...
Wiring a new structure	4/2/2008
Q: I had a new 150 amp service brought into the structure, with minimal overhead lighting. I need now ... A: Arnie The wire size you would need in conduit is # 12.A 20 amp or 15 amp breaker can handle this. ...
Adding a light fixture	4/1/2008
Q: Ben, I would like to add a ceiling fixture to our former living room now a dining room. I will be ... A: Jim They make what they call old work boxes. These are used when the drywall is up and you need to ...
adding a wall switch to an outlet	3/30/2008
Q: I would like to add a switch to turn my compressor on in the basement. If I run a new line with a ... A: Paul Take the existing outlet and add a set of wires from the outlet to the new switch. Install the ...
New construction condo left covered electrical box with wiring in dining area	3/30/2008
Q: There has never been a light fixture in dining area but builder installed wiring & covered to add ... A: Pam You said there are 2 blue wires? I have never seen blue wires a residential installation unless ...
Outlet boxes	3/30/2008
Q: I am curious as to the Pro's and Con's of plastic outlet boxes vs. metal outlet boxes. I have heard ... A: Gary This is a choice of peoples preferences.I have installing Plastic boxes when the first were ...
Code violation?	3/29/2008
Q: They recently re-sided our condo complex. In doing so, they replaced all of the exterior 'porch' ... A: Greg First of all the only time they never used J-boxes is when Ben Franklin first invented ...
Bad Breaker?	3/29/2008
Q: Recently the breaker that supplies power to my one bathroom, an outside plug and one plug in the ... A: William Before you replace the breaker get or borrow an amp probe,this will allow you to see how ...
GFI tripping - leakage current	3/27/2008
Q: I just purchased a 2 year old home. For about a month, all went well. We have had an extended period ... A: Ken What is happening is the GFCI is reading a voltage difference from the light pole,could be from ...
Question concerning problem wiring 100 amp service panel	3/27/2008
Q: We are replacing an older outside service panel, which this identical panel is no longer available, ... A: Robert What you can do is replace the wires that are going to the Power company.If that is feaseable ...
Track Lighting	3/26/2008
Q: Ben, I have an old line voltage track light that I would like to either replace or get new lights ... A: Barry First thing you need to do is find a track head that will fit the track. If it is low voltage ...
Power Blinking	3/24/2008
Q: I have recently starting having problems with the lights throughout my house blinking (or fading) in ... A: Chris Usually when you get that kind of problems it can be a numerous reasons. #1 The power company ...
Electrical Wiring	3/24/2008
Q: We moved into our house in 2000; the house was built in 1995 but was a model home for five years. ... A: Murray Since this was a model home,they probably had the lights burning 24/7 which is not good for ...
Need help with wiring for a used tanning bed	3/24/2008
Q: 03/24/2008 Ben, I just purchased a used tanning bed. My husband is planning on doing the wiring ... A: Pat Before you install the 240 volt line I would make sure that it is set for 240 if not you can ...
Electrical wiring	3/23/2008
Q: I've recently had an electrical contractor in to install 6 recess lights in my kitchen. The lights ... A: Carl Run the wires from J-box in the attic to the switch box. Make sure you bring power into tis ...
replacing electrical panel in house	3/23/2008
Q: I have a 70 electrical panel in our house. We need more space to add more breakers for the house and ... A: Tina If you have a 200 amp service coming into the house,then you should upgrade to 150 amps. ...
outlets	3/22/2008
Q: Just another question or two while I think of it. 1) Is there a limmit to the number of outlets you ... A: Mike 10 outlets or lights is the most for a 15 amp circuit 10 outlets or lights is the most for a 20 ...
gfci outlet	3/21/2008
Q: i wanna change the outlet above my counter to a gfci but attached to the old outlet is a black wire ... A: Eric What they wired was a 12-3 to the panel then they ran that wire to a outlet,what they are ...
Outlet problems	3/19/2008
Q: We have had to replace our coffeemaker 3 times in the past 6 months. We kept it plugged into the ... A: Kathy You need to check the outlets to make sure that all the wires are working like they should. ...
wiring	3/19/2008
Q: i have a bed room it has no lighting no wiring for a light fixture but it does has a light switch ... A: Luis Depending how they ran the wires to the plug there should be a black white and a ground there ...
No-load amp draw on washing machine	3/18/2008
Q: We have 2 washers on one circuit that intermittently trips. Before using them one day, the breaker ... A: Wayne A washer should have its own circuit, when it goes into the spin cycle it has a load on the ...
switch and gfci wiring config	3/17/2008
Q: We're replacing the switches and recepts in our bathroom. In one box, there was a single pole ... A: Beth You will need a voltage meter or a meter that shows you the voltage on the wires,you probably ...
switch and gfci wiring config	3/17/2008
Q: We're replacing the switches and recepts in our bathroom. In one box, there was a single pole ... A: Beth When using a GFCI they have 4 screws or holes one is for the line and the other is for the ...
residential dimmers	3/17/2008
Q: I am a handyman/remodeler, but cannot figure this problem out. I've installed 2 dimmers in a ... A: Paul Sounds like a neutral problem more than anything else. Are you replacing the dimmer with a ...
Light Fixture Question	3/14/2008
Q: We are replacing a ceiling fan that is on a 3-way switch(I think), and replacing it with just a ... A: Jeremy In the light box where the fan was use the red wire only for the light take the blacks and ...
Roughing In a bathroom Broan Model 732 (Heater/Light/Fan/Nightlight)	3/13/2008
Q: I am in the midst of roughing in the bathroom electrical and wanted to get a more expert opinion ... A: BC The Nutone equipment has a light a exhaust fan and a heater/with blower. Actually the 10-2 is a ...
Trying to understand the electrical from the 1930's	3/12/2008
Q: I am installing some low voltage halo recessed lights in a friends house. I am having some trouble ... A: Paul "On that switch it is wired using the neutral on the switch. I do not think I have ever seen ...
120 and 240 volt pumps to one 240 timer	3/12/2008
Q: I have 2 pumps for a waterfall- 120 volt 1/2 hp- 10 amp draw & 120/240 no hp rating but draws 6/12 ... A: Steve If you did that you would be putting a uneven draw on each one of the pumps. What you could do ...
Service change from 400 Amp to 200Amp	3/11/2008
Q: I currently own a home, I have a 400 Amp service. I don't think I need that big of breaker. The ... A: Chris Having a 400 amp vs a 200 amp has nothing to do with power consumption.The usage comes from ...
