electrical anything

Why doesn't my electricity work?

2012-01-30T16:23:00.000-08:00

I receive many inquiries from people about their electricity not working.
I like to help, but the possible cause of problems can be drawn from so varied a list that it is nearly impossible to provide a useful response.
The following is a perfefct example.

Question:

I live in a 100 plus old six unit building in DC that--like many places--is staggering under the demands of modern devices. This has caused the occasional interruption with toaster oven plus space heater combo...nothing that can't be fixed easily and then thrown back on with the circuit breaker switch.

This week, however, it seems the whole thing expired. In one whole half of my apartment, no lights come on DESPITE the circuit breaker being clearly in the "on" position. In fact, it never flipped into the red "off" side. I've switched it back and forth a handful of times in the hopes that I can activate something, somehow, to no avail.

My unit has not been rewired completely ever, to my knowledge. a few outlets no longer work, but this is the first time half the building has gone out.

Each unit controls its own lights, room by room in the circuit panel, however there is a big box in the basement for the building, although when I checked it out, there was no labeling that indicated it controlled anything in individual units.

Answer:
There are near endless possible causes.
You need an electrician because:
1-Possible utility problem-partial loss of utility lateral or bad treansformer or connection failure
2-Partial loss of service entrance at metering or panel, disconnect or other
3-Blown fuse at service entrance panel or subfeed disconnect
4-Failed connection
5-Bad breaker
6-Local failure-opened circuit due to conductor termination failure
In short, anywhere there is a connection, a device or a current limiter of any type there may be a failure, or an open caused by a properly functioning safety device.
Note: The circuit open may not necessarily be in the ungrounded [hot] conductor

Why do I need an electrical permit?

2010-09-08T12:47:00.000-07:00

The homeowner just didn't want a permit!

The following text is a note sent today to the homeowner who refuses to have a permit and inspection:

"Thank you for considering providing an opportunity to be of service.

I can appreciate your position regarding the coercive nature of the requirements set forth, nor do I disapprove of your views in the least.
Even so, licensing and permit processes are established in the tenor of offering a guarantee of, at worst, minimally qualified personnel providing, at the least, minimally adequate code compliant installations.
The establishment and adoption of these standards by the municipality authorizes substantial penalties for both the owner and installer should they elect to evade the permit process, if discovered.
This system is intended to secure the safety and peace of mind of yourself and your family.
If an unfortunate situation resulting in a loss should develop from improper wiring, an unlicensed installer may not be insured and your own insurance may reject a claim.

Unfortunately, as a licensed electrical contractor, I cannot lightly overlook the impact of these obligations and the potential consequences.
Though you would be paying the fees, I will be the party interacting with the township.

Please feel free to call if I may be of any assistance.

Best regards

Robert

Robert Wilber
Electrical Services
142 Cambridge Road
King of Prussia, PA 19406
PA Home Improvement Contractor Registration # PA057101
Philadelphia License # 3516 16765
610-299-0452
Licensed Philadelphia electrician"

Circuit breaker for the refrigerator keeps tripping

2010-09-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Don't just reset tripping breakers!

I received an inquiry today from someone with a tripping breaker.

Question:
After power outage circuit breaker for the refrigerator keep tripping

Answer:
Define "power outage"
Was the whole neighborhood out?
...just YOUR house?
...just the fridge?
Did the breaker trip during the outage?
...or after power was restored?
...or was it the cause of the outage?
Does the breaker trip if everything is unplugged from the circuit?

Why do you keep resetting the breaker if you haven't isolated the cause?

A circuit breaker is NOT a repair device.
Continuously resetting the circuit breaker and closing it on a fault is not going to fix the fault! ...but it might start a fire! It is like continually striking a match in the same place!

If you can't determine the cause call a qualified electrician. If you live in the Philadelphia area call a licensed Philadelphia electrician!

Philadelphia electrical violations transfer with sale

2010-08-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

Licensed Philadelphia PA electrician learns undiscovered historic L&I electrical violations pass through sale to new owner.

I just received a call from a property owner in Philadelphia.
He owns a small rental property. His family members live in the building, but he also has non-family tenants. They decided to stop paying their rent, so they filed a complaint with the Department of Licenses and Inspections. [You see, regardless of how long tenants haven't paid rent, an owner can't get an eviction order if the property is in violation of ANY aspect of the building and occupancy codes, including having illegally rented an unlicensed apartment to the tenants!]

What a nightmare!

Anyway, L&I comes and does what they are required to do, by law. Lo and behold there are violations!

The biggest problem? A previous owner had the electrical panels changed and several circuits installed ... but they had the electrical work performed by an unlicensed individual, with no Philadelphia electrical permit and no third-party underwriter's inspection.

It is apparent the materials involved in the work were not available at the time the house was originally built! ... and there is no inspection sticker at the panel location!

It doesn't matter that the work was done before the new owner purchased the property. The obviously illegal wiring has just now been revealed and the building is in violation. The new owner is subject to substantial DAILY fines until a permit is obtained and any defects in the illegal installation are corrected by a Philadelphia licensed electrician.

Licensed Philadelphia Electrician frightened by homeowners!

2010-08-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

ELECTRICAL RULE NUMBER ONE - ELECTRICITY IS DEATH IN A BOX! NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING! EVER!

People never cease to amaze me!

I have been a licensed Philadelphia electrician for thirty of the thirty-five years I have worked as an electrician.

I have been told I am not a patient man. I don't think that just because I do not suffer fools gladly it means I am impatient!

