New answers tagged electrical
-3
votes
Can I wire two 50amp inlets for a generator together?
Non of these answer the question or were correct. Using 2 50 amp plugs on the same generator is not paralleling. You can't parallel single phase I know small invertors mimic paralleling were it does ...
0
votes
Lights flicker in whole house
It could be faulty wiring in the walls. How old is your home and the electrical system?
Make sure all outdoor outlets and fixtures are properly installed and graded for external use. This happened in ...
-3
votes
Modifying ceiling fan switch for independent fan/light control -- Is it acceptable to run 14/3 alongside existing 14/2?
You could add this Fan control and not have to do all the wiring.
You can remove the wall switch and replace it with the controller.
It dims the light, controls the fan speeds and has a timer.
- 22.3k
6
votes
Wiring from meter to panel over longer distances
According to the NEC, I should add 20% to the AMP for each 100 feet, so I am estimating 50% more which makes it 300 AMPS.
You're not getting that from the NEC. That is not in the book. NEC doesn't ...
5
votes
Modifying ceiling fan switch for independent fan/light control -- Is it acceptable to run 14/3 alongside existing 14/2?
This is 100% fine.
Currents balanced - Check
Grounds together - Check
Neutral in box - Check
The only possible issue I see is box fill. For the switch box, it is usually easy to replace the box with ...
0
votes
1-phase induction hob connection
20A: I think that in NL a 2.5mm wire needs a 20A breaker, or 30A if it's on a ring. I'm way beyond my knowledge there, you should ask an electrician or look that up in Dutch on local forums. If it's ...
- 32.1k
0
votes
1-phase induction hob connection
Answer part: If you limit it to 5500W- my answer is no.
What matters is not only cable cross-section, but also how it is mounted (air/on-wall, on-wall duct, in-wall duct, in-wall/ground) because ...
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0
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1-phase induction hob connection
2.5mm² seems to be at the limit for 25A. We Italians allow max. 16A for 2.5mm². You need to consult your local electrical code to verify the exact limit.
Given the possibility, I'd upgrade to an 3-...
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7
votes
Can I use bare aluminum wire for a ground in conduit?
Assuming you are in the US, the National Electric Code (NEC) allows bare aluminum equipment grounds and grounding electrode conductors.
For equipment grounding the relevant section is NEC 250.120, ...
- 1,166
3
votes
Accepted
Making sense of a watt meter reading
So would it be fair to say the fridge consumes on average 1.14 KwH every 24 hrs. with a surge of about 1500 W?
Yes, that is consistent with everything I know about fridges, including my own testing. ...
3
votes
Would a 50A breaker for a sub panel be enough for a tiny house?
TL;DR Yes, but...
Keeping in mind that 50A is 50A @ 240V, which is 100A @ 120V, and most of your loads are 120V, that should be plenty:
20A 120V bathroom
20A 120V water heater
20A 240V mini-split (...
3
votes
I want to move a 30 amp RV plug wired with 10 gauge. Can I splice the wires to add an additional 25 feet?
Yes, but the splice must be in an accessible junction box.
If possible I would like not to splice and use a new cable. Fewer connections to have problems, but a splice done right will be okay.
- 22k
4
votes
Accepted
Single phase induction stove push in quick connector difficult to connect
A picture of your actual connectors would help, but my guess, based on how you drew them, is that those are Wago lever-lock type connectors and, to my knowledge, those are NOT rated for more than one ...
- 40.8k
1
vote
Single phase induction stove push in quick connector difficult to connect
Your stove is able to accept 3-phase wiring. To distribute the current over two supply lines they specified the shown connection.
What works in my jurisdiction, but not necessarily in yours:
You can ...
- 2,634
0
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
To clear up some terminology. You consume energy, not power. Power is energy used per unit time.
The simple answer to your actual question is because power companies believe the public is uneducated.
...
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1
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Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
One can measure in either.
If you measure your daily usage in kWh - you get to add together your 30 daily usages and you get your monthly power bill.