Guardian 15kw generator	3/10/2008
Q: I installed a 16kw standby generator. When I first tested it, it started and ran my air conditioner. ... A: Randolph Unfortunately you can not use Ac control module.Sounds like the generator may have to have ...
generator hook up	3/9/2008
Q: I have a 200amp murrary panel with the main breaker in the middle of the panel Iam trying to hook up ... A: Jim What ever type of transfer switch you have I need to know if you have a sub-panel one or a main ...
No Ground?	3/8/2008
Q: Our homeowners association (HOA) just installed individual water meters on each condo. The same day ... A: Thomas The ground for the water meter has nothing to do with the panel ground,if anything they used ...
service entrance	3/7/2008
Q: I recently replaced the fuse box 100amp with a 100amp breaker box .I also changed the service cable ... A: Jim Yes that is a good way of changing the panel from fuses to breakers. Anytime you use aluminum ...
Requirements on residential interrupters	3/6/2008
Q: I am having trouble finding any info on old nickel sized fuse boxes and any requirement to update ... A: Chris your answer to question 1 Yes you can keep the fuse box in the newly renovated home as long ...
Installing electrical outlet on kitchen island	3/6/2008
Q: We are remodeling our kitchen and she wants a semi-movable island in the middle of the floor, with ... A: Tom Woman they always want the impossible............. You can install a conduit stub up with a wp ...
light switches not working	3/5/2008
Q: I have 2 light switches (both controlling incandescent ceiling lights, one in kitchen, one in ... A: Gil Somewhere you have a open neutral that explains why the red & black in the refrigerator out ...
New Construction - Electrical Wiring	3/4/2008
Q: I am building a new home and the drywall is being istalled now. I am very concerned because the ... A: Lexi First of all you are worrying for nothing,on all jobs as long as the wire is near the center ...
interior house wiring	3/3/2008
Q: What gauge wire is correct for interior house wiring. Is stranded wire or solid wire better A: Tom You need to use solid wire in a home,usually 14-2 and then 12-2. 14 wire is used in ...
wiring a garabage disposal	3/3/2008
Q: I have a new house a want to wire for a disposal. I have a outlet plug next to the sink. I have ran ... A: Kevin If this is new construction installation then you need to bring a #12-2 wire to the disposal ...
standby generator wiring	3/2/2008
Q: I have a 15kw guardian generator and have a few questions about wiring it up to the utility box. ... A: Allen The generator that is 100 amp would be a water cooled generator. You need a special transfer ...
installing a dimmer	3/2/2008
Q: i recently decided to install a dimmer in my apartment but when i took out the old switch there was ... A: Becky The way this switch was wired is called a feed back system.They use the white wire from the ...
Dimmer Switch	3/2/2008
Q: I am trying to install a dimmer switch into a very crowded junction box, i.e. the dimmer switch will ... A: Jerry How many watts is this dimmer switch? Is it a 600 watt,1000 watt? The problem with dimmer ...
possible ballast problem	3/1/2008
Q: I have 2 light fixtures and 1 ballast, is it possible that the ballast is bad and 1 fixture works ... A: Jeff when you say 2 light fixtures and 1 ballast I quite not sure how this is layed out.If a ballast ...
adding a emergancy generater to existing panel	3/1/2008
Q: I have a Murray LC4040B1200 panel in my home that I want to add the Murray Standby Power Manual ... A: John Yes you can extend the wires,that is allowed by code.The wire size you will need will be a #6 ...
Light not working	2/29/2008
Q: Ben I hope you can help. I have a chandler in an entrance way that is controlled by 2 switches.This ... A: Jeffrey Have you checked the bulbs? Your 3-way switch may be bad open up the switch and check to ...
Wiring a commercial air compressor	2/28/2008
Q: I am trying to wire a used commercial air compressor in my garage, but I can't seem to find any ... A: Brandon the 2 lines from the top are the power in, then there is a wire that will go to the pressure ...
Motion detector	2/28/2008
Q: I am replacing a motion detector that illuminates my back deck. On an adjacent wall is a floodlight ... A: Dale P.S. remove the sliced electrical cord that is not safe. I thought I sent to you the way to ...
breakers voltage	2/28/2008
Q: i have three double switch slime line breakers. the voltage on the left side switch is about 115. ... A: John The slim line breakers that are installed are on the same buss,are all the breakers like that ...
4 lights 2 switches	2/27/2008
Q: how do i wire from panel to light to switch to switch to 3 more lights. the first light to be ... A: Tony First of all bring a wire from the panel to the first switch,then from there go up to the 1st ...
relay chatter or buzzing	2/27/2008
Q: Relay is substantial, operates 4 building frontage neon signs. The chatter or buzzing,,, what do you ... A: Ken First of all let me say "Welcome Home Brother" Yes you are better off replacing the unit as it ...
Motion detector	2/26/2008
Q: I am replacing a motion detector that illuminates my back deck. On an adjacent wall is a floodlight ... A: Dale On the motion detector there should be 4 wire black red white and a ground. The black wire is ...
electrical power intermittent	2/25/2008
Q: I have intermittent power to my master bedroom and bathroom. It comes and goes at will. (power goes ... A: Greg Go in the panel and check for a loose neutral,find the hot wire on the fuse and locate the ...
Wiring a commercial air compressor	2/25/2008
Q: I am trying to wire a used commercial air compressor in my garage, but I can't seem to find any ... A: Brandon Yes you can use a 30 amp circuit for this. This is a contactor that runs whit the compressor ...
AFCI wiring	2/25/2008
Q: In my basement there is a bedroom beside my bathroom. I ran a 3 wire from my panel. One circuit for ... A: Andrew You can not put the ARC-Fault breaker with a GFCI that shares the neutral there is too much ...
ungrounded GFI recpt.	2/21/2008
Q: Ben, I replaced an old two prong receptacle (fed with knob & tube wiring) that served a kitchen ... A: Jason The GFCI has no equipment grounding conductor run to it as it is an old house. Your plug in ...
two outlets and a light switch	2/20/2008
Q: i am helping remodel my moms home ..we took down a wall and the outlets as well ,when we took of ... A: Oscar in each outlet you should one of the following wires 2 blacks 2 whites and 2 green/ground bare ...
General wire	2/19/2008
Q: I just bought a new house and I am finishing the basement off. I got 20 amp Receptacles. My question ... A: Dave in the basement you can put 10 outlets or light outlets switches are not counted as the just ...
240 air compressor	2/19/2008
Q: i have a 60 gallon 5hp air compressor i am wiring. the plug is preexisting. my problem is that i am ... A: Rick the wiring from the compressor should have 2 hot legs and one ground. If you have a Disconnect ...