I keep thinking "Now I have seen everything." ... and yet, I receive unending gospels of blatant ignorance and poor judgement!

*
Question:
I recently developed what I thought was a blown breaker in our family room. Upon further inspection I noticed that not only was the breaker for that room not triped but that there was no circuit wired to it at all! Further inspection revealed two wires conected to the above breaker (Arc fault) for a different room. The black wire I have determined is for the room associated with that breaker. The red wire however does not seem to associate with any other circuit in the house as it doesn't seem to matter if it is connected or not. I can only assume that that is the wire for the susspect circuit that is without power. All breakers are Square D homeline series and the house is wired with Romex (no pipe). I have checked the wiring from the pannel to the atic for physical damage and there is none. If my assumptions are wrong about the Red wire doubled up on the above breaker then I am just chasing my tail. I have connected this wire to the breaker for the faulty circuit and it has not made a difference. When the fault occured I was home and it acted just like a blown breaker. All the power for the family room was killed. This circuit also supplies power to the lights in two other rooms. I apparently have an open in the circuit and I can't seem to find it. I have metered the panel and I have 125VAC to all circuits in the panel. I have also metered most of the recepticals, light switches and fixtures and I have no power to any of them, not even residual. I have run out of ideas and I am quickly running out of patience. Our home is only 7 years old so it does not make sense that corrosian or a failed fixture is the problem. Any ieas you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer:
Let me apologize in advance, because you are about to be insulted.
JUST WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
You find a wire in your panel that is obviously intentionally NOT connected [you have not indicated that there was evidence that the conductor material failed and broke] and YOU GO AND ENERGIZE IT WITHOUT FINDING OUT WHERE IT GOES?
DID YOU THINK GREMLINS CAME IN DURING THE NIGHT AND DISCONNECTED IT TO TURN YOUR LIGHTS OFF?
YOU ARE LUCKY YOU DIDN'T KILL SOMEONE!

ELECTRICAL RULE NUMBER ONE - ELECTRICITY IS DEATH IN A BOX! NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING! EVER!

Now, to your electrical problem.
You said: "When the fault occured I was home and it acted just like a blown breaker. All the power for the family room was killed."
How do you know it was a "fault?" A fault is a very specific electrical condition. It describes the intentional or unintentional electrical connection between two conductors of differing potential. Is that indeed what occurred? Or did the circuit just go "dead?" Or do you mean that electrical devices just do not work at outlets on the circuit anymore?

You say there was no wire connected to the breaker labeled for the circuit that went out. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE MORON WHO WIRED YOUR HOUSE WROTE IN YOUR PANEL! IF THERE WAS NO WIRE CONNECTED, THAT IS NOT THE POWER SOURCE FOR THAT CIRCUIT!

You say you "metered" everything. Did you take voltage readings between the "hot" conductor and neutral? ...between the "hot" and ground? ...how about the neutral and ground? ...how about between any of the three conductors and the conductors in a known energized circuit? [You will need to make sure that you test to a circuit that is NOT arc-fault protected.]

What kind of "residual" voltage did you expect? Are there capacitors in the circuit? Do you think electricity pools at the lowest point like water?

You said: "Our home is only 7 years old so it does not make sense that corrosian or a failed fixture is the problem." Why doesn't that make sense? The fact is that, if all the circuit breakers are allowing power to their terminal screws and no other intentionally installed safety device intervenes, then the only remaining option is that the circuit is interrupted somewhere else DUE TO EQUIPMENT FAILURE!

1] the circuit feed conductor is removed from the breaker,
2] the circuit feed conductor is open somewhere in the circuit because
a] the conductor is cut [accidentally or intentionally],
b] the conductor is broken [overtight termination, staple, connector, clamp etc.],
c] a connection at a terminal screw or splice point burned up due to resistance at a loose joint,
3] the circuit neutral conductor is open because it is suffering from any of the same causes.

An unhappy fact: the device where the power interruption exists may be functioning properly. The feed-in connection may be intact. The feed-out connection may be damaged, burned, etc. - especially common in the case of receptacles connected with push-in "speed-wire" terminals.

Clues:
Turn breakers on and off. The circuit with only one or two functioning devices is probably your culprit.

Draw out your house floor-plan and mark device locations. Map out the circuit. Look at what works and doesn't work.

Look at where the panel is. Think of the house without sheetrock. Consider John Glenn's story about being in a spaceship built by the lowest bidder. New houses are all lowest dollar installations. Wire and labor cost a contractor money. How would it have made sense to run the circuit conductors?

Your problem is at the beginning of the circuit, not the end!
*
ELECTRICAL RULE NUMBER ONE - ELECTRICITY IS DEATH IN A BOX! NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING! EVER!
*
You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.
*

You are not an electrician! Why are your hands in there?

2010-08-18T19:09:00.000-07:00

Why do people think that home ownership qualifies them to repair and install electrical wiring?

Question:
My outside house light stopped working. I replaced bulb, but NG. The indicator light on timer was not lit so replaced it. When new timer put to the "on" position the indicator light still does not light, nor does the outside light. When a power checker tool is touched to the outside receptacle it lights up. Does this mean there is a short and could someone get a shock? Is electrician my next move, or is there something else I can do? Thank you.

ANSWER:
sounds like a bad lamp....
other than that, I can't see your tester results, call a professional electrician

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:
Thanks for your prompt reply. You really offer a great service to those of us who can not afford to hire professionals (as much as we would rather)...By lamp, do you mean that I replace the outside light too? But, shouldn't the light on the timer at least be on if it was working properly? Or not?