On the other hand, you may divide the above by 24 (...
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0
votes
Fault Calculations on Multi-Family Dwellings
You only need to compute the fault current for the shortest feeder
The answer to this question is you don't need to do either computation -- it'd be silly to assume that the impedance of a longer wire ...
- 80.8k
-1
votes
Tripping GFI circuit breakers
GFCI circuit breakers have a periodic self-test feature. This means a new, incorrectly installed breaker could trip itself on a regular basis.
If it helps make more sense to test under load, then ...
- 3,459
1
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Tripping GFI circuit breakers
GFCI's trip when current is taking an unexpected path back to ground. As it is all or multiple of these outlets that are tripping randomly you likely have an issue with Neutral / Ground bonding in the ...
- 78
2
votes
Undersized Electrical Panel Compared to Service Meter
I can't imagine they stuck a 200 amp meter in the box
The meter itself has no role in determining service ampacity. The power company hates a) stocking 6 different varieties of a thing in warehouses ...
2
votes
Did I wire my receptacle and switch correctly?
Unless your area has not yet adopted NEC2011 or later, (there are a few of those) the neutral wire has to come through the switch box, even if this switch does not use it. That's to allow for smart ...
- 193k
-3
votes
Does a 20 amp GFCI outlet on a 15 amp circuit pose an inherent danger?
The answer is YES and NO.
Section 210.8 of NEC only states where GFCI breakers or outlets must be installed in a building.(Breaker with built-in GFCI doesn't count as outlet or receptacle.) A GFCI can ...
1
vote
Porch Light replacement
no power to the lights. Can anyone assist on why or what to do
Usually this means the wires are damaged as a result of incorrect installation.
The circuit breaker must remain off now.
The "2nd ...
- 3,459
2
votes
Did I wire my receptacle and switch correctly?
Switch ground is missing.
Light ground is missing.
Depending on the type of branch circuit, neutral attachment between a light and a receptacle is sometimes not allowed.
If I found wiring like this in ...
- 3,459
0
votes
LED lights constantly flicker when heat pump is running
Try a higher end lamp like Phillips dimmable. These have worked for me in the past for similar issues.
- 1
4
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
Watts is an instantaneous rate. While its units may be the same as kWh/day it doesn't convey the same idea.
By analogy, km/h is a rate. If you go 10km/h for one hour each day for a month, you've ...
- 32.1k
5
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
Let's clarify some concepts.
why is Daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
kWh is not a unit of power, it is a unit of energy. In contrast, kW is a unit of power.
Why is that?
By ...
0
votes
Electric range clicking noise
The unclad copper wire should be a ground wire. It's fine if that's exposed, though I would have clamped the cable an inch or two further up so the wires separated inside the stove and the clamp was ...
- 25.9k
1
vote
Electric range clicking noise
The clicking could just be the thermostatic controls for the burners. They're like little switches that open and close at a rate depending on how much heat is being called for. Note that some stoves/...
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28
votes
Accepted
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
The source of your misunderstanding can be found in your comment above:
@marcelm yes, but we don't say we travel 60miles per hour today -it's just miles per day. They charge energy in kw hours per ...
- 876
13
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
You write:
[W]e don't say we travel 60miles per hour today -it's just miles per day.
That's exactly right, and the same goes for electric power, too.
A kilowatt is kind of like a mile per hour. It's ...
- 271
7
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
Watts is an instantaneous measurement; an LED bulb draws about 10 watts whenever it is on
Watthours is total usage over a time period; if the 10w bulb is on for 1.5 hours that's 15 Wh; the same would ...
- 25.9k
16
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
It isn't "power per hour per day" -- that would be written, for example, as kW/h/day. The divide symbol / is read as "per."
The unit "kWh" could be more explicitly ...
- 26.3k
18
votes
Why is daily power usage measured in kWh and not just kW?
kW measures energy per unit time. kWh measures energy. If you consume a steady 1000 Watts for a full hour, you'll have consumed 1 kWh of energy. The power company wants to measure your energy ...