Service to Residence	2/18/2008
Q: I have a problem with my electrical service to a second home. The entire electrical system is new ... A: Kirk What this sounds like you have a lose neutral maybe in the meter or out side to the pole or ...
Adding sub-panel	2/17/2008
Q: My main panel has 150 amp service. There is a 10-3 plus ground and 30 amp 2 Pole breaker that was ... A: Armand Yes you can use that to feed a sub panel. Run the 10-3 with ground to the new panel and make ...
Sub Panel - Tranisition from Hot Tub	2/16/2008
Q: What determines whether a circuit will be 110 v. 220v? I recently got rid of my Hot tub, but am ... A: Carter What determines voltage is the transformer on the utility side they usually will feed your ...
Electrical service entering the basement	2/16/2008
Q: I am in the process of layout out the entrance conduits for a new service for a commercial building. ... A: Fred You can use duct seal it is a play dough like substance that wil keep some water out of the ...
circuit breakers	2/15/2008
Q: I work in a retail store and would like to know where I could find a compatibility chart for circuit ... A: Sandra Unfortunately there is no list like that because that would jeopardize the manufacturers ...
hotwater heater	2/15/2008
Q: We were getting shortened showers so I changed the lower heating element. While doing so I found ... A: JC Have you installed the element correctly? Check to see if your T-Stat is working on the Water ...
electrician adding additional breaker panel	2/14/2008
Q: Buying home built in 1920's. Home has electrical upgrades including breaker panel. We are adding ... A: Charles That depends on if there is enough room in the existing 200 amp panel. You are allowed by ...
Generator Wiring	2/14/2008
Q: I have a generator that puts out 5500watts & has (4) 120 volt 20 amp receptacles and 1 Nema L14-30 ... A: Mark The Nema L14-30 can be wired for 120/240 volt Your RV should have this type of Outlet that you ...
outlets	2/13/2008
Q: my home is wired with 12-2 wire the outlets are 15amp outlets is this a common practice? when would ... A: Jim Yes that is sometimes a practice for residential homes,one reason is the 15 amps are cheaper ...
simple question I hope	2/13/2008
Q: I was given a crafteman air compressor. It runs on 220v. Testing the switch with a dvom, I found ... A: Mike Sometimes on equipment they have a DP switch That acts like a SP,What you have is 120 Volts on ...
bathroom wiring	2/12/2008
Q: my contractor wants me to return my ceiling fixture because there isn't enough wire coming out of ... A: Anne Never heard of that. You should be able to install the fixture in the ceiling to the wires that ...
electrical	2/12/2008
Q: I've added a bar in my basement and had to wire in all receptacles and lights. the problem i'm ... A: In your main electrical box you have a ground,maybe you are talking about the receptacle boxes.if ...
240 Dryer Connection	2/11/2008
Q: Feed lines are red, black, white. I'm moving the dryer outlet and am using 10-2. Does the 10-2 ... A: Shannon You will need to use the 10-3 wire with the ground,this unit is made to hook up that way,to ...
NO AMP READING	2/10/2008
Q: I have no amp readings at the power panel. Used two meters. Got 0 reading. Checked meter at another ... A: Terry When you check for amps on a circuit the connected items need to using power,if what ever is ...
all outlets on circuit with no power.. after re-wiring 1 outlet..	2/9/2008
Q: I was recently replacing an outlet and.. - ALL outlets (3)/light switches (1) on that breaker are ... A: Steve Go back to the outlet you replaced and see if there is voltage there> If there is none you ...
Doorbell	2/8/2008
Q: My house has a wired doorbell system that is connected to 3 doors. When we moved in it only worked ... A: Sandy You may have a bad door bell transformer check that first to see if it is putting out the ...
Lights and outlets not working in one room	2/8/2008
Q: This afternoon, I was moving furniture and vacuuming in our bedroom. After plugging in the vacuum in ... A: John Very interesting,Is this outlet switched from the bedroom wall switch?If it check the ...
adding new ceiling fan to existing light switch	2/7/2008
Q: I am trying to add on a ceiling fan and tap into an existing light switch. Everything is in place ... A: Mike The way to hook this up is to bring the wires from the switch to the fan and hook up the ...
Tripping	2/6/2008
Q: We had an electrican remove some old wiring from our main panel because it was done without a permit ... A: Michelle The main breaker will not cause the single pole breaker to trip.Sounds like you have a ...
FPE Fuse Panel	2/6/2008
Q: Ben, We've just purchase an older, small home in Florida, it has FPE fuse panel,vintage 1960. It ... A: Vic the PROBLEM IS THAT THEY DO NOT MAKE THE FPE PARTS ANY MORE SOMETIMES YOU CAN FIND ONE ON E- bay ...
Wiring	2/4/2008
Q: First of all thanks for your help. I just bought a new home in Texas and was trying to change out a ... A: Stephanie The fixture does need a box and a connector to protect the home. Why the boxes are ...
outdoor wiring	2/3/2008
Q: i just built a shed behing my house and would like to run power to it via an underground wire. i ... A: Jeff I would run a 1 inch conduit out there and install 2 # 4 wires 1 #6 and a #10 for the ground ...
ub panel minimum hight	2/3/2008
Q: I'm trying to find the code section that will tell me minimum heights of panels.Question is: I'm ... A: Bill The nec does require that the panel have a certain height. What is done is that the center of ...
Ceiling light	2/2/2008
Q: I am not an electrician. I was simply changing out some light fixtures to update a residential ... A: Ryan Sounds like you have a set of hot wires(2) and a set of Neutrals)2) and 1 switch leg. Separate ...
wiring in hallway	2/2/2008
Q: my dad just built a new house. he has two lights in the hallway. one at the end of the steps and the ... A: Brandi Sounds like the 3-way switches are not wired correctly.In the switch box there should be 1 ...
definite purpose contactors	2/2/2008
Q: Could you quickly explain how a definite purpose contactor works? And, How to use one in a situation ... A: Matt This contacter can be 1 -8 poles(like a switch) and what happens is that instead of hooking up ...
loss of power on circuit	2/1/2008
Q: My children were fooling around in the bedroom with a beach ball. There was no light cover on the ... A: Renee Ok so I guess you are a expert? Nice comments from someone who knows nothing about ...
rewiring old house	1/31/2008
Q: I own a 1942 flat roof house with a crawlspace under the floor and would like to know if it is ... A: Randal Yes you can this is a common practice when there is no access to the overhead crawl space. ...