Answer:
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?
*
National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."
*
A lamp is what non-electricians call a bulb, which screws into a "lamp fixture."
If the filament is broken in the lamp, there is no current path for the timer to work [we ARE talking about an in-wall timer which replaced a switch, right?], as it relies on this for a neutral path. These timers split power internally to grab electricity to run the timer.
It could also be an open neutral.

This "power checker" tool you refer to ... is it a "magic wand" inductance sensor type? They are patently useless for troubleshooting. You are looking for an open in the circuit. It could be as simple and inobvious as a bad rivet in the fixture socket.

I had also assumed the "outside light" was at a door. This may be erroneous. Where is the light?

What does the outside receptacle have to do with the light?

I still think you are going to end up with an electrician visiting...
*
You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.

Handy Jack asks for absolution!

2010-08-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

It never ends!
This time I got a request for approval from Handy Jack!

Question:
I am refinishing my basement. I installed 8 recessed lights on 2 circuits (Two 3-way switches each controlling 4 lights)

I did not have any 14/3 cable when I roughed it in, so I ran an additional 14/2 cabel between the switch boxes and used one of the covered wires for the traveler for each switch (white for one and black for the other. I put red tape around the ends for easy identification in the switch box) I did not use the unshielded ground wire from this cable and clipped it of and taped it so it does not contact anything.

My question is is this set up dangerous in any way or can it pose a problem?

Answer:
What you have done is both dangerous and illegal.

It is apparent that you KNEW what you were supposed to do but have "discovered" a more convenient, simple solution to an electrical installation situation that is so much more reasonable than the process followed by the literally millions of obvious idiots working in the electrical trades, including construction, engineering, design and manufacturing and possessing the combined knowledge derived from tens, if not hundreds, of BILLIONS [I am an electrician, not a mathematician. There are roughly 600,000 electricians who clock 2,000 to 3,000 working hours each year and have, in increasing numbers, for the past 100 years!] of hours of exposure to, and contemplation of, the safe and useful application of electrical energy as we understand it.

You, of course, can see clearly where we have all overlooked the apparent, simple solution and can't imagine why we would bother to delay our schedules for the mere lack of the correct material.

My guess is that someone has told you you shouldn't have done that and you are looking for a blessing to make it OK to leave as is.

Do you think it reasonable to saddle some poor unsuspecting future owner with this sub-standard installation or to endanger the technician that will be called to repair it when it stops working?

Rip it out. Do it over. Wire it right!

...or hire a professional electrician.

*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?

National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."
*

Licensed Philadelphia PA electrician

King in the Land of the Blind....

2010-07-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

There is an old expression about a one-eyed man...
Heaven help him if he is altruistic and tries to help his fellow beings!

The truth is that, at best, the one-eyed man is an outcast in the land of the blind and likely to be considered mad and/or a liar.
The likely case is that they put out his eye.
I expect it is his best bet to keep his mouth shut and take advantage of the situation.
Hopefully he can get out of the way when the cart is rolling down on him, even if he can't help anyone else!

Call a professional electrician!

Question:
I uncovered a wall electrical box that has only one electrical cable in it, which was taped up. I have no idea what this cable is hooked to. When I test it with a neon tester, the tester glows bright when connected between the black and the bare ground, but glows dim when connected between the hot and white wires. There is no glow when connected between the white and bare ground. Does this indicate that the cable is a switch leg going to a lighting circuit, or what? This has me stumped.

Answer:
Why would your symptoms suggest that it is a switch leg? I see no evidence to suggest that this would be the case. Where did you get this idea from?
By "taped up" I take it that all three conductors, black, white and bare, were separated from each other.
All your readings show is that the black is energized and the ground is providing some clear return path. Did you happen to obtain a voltage reading or simply rely on the neon tester to suggest voltage? As to the dim white to black connection, it may suggest that the white is not intentionally terminated to provide a return path and only brushing against a grounded enclosure, that the white is damaged or any one of literally hundreds of possible scenarios.
Where is the box with this cable end located?
How high above the floor?
Is it in a location that would normally be serviced by a receptacle according to the building's existing wiring where there is an obvious lack of a receptacle?
When was the house built?
Has it had any substantial work performed at some point?
Was it rewired?
Is there evidence that a homeowner installed any wiring?
You say "uncovered." Explain what you mean by that. What was hiding the box?
How long have you lived at this house?
What were you doing that led to the discovery?
Why?
Where is the electrical service in relation to the problem outlet?
Where are other outlets in relation to this opening?
Any other problems?
Have you examined nearby outlets to attempt to develop a wiring schematic for the building?
Are you qualified to do this?
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?
*
National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."
*
Always check with the local “Authority Having Jurisdiction” for an official interpretation before making installation decisions.
*
In Philadelphia, it is unlawful for anyone except an individual licensed by the City of Philadelphia to install electrical equipment and wiring.
Homeowners are not allowed to install wiring.
The owner of any property wherein any such installation is discovered shall be issued a violation by the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
The limited exceptions include replacing devices and fixtures at existing outlets.Contact the Department of Licenses and Inspections for more information.
*
You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.
*
Robert Wilber
Licensed Philadelphia Electrician
Philadelphia License # 3516 - 16765

Endless tales of woe from amateur wiring...

2010-07-25T17:37:00.001-07:00

It seems to never end.
Tale after tale of problems and near disaster!

