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It's generally not a safety hazard unless there's so much dust that it begins to obstruct the insertion of cord prongs. Use a strong vacuum with a non-metallic nozzle (mostly to avoid scratching the o …

Your guess is right. There's no rocket science involved. Make accurate measurements, marks, and cuts, and you won't have problems. Some tips: Make all measurements from adjacent panels (not the floo …

It's probably not possible with your configuration. The incoming hot is switched, and there's likely no constant hot source present (unless it was wired as a split initially and someone modified it). …

Assuming that one cable is the incoming power and one goes out to more outlets or lights, just keep everything connected by color--blacks together and whites together. I'm a little concerned that yo …

Outlets wear out (especially the cheap ones). Replace it. Be sure to use good technique. If you don't know good technique, have a look at a house wiring book or other reliable resource.

If I understand correctly, you'd like to screw a plug adapter into one of the bulb sockets on your flood light. If so, here are the caveats that come to mind: The outlet will only be live when the …

Assuming that they aren't a split circuit, just bundle them all by color and add a pigtail to each bundle for the outlet. You'll need red wire nuts to handle that many wires, assuming #14. Some brands …

We can only guess, but another reason that happens is simple long-term use by a high-current device. A space heater that draws just under the current limit for extended periods, maybe with a worn outl …

You can't, really. You can try locating the breaker for nearby outlets, but this doesn't guarantee the right one will be found. Instead, begin your troubleshooting with the proper tools. Get yourself …

They don't appear to be. Wiring didn't usually contain ground conductors during that era. Unless you have grounded conduit and either a pigtail from the box or a self-grounding outlet, it is not groun …

There are two fairly simply ways you can go here. Purchase some small washers and stack them in appropriate quantities behind the outlet, around the screws. Leave the outlet loose so that it fits t …

By taking out the receptacle and moving the wires aside you can see how the old boxes are mounted. Often there are there are nails passing through the inside of the box. …

We can assume that the mistake starts and ends in that box, but there are other considerations. If the outlet is fed from a sub-panel, neutral and ground aren't (or shouldn't be) bonded. If they're al …

No, you can't feed a split receptacle from circuits with differently-sized breakers. … Here's why: You can, but you have to meet certain conditions: The National Electrical Code now requires that the two hot wires in a split receptacle must be connected to a double-pole circuit breaker, …

Generally speaking, you can. The adapter doesn't much care what metal parts are between it and your service panel--even the outlets have internal contacts and screw connections. The only concern wou …