Generator	1/31/2008
Q: I was wondering if you could give me some guidance on what kind of whole- house generator to buy. I ... A: Ed A 7 or 10 kW would do you fine with a 8 or 10 circuit transfer switch panel. You could get a ...
brown out - tanning beds won't power up	1/31/2008
Q: I went to work today to find that we were having a "brown out", we did not power up any of our ... A: Trisha Sounds like the voltage to the panel may not all be there. You need to have full voltage ...
wiring a gfci	1/30/2008
Q: If you want to put a GFCI in a circuit in lieu of a GFI breaker how do you know where to put it. ... A: Pat The area you want to install the GFCI shut off the breaker and see what outlets go off.Then ...
elec outlet failure	1/28/2008
Q: got new toaster - came home and the wife said it had sparked on her and could I reset the breaker. ... A: Chris The GFCI outlet may have a problem internally I would try checking to see if this is on the ...
Service Panels	1/27/2008
Q: I'm getting ready to help a friend change his service panel. It's located in the dining area at ... A: Jerry The NEC does not allow any panels to be installed in any closets,bathrooms or any type of ...
adding second panel off main disconnect	1/24/2008
Q: I have a Square D 125 amp panel in house and will be installing a second 125 amp panel to feed only ... A: James There is a main panel, and in this panel you said you have 2 50 amp breakers. Then you do not ...
fluorescent lights	1/24/2008
Q: My issue is that my fluorescent light fixtures won't stay lit. Each fixture has 4 20watt bulbs but ... A: John The ballast are inside the fixture, you need to take off the cover and it will be inside. Make ...
adding second panel off main disconnect	1/23/2008
Q: I have a Square D 125 amp panel in house and will be installing a second 125 amp panel to feed only ... A: James Your question says (adding second panel off main disconnect If this is true then that is the ...
No power	1/22/2008
Q: 110 with only microwave on line. Plugged microwave in another outlet--it works. Still no power from ... A: Sheila Sounds like you lost the neutral. Check the hot wire with the ground and see if you get the ...
electrical	1/19/2008
Q: I have taken out an over the oven fan. I want to replace it with a combined microwave fan unit but ... A: heather The Old Exhaust fan should have a 3 wire system a Black (hot) a white (neutral) and a ...
Power for lights	1/16/2008
Q: Ben, I'm doing some upgrades to my garage (dark!). I want to install 5 48" florescent light ... A: Richard 1 circuit would be more than enough.lights are calculated by the wattage of the bulb and in ...
Generator Setting 120 vs 240	1/15/2008
Q: I have a small chinese generator, an Alton 3500 watt. I plan to use if for power outs to run my gas ... A: Rick You should be able to install the transfer switch and hook up the breakers according to the ...
Contactor	1/15/2008
Q: Have a 240v contactor that's in a timer box for a pool pump I have power on both the Line sides and ... A: Chris When you go across the top of the contactor the line side you should have the 240 volts across ...
Dryer blowing fuses	1/13/2008
Q: The breaker panel contains 2 30amp time delayed fuses. At no particular time either the heater ... A: Jason Sounds like one of the elements may be shorting out or get over loaded. Get a amp probe and ...
All outlets work in new basement room but one	1/13/2008
Q: I've finished our basement and all the outlets in the basement work but one. I've got plugs on ... A: Stuart Check the wires that come out of the receptacle make sure they are tight,next do the one from ...
14V on hot wire w/breaker off???	1/12/2008
Q: I recently tried to install a GFCI in an existing bathroom outlet box. Previously, there was a ... A: Reid Try leaving the GFCI by it self then connect each load to see what it is doing. Check to see ...
1 dbl sink vanity light to change to 2 lights - 1 over each sink?	1/11/2008
Q: I have a 14 year old home, with one long 7 bulb light fixture over a 2 sink vanity. I would like to ... A: Kathy Yes you can it may involve some dry wall cutting and patching. You will need to take the ...
Outdoor light lamp post	1/11/2008
Q: Problem. I started having a problem with the light bulb going out in the outside yard lamp post. I ... A: Bish This could be a number of problems one could be that the wire underground or somewhere is ...
service upgrade or not	1/10/2008
Q: I have a 1260 sq ft home with a 300 sq foot garage that has been converted into a studio. I have ... A: James Yes that would help allot if you got rid of the electric heat.If your bus bars over heats ...
Wiring at home electrical service panel	1/10/2008
Q: Ben, I just recently bought a house that is approx 25 years old and have been updating it. Just ... A: Dan You are allowed to make a splice in the panel you just cant use it as a junction box. As far as ...
service upgrade or not	1/9/2008
Q: I have a 1260 sq ft home with a 300 sq foot garage that has been converted into a studio. I have ... A: James What you can do is put a amp probe on the main incoming wires on each leg one at a time. See ...
Can a GFCI be used with a welder	1/8/2008
Q: I have a portable mig welder and a portable stick welder. They both operate off of 230 volt (NEMA ... A: Marc You can buy differnt GFCI'S for that type of equipment. Basicly this is how a GFCI works. ...
Combination Switch & Receptacle	1/7/2008
Q: I have a ceiling light controlled by three different light switches. In one of the boxes, there are: ... A: John One end of that switch system is the feed end and the other is the switch leg circuit. Find ...
Adding a light fixture	1/6/2008
Q: I want to add a light fixture to one of my bedrooms, but it seems that the previous owner had the ... A: Frank In this switch you have white ,black & red wires. Install a 14-2 wire in this box that will go ...
Wiring from 115v to 230v	1/5/2008
Q: I installed a 115v 15amp dedicated outlet to a pump outside my house, GFCI. The motors ratings are ... A: Matt 15 amps is 15 amps either on a 1 wire or a 2 wire or even the 3 wire system.The wire size is ...
460 volts	1/4/2008
Q: Have a small warehouse....standard 120 line in service...but the whole building is wire 220...even ... A: Leland No you can not do it that way, because the 480 voltage is not like the standard 240/220 120 ...
Adding a light fixture	1/4/2008
Q: I want to add a light fixture to one of my bedrooms, but it seems that the previous owner had the ... A: Frank When this house was wired they use to take a outlet in the bedrooms and make it a switched ...
Country wiring	1/3/2008
Q: I have electrical service to a small house in the country. My barn is about 600 feet away. To run ... A: David You could run a underground wire from your house to your barn.If you want a 50 amp service ...
wiring specialty switches for fan/light	1/2/2008
Q: I purchased 2 Harbor Breeze Bellhaven fans and 2 Harbor Breeze switches. I wanted to install one ... A: Stacey You said that you have 1 power feed for the switches are these switches in the same box? if ...
Making a three phase extension cord.	1/2/2008
Q: Ben, I have a question about making an extension cord for my 470 volt three phase concrete grinder. ... A: Denis First of all is the generator a 3 phase? if it is then you just need to hook up the hot leads ...