I just received this inquiry from a lady who lost her home 10 years ago [purportedly to an electrical fire]

It sounds like she is ready to have another!

http://www.wilberelectrical.com/FAQ.asp

Question:
i had a house fire in 2000 from a faulty electrical outlet in my daughters room. was told that there was too much plugged in to the outlet. fireman explained that in most of the older holmes they needed to be updated to the new specs which most are not and with a lot of the neww electronics out now its a fire waiting to happen because too much is plugged into the outlets. im guessing my hme is about 50 to 60ys old. ex-husband hired a contractor, wound up firiring him and decided he wanted to finished the work. he had some guy who said he was a electrician come in to do the wiring. when i finally moved back in almost after 2 years, the wiring of the house was still not complete. i have a 3 bedroom ranch style home, bath and half. my light in the hallway was not working. in my spare bedroom and part of the living room the plug in outlets along the side and front were not working. the dryer that i had placed in the garage was not properly hooked up and i had to unplug it because it was shocking me everytime i touched the doorhandle. have not used it since. in my daughters bedroom if i plugged something in the outlet along the front wall and plugged something in my bedroom along the back wall it would trip some of the outlets in my bedroom and this happen for a while until i just stop using the plug. one early morning around two or three, my fire alarms went off and would not shut off. there was nothing burning, i wind up calling the fire department they checked all outlets for hotpots came up with nothing and wind up having to disconnect 3 of the units because new standard have a alarm in all the bedrooms. my ex-husband back in 2009 came and rewired the socket in my daughters room. i was in my daughters room friday using my laptop, plugged the charger in another socket in her room, went to sleep, woke up the next morning smelt a funny odor, but i thought it was coming from outside because i had the windows up, around noonish when i was cleaning up the odor got stronger, still thinking it was coming from outside, i just happen for whatever reason to look at the charger battery that was plugged in and it was red hot and when i pulled the bed out the way discovered that it was just simmering and if i would have left out to go do something it could have very well possibly started anothe fire. well i panicked and found a pop sickle stick to try and disconnet the wires as not to stick my fingers there, i know this probably wasnt smart either, but it worked and it wind up knocking everything out in my bedroom. i tried to reset it at the breaker box but it did not come back on, so i left it alone. i already know because i was having all these other issues that this house is not properly wireand i also know that most electricians do not like going behind someoneelse. i honestly dont believe they brought my home up too code and have too much stuff on one circuit. am i looking at a whole house rewiring project? and what are the cost of something like this?

Answer:
Sympathies for your misfortune. I am glad everyone is OK.
It was kind of the fireman to advise you that the fire was caused because there was too much plugged into the outlet. I am sure he is a very nice man and meant well.

A properly installed electrical system of whatever age, if properly maintained, cannot, under normal conditions, have "too much plugged into the outlet." The reason for this is that the outlet is designed and intended to carry the full available circuit current, with limited exceptions. One such would be where the home has knob and tube wiring, in which case there may be devices rated for fifteen amps on a circuit protected with a twenty-amp circuit protective device. The other would be in the case of a twenty-amp circuit with multiple outlets, whereby it is allowed to install fifteen-amp devices at the outlets. In the event of a single outlet on a twenty-amp circuit, the device would be required to be rated for twenty amps.

It is possible that your advisor meant that connected components had effectively reduced the protection provided by the device rating by using extension devices rated for less current and used to connect multiple appliances, lamps, etc., thereby overloading the extension cord. It is imperative to always utilize a circuit extension that meets or exceeds either circuit capacity or the load connected to it.

"Up to Code" is a misnomer, in that a building's systems are installed according to the most recent version of standards [NEC is a three-year cycle] adopted by the local "authority having jurisdiction." Many municipalities continue to enforce older codes, rather than adopt the newest published codes. For example, the current 2008 National Electrical Code [NFPA 70] was only just implemented in Philadelphia in 2010. Up until this time, the city had enforced the last previous version from 2005. I have encountered instances in other locations in which 10 year old versions are being enforced.

If fifty years old, your house was built according to the locally adopted NEC code from 1957 or 1954. If pre-war [WW2] it may have had knob and tube wiring.

In any case, since the whole place was rewired since 2000, it probably should have been wired according to the 1996 or 1999 NEC, whichever was adopted in your area. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like the work was done professionally, nothing against your ex.

I don't know for sure that your house needs to be rewired.

I think you should hire a competent electrician to inspect your wiring.
Call your local municipal office. Ask if permits and inspections are required for electrical work. Get two lists from them, licensed electricians and electrical inspection agencies [unless the town inspects themselves]. Call the inspection agencies and find out if they are members of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors. Are they licensed and insured? [You don't want a home inspector.] Tell them you are looking for an electrical inspector.

When you get to talk to the inspectors, tell them you need a good electrician. Tell them you know they inspect for electricians and you want to know who they would call to work on their own house. Explain that you understand that they will be inspecting any work this electrician does, since they are recommending him because they know his work because they inspect him now.

The battery had nothing to do with your house wiring. The other problems you need to have someone look at.

Let me know how it works out, or if you need more help.

Electricity is FIRE IN A BOX!

2010-07-23T15:26:00.000-07:00

OMG! It is like being the FBI on "Criminal Minds!"
I just got an e-mail from "Handy Jack" himself!

