Electrical fun at home

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=Rusty Heap;12092156]
here you go, good explanation. Simple, short words in small sentences, even Steves Turtles could fix it, but they'd be slow..........


Along with being slow...they don't care.
Food is all they care about.

[stevej37]

Incidents like this are learning experiences...esp to me.
Home ownership includes a lot of things that pop up without knowing.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ If you are careful...no need to trip the breakers. Just use a screwdriver that fits the bolt head good and has a good insulated handle. Lean into it and reef on it.
All of mine were loose enough that he got up to a full turn on them.

I am not that brave. Will shutting the main breaker off make it safe if you are not careful? (serious question)

[stevej37]

^^^ Yes...safe from the electricity.
(Not from slipping and busting a knuckle though.)

[Bill Douglas]

[QUOTE=stevej37;12092167]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

Food is all they care about.

They sound a bit like me.

[stevej37]

^^^ Don't we all.

Looking online tonight for a replacement for my Sony 7.1 a/v receiver....wow, the prices have not dropped in the last 15 years. (as tv's have)

[DonDavis]

Originally Posted by Por_sha911

I am not that brave. Will shutting the main breaker off make it safe if you are not careful? (serious question)

Excellent question. This stuff ain’t no joke.

I treat it like so…

A firearm is always loaded until I’ve cleared it.

An electrical circuit is always hot until I’ve verified it unenergized with a meter.

Actually, since I work in electronics/electrical doo-dads and such, there’s probably a higher probability that I’d die from an electrical circuit before a firearm.
Jus sayin’

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by p911dad

What's the safest way to check a box for tight wire connections - trip the main breaker, then screw down each wire? Or call an electrician? Interesting. I thought the heat cycle affected the old aluminum wires but not the copper.

Probably call an electrician.

When I worked as an appliance repairman I got a few calls for an oven or a dryer blowing fuses. I always went to the fuse box first and tightened all the screws. I never shut off the main. What would the homeowner think?
Boxes with old screw-in fuses were the worst at having a bad connection between the fuse and the buss. It would cycle hot over and over and somehow the screw would get loose. I would tighten the screw with a long handled screwdriver and screw in a new fuse good and tight and voila! the dryer was fixed.
Once I somehow hit the side of the box with the screwdriver and caused some sparks and melted steel. Another time I managed to weld a screwdriver to the side of the box hard enough to blow the main. I still don't know how I did it. So, yes Probably call an electrician.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Is a loose white wire responsible for lights that occasionally flicker?

Bueller?

[Rusty Heap]

This is a very handy tool to have. It's a non-contact non-invasive AC Voltage detector. You just put it near a circuit and it senses the 60hz signal and indicates whether its live or not.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-NCV-Tester/5001927063

[URY914]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

This is a very handy tool to have. It's a non-contact non-invasive AC Voltage detector. You just put it near a circuit and it senses the 60hz signal and indicates whether its live or not.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-NCV-Tester/5001927063

Every do it yourselfer should have one of these. Don't trust the wall switch or that you've flipped off the right breaker.

[Dpmulvan]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Bueller?

Could be a number of things in the circuit, I always start at the switch connections. Just fixed a light flickering problem, light over kitchen table and sink would flicker once in awhile. Removed the sink switch first in the circuit and found a bad connection. Newer switches have those connectors where you can push the wire into a hole instead of using the screws on the sides, I’ve noticed they fail more often. Just my two cents.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Dpmulvan

Could be a number of things in the circuit, I always start at the switch connections. Just fixed a light flickering problem, light over kitchen table and sink would flicker once in awhile. Removed the sink switch first in the circuit and found a bad connection. Newer switches have those connectors where you can push the wire into a hole instead of using the screws on the sides, I’ve noticed they fail more often. Just my two cents.

Good tip.Thanks.

[Rusty Heap]

I NEVER use the push in wire connections on an outlet, ALWAYS bend a U shape of 1/2" stripped wire for the side screw terminal.

[Rusty Heap]

another handy tool for troubleshooting.


https://www.harborfreight.com/electrical-receptacle-tester-with-gfci-diagnosis-63929.html

[stevej37]

^^^ I just bought that one on Saturday at Menards. Same price.

Made it easy to check which outlets were dead.

[Steve Carlton]

This all sounds familiar.

[Rusty Heap]

After a decade worth of college in EE degrees, I like to dumb down the basics of electronics for mere mortals........grins.


Power =Watts.

your wall outlet is powered by 12/2 awg wire. At 120 volt potential

1200 watts, say a blow dryer, draws 10 amps, at 120 volts. yes it's math


20 amp breakers for all wall outlets, 15 amp for ceiling lights. 12/2 for walls, 14/2 awg for lower draw circuits.



another way to think about electricity is using a 55 gallon drum of water as a power source.

How far you fill it up, is the "work" potential, or voltage. This is going to drain, (electrical current) through a valve on the bottom of the tank. The restriction of this pipe and valve is RESISTANCE, or OHMS which is resistance. So you have 4 feet tall of water, pissing out a 1" pipe at the bottom, and it's turning a water wheel. That is Watts. or Work. Higher the water level, the more potential and higher output of Watts.

hope that makes sense in layman terms. grins, I'm a sparky.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

I NEVER use the push in wire connections on an outlet, ALWAYS bend a U shape of 1/2" stripped wire for the side screw terminal.

Those things are frightening. A few I've looked at because of problems have had a wire so lose it falls out. Great way for arcing to start, then a fire. I also only use screw type connectors for this sort of thing.

[stevej37]

Just found one more item that the voltage took out.....My mail chime is no longer working!y
Ordered a replacement from Amazon for $63...will be here tomorrow.

Also found a Sony A/V Receiver on Amazon to replace mine.