Rewiring kitchen outlets, switches...	1/1/2008
Q: Greetings...I am in the process of finishing my kitchen remodel and want to add an outlet running ... A: Kyle Sounds like you wired the receptacle wrong. The new outlet you installed should have 4 wires ...
New subpanel in detached garage	12/31/2007
Q: New subpanel in detached garage I am installing a new 70A panel in a detached garage connected to ... A: Laurent The first problem is that you can not use a #10 wire in a 70 amp panel.10 wire is only rated ...
Need help Wiring a Ceiling Fan/Light separately	12/31/2007
Q: I have a ceiling fan in the master bedroom that I would like to add a switch so I can control the ... A: Ryan What you are showing me in the diagram is that the ceiling fan box is feeding the electrical ...
Wiring a tanning bed	12/30/2007
Q: My service entrance to the meter is the common 2 wire & stranded bare ground/neutral?.Then..from the ... A: Bob The bed is probably a 20 amp 240 volt bed.If the ground and neutral were hooked up together ...
wiring up 3 switches on one power lead	12/30/2007
Q: I bought a house and of the 3 switches in the bathroom, only one works. One is to the fan, one is to ... A: Keith If the power is in the switch box make sure that all the switches have power going to them ...
Wiring a tanning bed	12/30/2007
Q: My service entrance to the meter is the common 2 wire & stranded bare ground/neutral?.Then..from the ... A: Bob To your house you have a 200 amp service consisting of 2 hot legs (4/0) and 1 neutral/ground/ ...
Ground---Neutral bond or not	12/28/2007
Q: I own a poultry farm, with 4 houses each 400 foot long. There is one meter base, one 600 amp main, ... A: JASON Once you leave the main service, the neutral and ground are separate. So your sub-panel will ...
standby generator setup	12/27/2007
Q: Forgive the long question but I want you to have all the relevent data. I am installing a 7KW Briggs ... A: rick First of all when you run the sensing circuit it is low voltage 12/24 volts and at 70 feet you ...
GFCI outlets and 12/3 cable	12/26/2007
Q: Can I run 2 lines of power with 12/3 cable (on separate breakers) to feed 2 GFCI outlets, each ... A: Phil Yes it should work. I have found, however that with long homeruns (over 50') that I have ...
Ground---Neutral bond or not	12/26/2007
Q: I own a poultry farm, with 4 houses each 400 foot long. There is one meter base, one 600 amp main, ... A: Jason The STAND BY Generator should have its own Ground rod. Look at it this way the generator is ...
Kitchenaid Built-In Wall Oven	12/25/2007
Q: I recently purchased a new built-in Kitchenaid oven with a top microwave/convection oven. My old ... A: Doug You may have to rewire the oven as the circuit for the new oven is not adequate for the new ...
wiring an unfinished basemnt	12/22/2007
Q: Our builder insulated our basement. We now want to finish it and need to install our lights, ... A: Tatjana Your best way of doing this is to install the wires and boxes in front of the insulation ...
Connecting a generator to the house	12/22/2007
Q: Ben, I bet you've had this question before. My son-in-law has a portable generator to use when the ... A: Richard First of all you are absolute right When using any kind of generator. You NEED TO INSTALL a ...
switching 220 volt loads	12/20/2007
Q: I acquired a HUGE 2 pole mercury switch that was used to control electric heat in a house built in ... A: Bruce First of all what is the rating of this switch? You can switch one leg of the motor with no ...
stove wiring	12/19/2007
Q: I have a new stove requiring 240 power for the oven. I have power from a 30-amp 2-pole 120/240 ... A: Josh What you need to check in the panel is that both red and black wires are not on the same pole. ...
Temporary power subpanel	12/19/2007
Q: I am a sound engineer, and a couple clubs I setup at have insufficient circuits, and are unwilling ... A: Dean You will have to use a 240 volt panel,as they do not make a 120 volt panel. The best way is to ...
Generator Transfer Switches	12/19/2007
Q: Ben, I have read all of your replies, but I still have several questions. For the last 8 1/2 years ... A: Maurice I will try to explain this in a easy format. The transfer switch has what is called a 3 ...
200 vs 400 amp svc	12/16/2007
Q: I am building and it was recommended to upgrade to a 400 amp svc. The home is 3400 sq ft with two ... A: Mike Why do you need a 400 amp service? Did anyone do a load calculation on this home? Your biggest ...
Confusing wiring diagram Cooper Wiring 6109 180deg motion-sensing switch	12/16/2007
Q: I bought a Cooper 6109 motion-sensing switch for my basement. The wiring diagram shows one of the ... A: Sam No not at all if you do that you probably burn out the switch. Usually the hot wire goes to one ...
Replacing NEMA 6-30R with 14-30R	12/16/2007
Q: Years ago we purchased a Bosch washing machine that required 240V service and came with a NEMA ... A: Craig If the wires come from a main breaker panel then you can hook up the ground and the neutral If ...
help	12/15/2007
Q: i have a building with 2 meters one meter was hit and and is crushed.in side the building i have 2 ... A: Jason First why was there 2 meters? There had to be a reason. You can upgrade the service and have ...
Bathroom fan wiring	12/14/2007
Q: This is similar to a prior post, but not quite the situation. I am retrofitting a new ... A: Randy At the switch you said there is only 2 sets of wires that are in the box. According to what ...
Marley base borad heater	12/14/2007
Q: I am using 12/2 wire from each heater to a junction box and have hooked up each heater with its own ... A: Paul You have a 12-3 coming from your breaker box, You can use the red & black for the power wires, ...
electrical problem	12/13/2007
Q: some of the things in my bathroom just quit working, jacuzzi, and the fan, heater,vent all in 1. I ... A: Dwayne Have you checked the incoming service? Make sure that if you check the incoming go across the ...
Voltage Converter	12/12/2007
Q: I want to buy and install a washer and dryer in my home. Unfortunately, these appliances usually ... A: Uche I would see what The 2 outlets are hooked up to in the kitchen and if you are using ...
Generator Wiring	12/12/2007
Q: I'm installing a Coleman 7kw lp gas backup generator. My electrician friend says I need to get 8-3 ... A: Rod The 7 kw generator would need a 30 amp breaker which needs a #10 wire,So what you would need is ...
sub panel	12/11/2007
Q: I have a 100amp service currently working fine. I have a 50 amp breaker in the service, that the ... A: Michael No bother at all When you size a breaker you size it for protection, that means that if ...
remote wiring	12/11/2007
Q: I have a ceiling fan that has no wall switch attached to it,we just use the pull chain to turn on ... A: Phil That will be the only way to control the fan light. Un less you run extra wires. They have ...