Robert Wilber
Licensed Philadelphia Electrician
Philadelphia License # 3516 - 16765
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?
*
National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."
*
Always check with the local “Authority Having Jurisdiction” for an official interpretation before making installation decisions.
*
In Philadelphia, it is unlawful for anyone except an individual licensed by the City of Philadelphia to install electrical equipment and wiring.
Homeowners are not allowed to install wiring.
The owner of any property wherein any such installation is discovered shall be issued a violation by the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
The limited exceptions include replacing devices and fixtures at existing outlets.
Contact the Department of Licenses and Inspections for more information.
*
You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.
*
Question:
hi, how much of the outside wiring can I do myself? I want to upgrade my service. right now I have 60 amp coming to the house. can I call the electric company and ask them to " shut me down " at the pole for a few hours while I run new #4 wire from the drop on the top of the house down to a new Meter Socket box and then to my box inside. I already changed this to a 125amp box a few years ago myself. Also does the power Co. run new wire to my drop for FREE??. I'm just a homeowner.

Answer:
1. Congratulations on your great good fortune. The cable from a 60 amp service will not adequately support 125 amps and probably should have burned off the wall. I expect that you didn't actually increase your load, however, if all you did was change the panel. Lucky you.
2. Four gauge won't carry 125 amps either.
3. You may not be allowed to perform the work you propose. Either the local "authority having jurisdiction" or the utility may not allow installations by unlicensed parties.
4. I don't know where you are located, so cannot speak to utility disconnection practices. There are many places where nobody but the utility is allowed to interfere with service connections. Sometimes the utility is local government. Where I am located, the contractor cuts the service away and makes the reintroduction to energized utility lines. Ask your utility.
5. I have no concept of your mechanical skills level. I hope it exceeds your knowledge level, which is revealed as nominal by your prior actions.
6. I know you didn't have your work inspected, because it was done improperly.
7. I make a living fixing work installed by amateurs. You will want to move one day and I don't think it fair to help you saddle an unsuspecting soul with the dangerous installation you will leave behind.
8. Electricity is fire in a box.
9. If you insist on doing this yourself, buy extra smoke detectors, make sure your fire insurance is paid up and don't sleep in the house.
10. CALL A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN!

Homeowner frightfest: Handy Jack Strikes again...

2010-07-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

I am endlessly amazed at the messes people get into because someone hires a hack to do their electrical work!

Electricity KILLS! IT IS FIRE IN A BOX!

Question:
While doing some remodel in the attic I came across a thick wire that I needed to reroute just a few inches. When I pulled on it to see how much give it had, it came loose from behind the wall. I think it's part of the old electrical system. I followed the part that came loose to the attic crawl space where it is split, partly into an old style tube & knob system. The house definitely has new wiring so I think this old stuff is not hot. But I'm concerned that there is something hot behind the wall where it pulled a apart and I have no way of reaching. What's the likelihood of there being an old hot wire that is now loose? I think that they just didn't take the old stuff out when they put the new wiring in and I just pulled out some old loose not hot connection. But now I'm worried about that there might be a hot wire that I pulled loose. DO I have reason to worry?

Answer:
Whether you have any reason to worry is a reasonable question under the circumstances.
You won't like the answer, but yes ..... and no.

Yes, because there is always the possibility that the conductor may be part of an active system and your action may have exposed some hitherto inert wiring as a hazard.
No, because your observation that the house has been largely rewired makes this unlikely.

Never the less, you have a job of work ahead of you. You get the fun task left to you by my favorite worker, Handy Jack. "Handy Jack" is my less than affectionate moniker for the representative of that class of morons who think that they have "discovered" a newer simpler solution to an electrical condition that is so much more reasonable than the process followed by the literally millions of obvious idiots working in the electrical trades, including construction, engineering, design and manufacturing and possessing the combined knowledge derived from tens, if not hundreds, of BILLIONS [I am an electrician, not a mathematician. There are roughly 600,000 electricians who clock 2,000 to 3,000 working hours each year and have, in increasing numbers, for the past 100 years!] of hours of exposure to, and contemplation of, the safe and useful application of electrical energy as we understand it.
Jack, of course, can see clearly where we have all overlooked the apparent, simple solution....

[BTW-Handy Jack also does plumbing, carpentry, roofing and siding, replacement window installation, auto repairs and brain surgery...]

Now, to YOUR problem.
The likely condition is that the lazy louts who modified your wiring elected to simply abandon the existing knob and tube components and leave it in place, even though the National Electrical Code requires abandoned conductors and equipment to be removed where accessible. The attic wiring was accessible and should have been demolished if it had been abandoned. This would have caused the tail you found to be removed.

Is the outer covering of this "thick wire" composed of fabric [called loom] and does it have a single cloth and/or rubber insulated conductor, like the exposed K&T wiring, inside?
If so, what you describe sounds like standard K&T wiring.
If you care to learn about knob and tube wiring methods, you will find that it was allowable to transition to this method for an extension to a device like a switch or receptacle, and that the loom material was used to protect the conductor all the way into the device box. This being the case, the likely scenario is that my friend Jack probably just eliminated the old device and left the loom and conductor floating in the wall when he ran new wire. [If you consider the length of the free conductor you discovered, you may find that it would just about reach the location of some newer device]
You are now paying what the cheapskate saved when he hired Jack to rewire his house. You see, people never understand why a competent electrician wants so much money when they can get the job done for half the price, or why they should pay for a permit and an electrical inspection. Jack just didn't include the labor cost to complete the job properly in his bargain price and wasn't going to work for free.
What is true is that this wiring method is not the kind of installation to be interfered with and disabled by such a casual manipulation of a component as you describe.
This is the good news, and the most likely case.

