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About John E. Pecore Power Quality Engineer
Expertise
Power Quality and Lightning protection for Burgs, Fire, CCTV, and Gate access systems. I also want to hear about Back up Generator issues effecting your electronic equipment. I know all 24 manufactures of fire alarm panels. If you ask me I will tell you who I think is the best, and who is the worst. A lot has changed in 30 years, and many consumers have no idea what they are buying, and what they should expect for reliability for their systems. The question is, why are you paying for so many repairs? In the South, re-occurring revenue is extremely important. Do you fall in that category?
Experience
18 years trouble shooting every name brand in after market lightning issues.
Organizations
Stormin Protection Products Inc.
Publications
Wrote a book in 1992, The Conspiracy of Electronics and you pay for it. Copyright 1993, by Terra Publishing, Salamanca NY.
Education/Credentials
BSEE, MSM
Awards and Honors
Inventor of many surge suppression and Power Guards used here in the USA
Past/Present Clients
All 23 manufactures of fire alarm panels, several gate access mfg, Hard Rock Casino,
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You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Protecting your Home and Family > Security & Fire Protection Systems > prewired home
Expert: John E. Pecore Power Quality Engineer - 11/6/2009
Question
QUESTION: Is there anyway to see if all wires to security system are live or dead? The first owners had home built with wired security. The second owner did not use system and there are no control units that we can see. The windows and doors show wires but not connected. This house pulls alot of elect. for what we use and I'm wondering if part of system is still connected to panel. I'm enclosing 2 pics. One of the Master Bdrm outlet where they had control panel connected at one time and the other of elec panel and wiring. When you look into the Masterbdrm outlet there are no capped wire endings where it would have wired to control. Anyway can you identify any wires from the pics I sent and how do I test these wires? Hope I'm making sense. I'd like to do this myself if possible for security and privacy reasons. While I am handy around house my elec. talent is limited to rewiring lamps and installing dimmer. Thank you
IMAGE: Elect panel
ANSWER: Let's address one thing. This picture does not help me..with your question but!
If your security system is not hooked up, then it is not drawing current.
The only reason you might be drawing a lot of current is because your power factor in your appliances are very bad...
Normally an Air conditioner will kill your pocket book not to mention your hot water heater. If you have a swimming pool, then that is a real set back regarding your power consumption. I only see one picture, and that is your electrical panel.
I see two things wrong with this picture. It may answer a question as to why you are spending an arm and a leg on electricity and you have dirty power which is a radiated magnetic field that can create in some people cancer. Also in that same mouth full, do not stand in front of your Microwave while it is running. To test this theory, put your cell phone in the microwave oven, call it. It it rings, it is leaking radiation and you are being microwaved. How is that working for you? (side note)
Chip corrosion and and burning of electrical wire caused by close proximity strikes by lightning and 360 surges a day from the electrical utility company is tearing you up. Continuous bombardment of this abuse will wear your electro-mechanical and electronic toys out... In this process, as little bit, by little bit more erosion of your wires and devices, you are consuming more and more power based on the higher impedance of the wire and equipment. The fact remains that your hot water heater, chews up a lot of power...you should have it on a timer, or replace it with a tank less water system preferably natural gas. If you have girls or women, you will see a serious return on your investment here. Their stay in the bath room is longer then what most men can comprehend.
Refrigerators will consume power because of the constant use of the motors and refrigerants. Constant use of ovens and toaster ovens will chew up power. Leaving all your TV's plugged into the wall, will cost you money. If you have a old fashion TV or plasma TV, that uses more power then a LCD or LED TV. Replace all your lighting with LED light bulbs (big savings). I found some at reasonable prices at SAM's. I just did my office lightning with LED bulbs, saves on air conditioning and wattage use. Better then florescent lightning. This will help a little with dirty power too.