Bx wiring	12/10/2007
Q: I want to run an extra outlet in my house and I was going to use bx the bx I have is 12/2 it of ... A: Jeff The wire that you have is called a 12-3 2 hots and 1 neutral the ground wire is a given as this ...
sub panel	12/9/2007
Q: I have a 100amp service currently working fine. I have a 50 amp breaker in the service, that the ... A: Michael I would get rid of that mess for sure it is a hazard and a eyesore.Yes you can install a ...
Wiring a 220v outlet for a Welder.	12/9/2007
Q: I have a 200amp tig welder. That requires a 220 volt outlet. My current house does not have a 220 ... A: Jason Are you saying tat the welder needs 200 amps 220 volts?? That is allot of amps for a ...
Hooking up a wall oven	12/8/2007
Q: We replaced our double wall oven, the new oven came with a cable already installed , the cable has 3 ... A: Gerard The older oven had 2 circuits that is why you have 2 blacks and 2 reds.You will need to see ...
Wiring a GFCI receptacle	12/8/2007
Q: There is a GFCI receptacle mounted on the outside wall of my home. The line coming from the circuit ... A: Ed It is hard for us out in the computer to visualize Most problems. We can only assume and ...
old ceiling electric heat	12/7/2007
Q: I have been re-wiring a 1950 house that has had serious electrical problems (i.e. bare hot wires ... A: Bill What they are running is a heating element in the ceiling for induction heat,so when they are ...
Adding a pull switch to new fixture	12/7/2007
Q: I own a 130 yr old house where I have changed the old wiring in the areas of the house that I have ... A: JOE The way they use to wire lights was to bring a hot & neutral to the box then install a switch on ...
Plugs burning out.	12/6/2007
Q: I work in maintenance at a nursing home in which we have (through wall)PTAC units in every resident ... A: Jason Well they have been installed for 11 years so with direct induction heat all it is doing is ...
wire located in duct work	12/5/2007
Q: My house is 117 years old. I am retrofitting the bathroom on the second floor and making sure that ... A: Sean That is not a very good idea plus the code does not allow it. The reason is that when air is ...
outlets, and grounds	12/4/2007
Q: when I touch the outlet in my barn I get a zap, we put a heater in cows water to keep from ... A: Glen The outlet you are using is not grounded In the main panel you have to make sure the neutral ...
electric to an outbuilding	12/3/2007
Q: Just built a run in shed for our horses 400ft from house. I planning on running 12/2 direct bury ... A: Shane You will lose allot because of voltage drop,not amps it wont be enough to even turn a light ...
service for new shop	12/2/2007
Q: Just built a new multi-purpose shop that is 130 feet from the house, I will be using a wielder and ... A: Mike Wilder You said that they stubbed you a future J-box? I do not understand the problem go from ...
No power in circuit	12/2/2007
Q: One complete circuit in my house is dead. I checked all of the circuit breakers and they seem to be ... A: Frank What may be the cause is that you lost a hot leg or neutral to the circuit take the covers off ...
Lights dimming/flickering in entire home	12/1/2007
Q: We're having an intermittent issue with lights dimming in the entire house (or at least on different ... A: Chris Dimming of lights indicates a big load being put on the service. It can also be from lose ...
Additional basement circuits	11/30/2007
Q: My main electrical panel is located on the inside of my garage wall 5 feet from the wall that is ... A: Doug You have many options. Is the garage over the basement or just part of it? If it is then you ...
wiring a sub panel	11/26/2007
Q: I already have a full 200amp panel w/a 220 out of it for a hot tub. I purchased a peice of equipment ... A: Andy Take the hot tub wire out and you can put it in the new sub-panel along with the other circuits ...
dimming lights	11/26/2007
Q: I am experience lights dimming when large appliances are running like the microwave or vacuum. It ... A: Shawn It sounds like a bad connection either in the meter or a shorted or loose wire somewhere from ...
Generator plugs	11/25/2007
Q: I bought a portable generator for my cottage. I have a shallow well pump which runs on 220V. The ... A: Jeff The 4 wire plug on the generator is wired this way 2 hots 1 neutral and one ground,you will ...
3 black wires and 1 white	11/25/2007
Q: I've got 2 switches in my dining room that control the overhead light. One is a dimmer; the other ... A: Amy Their is only those 4 wires?? Something doesn't sound right. For a 3 way to work you need 1 for ...
Dimmer switch	11/23/2007
Q: I have a dining room light that had a dimmer switch. The switch controls only the dining room light. ... A: mark When the dimmer buzzes that is a sign of a bad dimmer or a overloaded or a miss wired dimmer, ...
GFCI outle switch combo	11/23/2007
Q: I am trying to hook up a GFCI outlet switch combo. I have the feed line coming in (black and white) ... A: Mark the incoming wires the black & white need to be hooked up this way white to white black to ...
GFCI Bkr	11/21/2007
Q: I am wiring a hot tub for a friend. I installed a 220v 2 pole GFCI bkr (GE)and ran 6/3 W/ ground to ... A: Jeremy is the hot tube grounded at another place? sounds like you are getting a voltage problem from ...
mobile home power hookup	11/19/2007
Q: I am about to move into a mobile home in a week or two. I have been calling around to get quotes and ... A: Allan On the outside you should have a disconnect box with a meter near it or above it. Depending on ...
Generator Hookup Aesthetics	11/18/2007
Q: I am concerned that the wiring from the Standby Generator to my home looks untidy (and maybe unsafe) ... A: George That should be in conduit as well the only exception is it may be done in romex,I dont what ...
Generator Hookup Aesthetics	11/17/2007
Q: I am concerned that the wiring from the Standby Generator to my home looks untidy (and maybe unsafe) ... A: George I doubt you asked a electrician because if he was he wouldn't do it that way.The NEC Code ...
Neutral Wire Burned at Panel	11/17/2007
Q: I have a 3 year old new construction hose in Michigan. I have had 2 contractors out to look at the ... A: Steve What may have happened is the neutral wire was not tighten down properly,this wire carries the ...
horse arena lights going off/on	11/16/2007
Q: I turn my lights on at the circuit breaker box and sometimes when I first turn the breaker on there ... A: Diane Something the fixtures have a few reasons for cycling off and on.#1 The bulb could be bad #2 ...
outage	11/14/2007
Q: i have a very strange situation.four circuits intermittently go out,no warning ( no breakers trip ) ... A: Paul what it still sounds like are on the same side of the buss as the 240 v circuit thus when when ...
panel change from main 2 sub	11/14/2007
Q: I am upgrading my service to a 200A and install a new main panel on a different location. The old ... A: Roman The difference is this the main breaker panel will have a main and a neutral bar bonded to the ...