The bad news is that you don't know that for certain.
Is there anything which has stopped working? You know the probable cause.
No problems? Great! You now just have to prove to your satisfaction that the K&T components you discovered were inert before your "accident."
Make sure the K&T segment you discovered attached to the whip is not active and supplied from anywhere, or serving as the neutral for something.
Make sure the whip didn't reach anything that could have been providing a hot or neutral path.

If you are not sufficiently skilled to undertake the process of alleviating your concerns about the discovered wiring, hire a professional electrician to resolve the matter .... or buy extra smoke detectors and make sure your fire insurance is paid up. I am not concerned about your safety, because I sure wouldn't sleep well until I knew what the story was ... and I doubt you will either.

Homeowners doing electrical work risk disaster!

2010-04-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

People scare me silly!
I get requests ALL THE TIME for support from people who SHOULD NOT be doing electrical work.
Yesterday, I told another electrician how resistant some people are to my advice to hire a professional electrician.
He suggested I ask them to take out an insurance policy with myself as beneficiary.

Today, I received the perfect example request showing why people need to hire professionals. My answer follows and contains the question.
*************************************************************

Robert Wilber
Licensed Philadelphia Electrician
Philadelphia License # 3516 - 16765
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?
*
National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."
*
Always check with the local “Authority Having Jurisdiction” for an official interpretation before making installation decisions.
*
In Philadelphia, it is unlawful for anyone except an individual licensed by the City of Philadelphia to install electrical equipment and wiring.
Homeowners are not allowed to install wiring.
The owner of any property wherein any such installation is discovered shall be issued a violation by the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
The limited exceptions include replacing devices and fixtures at existing outlets.
Contact the Department of Licenses and Inspections for more information.
*
You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.
*

Question:
I am installing a new outside light fixture at my front door. There is a hole in the siding where a light fixture was before and a white and ground wire only in the wall. Fixture has a white, black and ground wire. A co-worker said to connect the black fixture wire to the white wall wire, white fixture to ground wall wire, and fixture ground to green screw on fixture. Any advice?

Answer:
Not only are you are the most recently discovered victim of "Handy Jack" but it appears he works with you!
Handy Jack is my less than affectionate moniker for the representative of that class of lummox who think that they have "discovered" a newer simpler solution to an electrical condition that is so much more reasonable than the process followed by the literally millions of obvious idiots working in the electrical trades, including construction, engineering, design and manufacturing and possessing the combined knowledge derived from tens, if not hundreds, of BILLIONS [I am an electrician, not a mathematician. There are roughly 600,000 electricians who clock 2,000 to 3,000 working hours each year and have, in increasing numbers, for the past 100 years!] of hours of exposure to, and contemplation of, the safe and useful application of electrical energy as we understand it.
Jack, of course, can see clearly where we have all overlooked the apparent, simple solution....

[BTW-Handy Jack also does plumbing, carpentry, roofing and siding, replacement window installation, auto repairs and brain surgery...]

Now, to YOUR problem.

1] There should be an enclosure [box] behind your fixture.
2] You will have to make the hole bigger to get the box in, so it will make it easier to find the end of the cable and the black conductor, which should be the hot. If you cannot find it, you will have to remove the switch for the light and open the wall inside to follow [and possibly replace] the wire to the light. [Why in the world would you connect the Black fixture wire to the White conductor and the Ground to the White?]
3] I question whether you should be doing this yourself and highly recommend hiring a professional electrician. Watch what he does so you will see how this should be handled and possibly develop some insight into the process so you might have some solid foundation on which to begin to build personal skills in this area. [Maybe you could have pulled this off if there were not so many issues and the original installation were done properly.]

Electrical equipment wears out over time

2010-03-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at people's ingenuity.

I often answer questions on the FAQ page of my Licensed Philadelphia electrician website, as well as those I receive from DIY and web inquiry sites.

I just fielded the following. The answer was, of course, preceded by all the warnings and disclaimers about being qualified, etc.

Question:
Triple socket Main Service. Original problem=Old red colored 125A main breaker (old Murray's?) apparently became loose? @ both bus bars...arced and destroyed both bus bars, one worse than other. I pulled bus bars and cut out bad sections, welded in new aluminum. Old (Murray?) red breaker no longer available. Installed new 125A that fit (New Murray) fits loosely @ opposite side of bus. Everything ok for couple months or so. Soon as Grandma turns on AC, 50A in her sub pops and so does main. I Told her leave breaker in off position until summer and will get it fixed. What do you think is going on???? Obviously there is a short in the compressor circuit. But why is it popping the main at same time. The feed from main to apartment sub is aluminum...Ashamed to admit that during the replacement of said main breaker (in The Rain!)that I did not check to see if Neutral connection was still tight!! I haven't done electrical for over twenty years from when I was a kid. Would a loose neutral at the main act this way? At the time I repaired the bus bars I operated all the stoves burners for 10 min, no main trip. Sincerely,
Stumped

Answer:
Right, there is no replacement for the Murray Main!
Pretty nervy remanufacturing the panel bus!
This would absolutely void the UL labeling.

Anyway, it is possible that the material you used to rebuild [rebuild? unbelievable!] the bus wasn't up to the requirements and may have failed again....

[REBUILT THE BUS?]

You don't sound stumped to me!