- 1,166
3
votes
Is this a safety or fire hazard
It's certainly an electrical code violation, and electrical code is about both fire and shock prevention.
If the building's head of maintenance doesn't immediately get this corrected, send the picture ...
- 193k
2
votes
Splicing 6 AWG Wire
The picture is misleading. The text is comparatively clear.
The hole the wires come out through in the picture is the knock-out where the cable or conduit goes into the device. The wires get shoved ...
- 193k
3
votes
Half the circuits on a Pro/tran 2 transfer switch do not work on generator
Assuming you have the skill to be responsible with energy use... the root of your problem is that the US is not a 120V country. It's a 240V country, delivering 240V as two "poles" or "...
1
vote
How should an outlet be wired where another branch connects?
I changed my light fixture first from a ceiling fan/light combo
In order to do this, the ceiling junction box must be rated for a ceiling fan. Fans create vibration that will destroy non-fan-rated ...
2
votes
How do I install a GFCI in a main panel without separate ground/neutral bars?
First, it's a code violation to put each circuit's neutral and ground together on the same lug. Neutrals cannot share with ANYTHING especially their own ground. NEC 408.41. Grounds may be double-...
8
votes
How do I install a GFCI in a main panel without separate ground/neutral bars?
The pigtail from the breaker isn't the problem; the neutral wire from the circuit almost certainly is. Those are incorrect as shown (grounds can share a screw on the bar - neutrals cannot - neutrals ...
- 193k
4
votes
Accepted
Half the circuits on a Pro/tran 2 transfer switch do not work on generator
This is not a "generator" - it does not convert fuel or motion or solar energy into electricity. It is a giant battery backup. But more importantly, it only has 120V output. Connect it ...
8
votes
How do I install a GFCI in a main panel without separate ground/neutral bars?
This is your main panel. A tiny main panel - really a 12 space "subpanel" turned into a main panel using a backfed breaker. But that's OK.
The main panel is the one place where ground and ...
2
votes
What type of surge protector is appropriate for a service panel?
I'm looking to add a surge protector in my power panel.
Surge protectors don't require any breaker spaces, so that's not any kind of impediment.
Researching my options, if I even have options. My ...
2
votes
Can I change an outlet circuit to 240V (NEMA 6)?
I see there is no accepted answer yet, so here are my concerns:
NEC 210.6(A) would allow only loads greater than 6 amps (1440 VA) because this "home office" would be part of a "dwelling ...
- 3,459
2
votes
Voltage meter from power conditioner in home showing crazy jumps and inconsistency
Get a decent multimeter. Make sure it us UL or ETL listed and rated as CAT II or CAT III for safety.
Test various receptacles around the house. If the numbers do not fluctuate when your power ...
0
votes
Voltage meter from power conditioner in home showing crazy jumps and inconsistency
120V is a nominal target, and actual voltage can vary due to loads on it. Down under, it tends to be more stable and defined. But from other posts here, not so much is USA.
Some possibilities
...
- 4,630
1
vote
Using 15 amp smart switch requiring 14awg wires for lighting/fans on 20 amp circuit
I found the same 14 gauge requirement in the instructions for a couple of Zooz switches. One of them provided a little more information:
It looks like the issue is that their switches are not ...
- 3,652
2
votes
Accepted
Dimmable light forgets it's settings when turned off
That's a limitation of the circuitry of that "smart" hardware. It could have been designed to record its state in something like flash memory and recover that when it powered up again. But ...
- 25.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Using 15 amp smart switch requiring 14awg wires for lighting/fans on 20 amp circuit
You can totally use 15A rated switches on a 20A circuit, provided they have a fixed load of 15A or less on them. What you can't do is hook up 14 gauge wire in a 20A circuit, even if it's on the other ...
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2
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How do I properly connect 2 200amp breaker panels to a 320amp meter base?
If EVs are the only reason for the service upgrade, don't. EVs don't need service upgrade because of energy management systems.
Now the first issue is that both of your service lines need to enter the ...
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