Get true answers from experts in Electrical Systems & Lighting.
How to take a plain old light switch cover and turn it into a decorator plate cove to match the interior theme of a room or to match the decor. Sharpies have so many colors available now and you can take a basic light switch cover and turn it into a little piece of art in your room quite simply.
The high-voltage section of a commercial or domestic microwave oven consists of four basic components—the high-voltage oil-filled capacitor, the high-voltage rectifier, silicon diode, the high-voltage filament transformer, and the magnetron tube. The high-voltage section of the microwave oven is the section that fails most often so we should begin our troubling with the high-voltage components.
Of all the appliance found in the average home, the microwave oven is the dangerous for the DIY electrician to troubleshoot and repair. The magnetron, the power source for the microwave oven operates at extreme high voltage, 4,000 to 5,000 volts DC is not uncommon. Even with the appliance unplugged from the wall receptacle, this deadly high-voltage may still be present on the high-voltage, oil-filled filter capacitor if the bleeder resistor has become defective or has not had time to drain off t...
The Ohm's Law was named after the German physicist, Georg Ohm who first introduced the formula in 1827. In its most basic form the Ohms Law states that a current flowing in a circuit is directly proportional to the circuits voltage and varies inversely with the circuits resistance. In other words, double the voltage while keeping the resistance the same and the current will be doubled. On the other hand, double the resistance while keeping the voltage the same and the current will be reduced by ...
Electricity is a science, and electricians, like the practitioners of any science, have an argot all their own. An argot of pure esoterica, decipherable only by the initiate. But like most jargon, it is easy to learn if it's approached in a systematic manner. In the case of electrical terms of measurement, most of the units that you will need to be cognizant of build on a handful of basic units and it is those basic units that we will be discussing today.
Electrical energy is produced by huge generators. These generator are powered by large turbines, turbines that receive their energy from water or steam. Steam for steam-powered turbine may be generated in oil, gas, or coal fired boilers, or from nuclear reactors. Understanding how electricity is produced and distributed to homes and businesses is the first step in becoming a knowledgeable DIY electrician. Back in the day when I first became interested in electricity and electronics, one of my fa...
We are living in a wired world more so today than ever before and every mobile device comes with its own USB charger. All of these charger are alike in that they output 5.2 Volts DC (Direct Current) with a maximum 2000 mA load current (5.2 VDC at 2 Amperes) or 10.4 Watts. The problem with these USB chargers are that they are small and easily misplaced, or they become a tangled mess in a kitchen drawer. Newer Technology has solved that problem forever with their new, patented, Power2U AC/USB Wall...
There are many different types of electrical tape being used today. There are low-voltage plastic tapes, high-voltage rubber tapes, and cloth, friction tapes, just to name a few of the many types available. As a DIY electrician, you will be dealing mostly with low-voltage wiring. When referring to classification of electrical tape, low-voltage refers to branch circuits with 120 or 240-Volts applied across them. For low-voltage wiring you will be mainly using Black, or colored, plastic electrical...
Do you have a branch circuit breaker that trips open intermittently? Do you have an Edison Base fuse that blows out intermittently? Then the chances are good that you have an overloaded branch circuit. There are a couple of ways you can determine if an over load exists on any given circuit. One way is to connect a recording clamp-on Watt meter or Ampere meter to the circuit in question and read the load present when the breaker trips open or the fuse blows. Recording meters are expensive and not...
Many older homes still have some knob & Tube wiring being used in their walls and ceilings. This old wiring is still acceptable as long as it is in good condition and has not been buried with blown-in insulation. The problem with K & B wiring was that it was installed without running a third-wire system grounding conductor, so there was no provisions for a machine safety ground. Another serious defect with K & B wiring system, which was the preferred wiring system beginning in 1880 right on up t...
Electrical boxes (device boxes, outlet boxes, and junction boxes) are divided into two major types—“New Work” and “Old Work” boxes. “Old Work” boxes are also known as “Remodel Boxes” and “Retrofit Boxes”, either of which is more descriptive of how these boxes are used. Basically “New Work” boxes are reserved for use in new construction where the electrician still has access to the wall studs and ceiling rafters and is able to mount these boxes directly to the studs and/...
Electrical sub-panels are used for two purposes in residential wiring. The first reason that you might want to install a sub-panel is to expand the branch circuit capacity of your main breaker panel. If your main breaker panel has the ampacity to handle additional loads but lack the slots for new circuit breakers, you can use a sub-panel to house the new circuit breakers. The second reason you might want to install a sub-panel is for areas of high electrical loads, such as a workshop or an all-e...
One of the main problems with standard circuit breakers and fuses is that they do not respond to an arc situation. A circuit hot wire may come close enough to a grounded conductor or grounded surface to arc over. There is enough resistance in the gap between the hot wire and the ground so it does not register as a direct short, which means the circuit breaker will not trip open or the fuse will not blow. The arcing current generates enough heat to ignite the structural material surrounding it. A...
One of the most basic electrical fixtures in your home is a floor or table lamp. If you ever have to rewire a broken lamp or socket, there are some important lamp socket wiring basics you need to understand to correctly connect hot and neutral wires when you replace a lamp switch and socket to keep your lamp safe. Most lamp cords and plugs have marking to identify the neutral wire. You should verify that your lamp is wired correctly especially if it is old or you purchased it second-hand.
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