The A/C wouldn't need the neutral anyway. Right?
You have observed that there was not really a good mechanical fit in the first place.

The main could trip when the A/C breaker trips if the current is high enough.
Have you checked current levels?

In reality, the fact that you are dealing with the old red Murray breaker tells me that the service has exceeded its economic life. The implant approach was a novel idea [which I cannot professionally recommend, though I admire your talents and ingenuity] but it is time to replace the service with new equipment.

Philadelphia homeowners' electrical work not allowed

2010-02-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

It is unlawful for anyone except an individual licensed by the City of Philadelphia to install electrical equipment and wiring. The owner of any property wherein any such installation is discovered shall be issued a violation by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. The limited exceptions include replacing devices and fixtures at existing outlets.
Answer in February 2010 by Jim Miraglia of the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
The Philadelphia amended electrical code could lead one to believe that it applied only to individuals in the business of installing electrical equipment. However, in combination with requirements for permits, this is intended to limit electrical installation to properly licensed persons only.
Homeowners shall not receive an electrical permit.
The cost of a permit to correct the violation issued for not having a permit is double the normal value.
Additionally, there are progressively escalating fees charged by the City of Philadelphia for inspection visits by the Department of L&I inspectors.
Philadelphia Licensed Electrician
Philadelphia License & Inspections Website
Philadelphia Amended Electrical Code

Another homeowner electrical wiring disaster

2010-02-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

Robert Wilber
Licensed Philadelphia Electrician
Philadelphia License # 3516 - 16765
*
LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?
*
National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."
*
You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!
*

Question:
I have exterior lights blowing a circuit. I have successfully rewired all other wiring, but not this exterior wire. When I hook up the two wires it blows the circuit?? 2 wires positive and negative coming out of the circuit box that feed the entire basement and exterior lights, same as when it was knob and tube. I rewired it the same as it was. Now when I hook up the positive and negative wires it blows the circuit.?? Any ideas??

Answer:
Sorry you are having such great problems.
You may think your efforts are successful because the light glows. That is not necessarily the case.
A legal, safe wiring system can be relied on because it has been installed in accordance with practices and standards developed and defined over the past hundred years through the cooperative efforts of hundreds of thousands of skilled, experienced electrical workers with the combined practical knowledge of MILLIONS of years of installation experience.
... but I don't think there is anything I can do to alleviate the effect of your actions.
The statement that you "rewired it the same as it was" verifies that the wiring you have installed does not meet these standards.
The product you have created is unsafe and non-functional. And now you ask advice from someone knowledgeable in the subject as to how to mitigate the damage you have wrought.

The only guidance possible is to recommend that:
1] ... you need to learn the rules and practices for properly installing electrical wiring, then remove the deficient segments of your installation and replace them. [Modern wiring practice bears no resemblance to knob and tube practices.] At that point it may be possible to help you fix your existing problem, if it doesn't just get resolved during the correction process; or
2] ... you need to hire someone knowledgeable in the field to do the same thing.

I think the best course is to hire someone who is willing to let you help and who will teach you as they go.

Forgive me if I sound harsh.
I am presently in the process of resolving an installation which was the subject of a violation. It was installed without permit or inspection by an unlicensed individual who was not the homeowner. [Homeowners are not allowed to install electrical equipment in the City of Philadelphia. They are allowed to replace devices and fixtures at existing locations.]
Ignoring these issues, the installation failed acceptability due to the fact that "Handy Jack" installed a receptacle outside using non-metallic sheathed cable [not rated for exterior use], a non-GFI receptacle [GFIs are required to protect personnel for exterior receptacles], a cable connector not rated for outdoor use [which allows water into the enclosure - it was even installed in the top of the box!], insufficient cable support [there is actually a rule about how far apart staples can be] and an improper device plate.
Oh! Wait! That is almost everything involved in the installation!
The biggest impediment to correcting this mess is the owner's frantic need to believe they have derived some benefit from the money they have already expended. I cannot reasonably use the word "invested" here.

I do believe practically anyone can do electrical work, but I do not believe ANYONE can do electrical work without proper training and skills development.

What is true is not that you have exterior lights blowing a circuit, but improper wiring based on inadequate theory causing a breaker to trip

Philadelphia Electrican answers electrical FAQ

Homeowner install. The unknowns fill volumes...

2010-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Helping people with electrical problem inquiries can be really scary.
Philadelphia electrician answers electrical FAQ questions
Even the seemingly simplest question raises shadows of a hundred unobserved demons.
Glaring problems that I plainly see are overlooked by the unskilled.
Danger lurks underfoot everywhere!
The most immediate issue in the following question was whether the inquirer knew he needed a fan-rated box!
That is why most of my answers include a substantial warning and disclaimer, and why many people are peremptorily advised to call an electrician.
*
Question:
I am installing a ceiling fan without light that has a remote for 3 speeds. is it possible to use a wall switch instead of the remote? can I bypass the receiver and directly connect the fan to a continuous slide dimmer?
*
Answer:
Without more information, I couldn't say whether or not it will work the way you propose, but be aware that you intend to perform an installation of equipment in a manner that may be other than that recognized in the UL or other listing.
National Electrical Code calls for all devices/equipment to be installed according to their listing and or labeling.
If the unit relies solely on the remote to reverse direction, you won't be able to reverse if you use the dimmer and eliminate the control.
If you don't eliminate the control, the dimmer will send varying voltages to the fan [and the control], which may cause component failure in the control, and possibly a fire, depending on the control.
Contact the manufacturer for more information about your application in relation to the exact fan model you are installing.
*
Further, for safety reasons, never install a ceiling fan on a regular lighting outlet box. Always use a fan-rated box of the proper size for the weight of your fan. If it is a regular box, change it to a fan-rated box, even though this may be more work than installing the fan.