Electrical, 3 way control of an outlet	11/12/2007
Q: Have a run of receptacles,at the beginning I have an outlet where the hot side of the duplex is ... A: Rosemarie The wires in the switch boxes should be the following colors. Red black white green then ...
Adding ceiling fans in bedrooms	11/12/2007
Q: Just bought a house built in 1981 and there are no ceiling light fixtures in the 3 bedrooms. I want ... A: Lance What you can do is pull a 14-3 from the existing switch to the ceiling fan box. Disconnect the ...
Installation of 240V 2000W electric baseboard heaters	11/11/2007
Q: My husband has been trying to install a Farenheit 8' 240V electric baseboard heater (MALEY) 2000W ... A: Lisa You have done a fine job of explaining,most women would say (the thing that's is hooked up in ...
20 Amp receptacle	11/10/2007
Q: My washer is plugged into a 20 single outlet receptcle. I changed to outlet to a 20 amp with two ... A: Steve the reason the washer was on a single receptacle is so that nothing else can be added to that ...
Range wiring	11/10/2007
Q: I am renovating my whole house. The people that put the island in the kitchen ran the 240 for the ... A: JP You should have the following redstripe/black wire -black wire and a white wire and a green or ...
dimmed and flickered lights	11/9/2007
Q: Was just wondering if you could help. A few days ago the lights in our house dimmed and flickered ... A: Sam When this happened did you hear that noise from inside your home?If you did then you may have ...
electric tankless water heater	11/8/2007
Q: I'm trying to get a tankless water heater (Bosch Powerstar 115)installed in my 1970's era condo. ... A: Jim Yes it is, but is the wire capable to carry this load? The water heater has a 30 amp breaker and ...
home electrical breaker box	11/7/2007
Q: I wanted to know whether or not my trailer's only breaker box should be very warm to the touch? I ... A: Nancy When you are running the space heaters they use allot of electric and use induction heat which ...
generator hookup	11/7/2007
Q: I have a question for you about a generator circuit. A friend of mine wants to run a generator plug ... A: Sally What you are trying to do is hook the generator up in the pole barn panel and then when the ...
Generator transfer switch wiring	11/6/2007
Q: We just had a new Guardian 13K Generator with auto transfer switch (12 circuits) installed today. We ... A: Barb Allot of times to keep costs down and labor down,electricians will run a 14-3 or a 12-3 for 2 ...
Panel upgrade	11/3/2007
Q: I have a panel to upgrade from the old disc type fuses to what is now more common. I intend on ... A: Jeff There should not be 2 mains what you may have is a breaker for a sub panel.What you can do is ...
standby generator	11/2/2007
Q: I have acquired a 12kw guardian generator. The tail from the transfer switch has the 4 load wires ... A: Andrew Yes 2 of the wires carry voltage to the generator #1 to keep the battery charged and to ...
Recessed Lighting/Switch	11/2/2007
Q: I'm baffled by this because I think I did it correct, yet it's not working. Four lights being ... A: Dave To wire 4 lights you will need to come out of the switch wit a 14-2 black & white to fixtures ...
standby generator	11/1/2007
Q: I have acquired a 12kw guardian generator. The tail from the transfer switch has the 4 load wires ... A: Andrew The connector you are talking about carry's the 2 control wires and the 2 voltage wires 240 ...
Light switch	10/31/2007
Q: Im trying to install a light switch. The main wire coming into the box has a black,red,and a white ... A: Brad The red wire may be a different circuit take a tester and see if there is voltage on the red ...
Generator power	10/30/2007
Q: I just installed a generator and transfer switch. The power coming from the main distribution panel ... A: Bill You should have the incoming power going to one set of lugs,then the load side should have 2 ...
home electrical circuts	10/29/2007
Q: My son Ben was trying to figure out our delemia and gave up ! Four circuits go out at the same ... A: Beth Sounds like you may have problems in the Panel. The buss bar my be corroding if you can remove ...
Wall Outlets work and then don't	10/27/2007
Q: For the past year, certain room outlets in my house (built 1942) work and then don't. When I plug in ... A: Matt The tester that shows reversed ground will show up when you don't have a ground on the ...
How to find a contractor's insurance coverage	10/25/2007
Q: An electrician installed the breaker, wiring and GFI box for my hot tub on my back porch, and it was ... A: Barbie First of all I am not a attorney and can only give you suggestions. See if you know or can ...
Keyless Lampholder Installation	10/24/2007
Q: I am installing a couple of keyless porcelain lampholders in the attic and have a few questions: 1) ... A: Michael to your answer to #1 if the box is metal then you need to ground the box if it is plastic ...
AFCI's	10/23/2007
Q: We are moving into a newly constructed 4-bedroom house and when we plugged a vacuum cleaner into one ... A: Lynne A AFCI breaker is like a GFCI it protects the person from any available shock. They are pretty ...
Electrical Installation	10/23/2007
Q: Electrical Installation (USA) - Qn: running underground cable 280 ft. for 100 amp supply. Length ... A: Peter What is happining is you are getting a voltage drop. And at 100 amps on a 200 amp wire you ...
Electrical	10/19/2007
Q: I have this friend that's renting a older model trailer and her lights has been dimming and ... A: Jason Sounds like the main wires in the panel are loose. Try to shut off the main breaker and ...
pool wiring	10/18/2007
Q: ben. thanx in advance, great site. am running 60 amps from existing box to pool house. 1 breaker ... A: greg A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is one of the most effective means available for ...
pool wiring	10/17/2007
Q: ben. thanx in advance, great site. am running 60 amps from existing box to pool house. 1 breaker ... A: Greg if you are using this for a pool house you can use the existing ground from the panel. Now ...
Tripping Circuit breakers...	10/15/2007
Q: I purchased my house about a year ago, and at that time it only had a single 60 amp panel for all ... A: Tito When you use the 3 prong tester in the outlet is this outlet a grounded circuit? Just because ...
service install on new metal building	10/13/2007
Q: I have built a new 40x60 wood framed, metal shop next to my home. We just finished the siding ... A: Joey First of all installing a 200 amp service is over kill for a shop and using rigid conduit is ...
baseboard heater wiring	10/11/2007
Q: i recently renovated the kitchen in my house and eliminated the baseboard heater that was situated ... A: Steve Is the thermostat located on the wall or on the base board? If it is on the baseboard you will ...
outlet burning smell	10/10/2007
Q: Within the past 2 months, whenever I use this outlet I would get a funny plastic burning smell, if ... A: Lori More than likely the outlet may be bad change the outlet and see what else is on that ...