What should this panel have on it? I said two things. One thing you shall not have install, and it is not on there which is good, do not install a lightning arrestor... They do nothing for your appliance. Instead, install a hard wired PTS-240 H UL-L surge suppression device that does cost some money. $268.00 not counting the electrical installation cost. This device will clean up a lot of your dirty power. Second device on the panel is a KVAR capacitor bank 1200. This will actually save you money. It will improve your power factor for the whole house and your appliances and you will use less power. You can save between 25% to 40% of your electric bill. This device would set you back $550.00
In your house, you need to install surge suppression everywhere...including the microwave. Two things, help you with dirty power that may effect your health, and also protect your equipment from ringwave impulses cause by close proximity strikes. Also if you have a flat screen use a UPS with AVR technology, this will prevent the power supply from blowing out the thermal fuses. you do everything I tell you...you will save money...energy, and electrically.
One last and final thing. If you like my ideas that will save you money...I have everything you need. You can look at my web page, but it is designed for dealers, you can e-mail...that might work or call me. www.storminprotection.com jpecore@earthlink.net 727-823-6100 8-5 M/F and I do take plastic.
IMAGE: PTS-240 H UL
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: John I thought I sent U 3 pics but I guess only one went out. Well I got much more than I asked for but I still need to know how to check all the wires belonging to Sec System to be sure.I was told there could be a hidden panel and since we cannot find where the supposed disconnected wires are that were connected to the control pad I'd like to verify. I know there is a testing tool that can tell you if current is present in a wire and can even quantify but I don't know what it is called and how to apply it. Can you help me with this?
Your other observations fascinate me. First off this is a 2 person household and we are very aware of energy usage and waste. We added extra insulation, changed our lighting, have our gas water heater turned to 90, do not languish in long hot showers or baths, have covered dual pane windows, keep temp 82 to 84 in summer and 65 to 67 in winter, cook and do laundry after PM before 8 AM, recaulked exterior windows,doors,concrete pad, pipe and elec outlets. Have all new energy star appliances that we use sparingly except for the refrig. which is 8 yrs old. That will soon be replaced and with all that, neighbors with larger families and homes have smaller power bills. Oh I neglected to tell you we have the entertainment hub and office both on substantial surge protectors that we power off when not in use. Same goes for the small counter appliances in the kitchen.
Your remark about dirty power comes from what observation? And what is it exactly and how does it effect cost? Then you mentioned the microwave but I'm not sure what that relates to in previous information.
In closing I can tell you are a busy person so, if you feel that I'm just not grasping all your offerings you can refrain from explaining all but could you please cover how to test wires for current. Thank you very much for your time and knowledge.
Answer
Well that is pretty simple. Take your voltmeter...everyone should have one, even if it is a radio shake special...test across the wires feeding your security panel power supply and you should see some voltage...if not, you are good to go. Check with both AC setting and DC setting. If there is voltage, go back to the panel box, and flip breakers until you see no voltage. Once you find the circuit breaker...tape it off as the security system, and keep it off. Turn on all the rest of the breakers. That should be it.
Side note. If you turn off breakers you are not using, and discover your electric bill dropped significancy...you may have found your problem. Sometimes when wires are cut, not capped off, and they lay in the dirt, the voltage will pass.
Example: If you wanted to go fishing...and too lazy to dig for worms, take two stakes..pound them in a known rich soil bed. Water it down good. Hook up the wires, and plug it in the AC receptacle in the wall. It is pretty cool to watch the worms come out of the soil. Unplug your power and harvest your worms. You can pass current through dirt without shorting out the circuit breaker...and that means you are wasting power. Could that be a possibility, I don't know, but if I lived in your house, I know I could find the problem.
Regarding your energy usage. Something is not right...you are using too much current and the old frig might be a factor.
As you know, there is always room for improvement. Something we all take for granted but everyone has dirty power generated by the electric company. If you get the Bottom Line Personal, volume 30, number 22, November 15, 2009 issue which cost $5.00, the article is published by Magda Havas ,PHD, Trent University, regarding this issues I brought up. She has been doing research in this area. According the the article that was written referring to microwaves and other electronic devices, if you place your cell phone inside the Microwave, and dial it up from a land line and it rings.....you have really bad microwave leakage... I might have saved your life, and saved you or your wife from being diagnosed with cancer someday.
Hey....I hope I at least gave you some good ideas, and new ideas how to save energy...and trouble shoot a little.
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