Ceiling fan wiring connections.	10/8/2007
Q: Sure you had your fill of these.. THis is a new home, ceiling junction box has 4 wires.red black, ... A: Ed In the ceiling box the wires are used as follows Black constant hot, red is switched, white is ...
Adding a 220 Subpanel when Main is full	10/6/2007
Q: We had a retired electrician friend here yesterday to help us hook up a 220 volt dedicated subpanel ... A: Blaine What he did was perfectly fine and it is done everyday as long as the load doesn't exceed the ...
sub panel wiring	10/6/2007
Q: I am adding a 50amp GFCI breaker to my subpanel for a hot tub and using 6/3. I read that the neutral ... A: Brian Yes this will be a problem as the GFCI will trip sometimes depending on the surge. Are you ...
GFCI Trips	10/5/2007
Q: There are two GFCI outlets one on each side above my kitchen sink on circuit breaker #9 which seem ... A: Bob What is happening is that both of those circuits share the neutral and when you plug something ...
20 amp 250v service sufficient for old oven?	10/3/2007
Q: I purchased an old GE oven to use for some powder coating. Oven will be used only for short time ... A: Larry This oven may be a 30 amp circuit and it just may run on the 20 amp as long as nothing else is ...
Wired Doorbell	10/2/2007
Q: Bryan, A few weeks ago I was changing out my doorbell and was drilling a larger pilot hole for the ... A: Beau What has happened is that you shorted the transformer out. You will need to replace the ...
Service Wire	10/2/2007
Q: I recently installed a 150 Amp panel in a house about 1500 sq ft. And my co worker says the service ... A: Britt When you say the service wire do you mean the wire that comes from the meter? and then goes to ...
replacing a light fixture in an old house	10/1/2007
Q: Good morning, I am working on remodeling a bathroom in an old house. The house itself has been ... A: Ryan First see what else is on this circuit so you know if you can add more of a load the light wont ...
Buzzing from Wiring	10/1/2007
Q: We just moved into a new (1.5 yr old) house and are hearing a momentary "buzzing" sound when the Air ... A: Dave The length really has nothing to do with the buzzing sound.We have ran wire 400 to 500 feet in ...
LCD HD TV won't power on	8/15/2007
Q: My husband and I purchased a new Viewsonic 42inch HD LCD TV. We took it home and it won't work in ... A: Linda first of all plug a working light into the outlet the TV will be plugged into to see if it ...
Wiring	8/15/2007
Q: I need to replace a 2 outlet receptacle with a 4 outlet receptacle. What is involved in the wiring ... A: Mike You will need to get a 2 gang box for the 2 duplexes, take the black to the 2 receptacles and ...
Burying 220 volt 6/4 Wiring for Hot Tub	8/14/2007
Q: I'm running approx. 85 feet of 6/4 220 volt wiring for my hot tub. How deep do I need to bury my ... A: Jerry What type are wiring are you using? it has to be rated for direct burial,or else you will have ...
New GE clothes dryer blow circuit	8/13/2007
Q: I just purchased a new GE electric clothes dryer from Sears the dryer is on a 20 20 circuit.( the ... A: Barbara The dryer needs to be on a 30 amp 2 pole circuit with a #10-3 wire. The dryer may have been ...
wiring 2 switches to a ceiling fan	8/12/2007
Q: I would like to know if you can walk me thru the step of how to wire two switches to a ceiling fan. ... A: Robiet Ok you need to run a 14-3 between the 2 switches. Then take a 14-2 to the fan. Now bring a ...
outlet working off a switch	8/12/2007
Q: I have an outlet in my home office where the top part of the outlet is live all the time and the ... A: Craig First of all you will need to get a new outlet and insert the white wire in the gold colored ...
Pool pump keeps blowing fuse and gfi	8/11/2007
Q: I bought a new 1 1/2 hp pump for my above ground pool. After a few hours use it either trips the ... A: Jordan You may have to increase the breaker and the wire to accommodate the new pump. What is the ...
common neutral	8/10/2007
Q: When using a common neutral does each circuit have to be fed from different legs. Can you please ... A: Dennis When using a common neutral for a circuit. You are allowed to share that neutral,in a single ...
Splitting a double-pole 240v into two	8/10/2007
Q: I have a manual transfer switch for my generator that came pre-wired for 12 cicuits. I have 2 240v ... A: Dana All of the neutrals should have been left in the original panel. What type of transfer switch ...
Bedroom Wiring	8/9/2007
Q: I want to run a circuit to a new bedroom. The room will have about eight receptacles in it. What I ... A: Neil You are on the right path to wire the bedroom. First of all you can run 14-3 from the switch to ...
adding a 220 outlet	8/9/2007
Q: where there is no 220 how do i go about adding a 220 line. describe what i need and how to create a ... A: James There are 110 volt ranges but they are not common. You need to take a #6-2 with a ground and ...
Household voltage	8/9/2007
Q: What is the lowest that the voltage can safely be in a house? My voltage goes from 113 to 119. The ... A: Ernie Most voltages vary from 110 to 120 so you are ok what happens when there is a big load on the ...
Sub-panel replacement	8/9/2007
Q: Don, I'm replacing my current 60A sub-panel with a generator ready sub-panel with a 60A/30A ... A: Greg You will have to calculate the load that you are putting in the new panel.You should not exceed ...
Splitting a double-pole 240v into two	8/8/2007
Q: I have a manual transfer switch for my generator that came pre-wired for 12 cicuits. I have 2 240v ... A: Dana Yes you can replace the 2 pole breaker with a single pole. The wire that you are hooking up ...
Subpanel installation	8/7/2007
Q: We are in the process of building an attached indoor pool enclosure. The pool equipment will be ... A: wade Give the cost of copper you can use the direct burial wire make sure it is at least 24 inches ...
Subpanel installation	8/5/2007
Q: We are in the process of building an attached indoor pool enclosure. The pool equipment will be ... A: wade Question 1 Install a 100 amp sub-panel make sure you buy a grounding bar for it. The wire can ...
throwing breaker	8/5/2007
Q: I was tiling my backsplash and when putting the plug back into place I accidently touched the side ... A: Annette You have to make sure that on the new plug that the wires coming in from the panel aren't a ...
Old Stove/Newer Home	8/4/2007
Q: I have an older stove that has a three prong plug, the outlet in the wall requires a four prong ... A: Morgan Take the 2 hot wires and hook them up to the 4 prong plugs hot connection then take the white ...