Untrained homeowners are not Electricians

2010-01-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

People blow my mind! Here is another example of Jow Blow thinking he can build something he hasn't studied and doesn't understand!

Question: Hi

I have a $11,500 audio system in my house, so I want to take care of it as one would assume.

So I decided it may be best to upgrade my "old style" 100 amp screw in fuse box with an update breaker system to 150 amp box.
I am also including 2 dedicated 20 amp outles in my audio room.

My main reason to update and upgrade is due to the fact everytime I turn on my washer/dryer the lights will flicker, and im assuming the volts are dropping which is not good for sensitive gear. Also, whenever I turn on my amp and my other receiver (Amp is 1350 watts ----- the receiver is 8.1 amps) my room lights will also flicker.

My room already has 4 outlets, however they all pull from the same breaker. So im assuming this means there are alot of splices which im assuming is not ideal for sensitive equipment.
My current outlets are sort of weird, as they have 2 red wires, 2 white wires, 1 black wire, and one ground, which is just confusing to me.

To save on some cost, I wanted to purchase the Romex wire myself and run the wire to the fuse box, and "then" call the electrician to install.

So my question is, what wire do I need to get for a 2 plug in outlet....? 12/2 or 12/3 or 10/2 or 10/3. I know 12 gauge is for 20 amps, but I would like to be safer and get the 10 gauge wire.

I bought some 20 amp outlets, and im confused. it has 4 side hook ups, and 1 ground hookup. Now ive been told all I need is a 12/2 romex wire, but 12/2 only has 3 wires including the ground, so how does this work?

Any help on this matter would be appreciated and any other suggestions or informaiton regarding my sensitive electronics would be helpful

Answer:

The following was published by myself some time ago in response to an inquiry about advice regarding creation of a piece of equipment to serve a particular need by someone with no background in electrical installations.

"There are numerous varied methods of accomplishing the purpose you suggest, depending on conditions, environment and use. These limitations are defined in NFPA 70, also known as the National Electrical Code. Design requirements to meet these standards are the subject of nearly endless engineering, materials and design programs at uncountable educational institutions throughout the United States. Teeming multitudes of manufacturing enterprises employ the skills of thousands of engineers and designers to develop devices and materials that enable them to produce equipment that will be deemed suitable for the use by assorted standards maintenance organizations. Not the least of these is Underwriters Laboratories, which authorizes the use of the UL label indicating that an item has been tested and found to meet the requirements for use if installed according to instruction or applied in the manner and for the purpose for which it was manufactured.

I think you will find something that will accomplish your purpose if you invest some time in research into the manufacture of electrical enclosures, the process and available methods of cable splicing and the requirements surrounding the application of related devices and materials."

I find your offhand suggestion that you can learn enough to duplicate the results of the experience of a trained, licensed electrician by reading a short missive in an inquiry chat letter insulting.

You make a lot of assumptions, which are unfounded.

You say your outlets are weird. You haven't done enough research to learn why there are five terminals and three wires. You don't know enough to say they are weird. [It sounds unusual, but YOU don't know why, nor do you convey sufficient information to help anyone else suggest why.] You shouldn't be doing what you propose, because you do not have sufficient skill.

I agree you have a problem, because of the flickering you describe. It could be at the panel, the meter or the service connection to the utility. It might be the neutral termination at the transformer. Changing your service may not even fix the problem. Why upgrade to 150 amps? Have you blown the main fuse of the 100 amp service you have?

You want to run ten gauge instead of twelve? Bigger is better? Why not six gauge? What makes you think a competent professional will want to connect to cables you run? Energizing those cables would make him responsible for the wiring you installed.

Want to do electrical work? Study the subject and then practice by installing a receptacle for your sump pump, an outside light or something else that won't break your heart if it fails catastrophically.

You can afford an eleven thousand dollar audio system? You should hire the best, most knowledgeable electrician you can find to provide reliable power to and protection for that system.

Philadelphia electrician answers FAQs

I will not give someone information so he thinks he knows enough to do something but will likely only burn down his home!

OMG, save us from homeowners....

2009-12-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

People are scary..
this is the kind of milarkey I get on DIY help sites ALL the time:

Question:
hey i plan on adding a service panel and a 220 line to my garage but im kind of lost on what im going to have to do i have some lights that i plan on putting on there that warm up and come on the big industrial lights, maybe 4 electric plugs to charge drill batterys, boost a car if it dies. run a 110 volt welder, and eventually add a big compressor maybe like a 3hp my garage is only maybe 6 feet away from my house but my main power is way in the front of the house which is maybe 35 45 ft from the back of the garage im trying to figure out what size power wire i would need to run to make this happen.....
Answer:
hey
Create a true load calculation for the subpanel installation based on intended installed load plus an allowance for expansion.
Find the true conductor distance from your service panel to the location of your subpanel.
Call a qualified electrician, because I will not direct novices in the process of burning down their properties.
You want to do it yourself? Do your own homework and learn what it takes to install what you want and send me a detailed description of your proposed project for review.
I have invested 35 years in my education.
This service may not cost anything, but it ain't free, brother.

Can you imagine someone calling their doctor and suggesting they want to remove their own gall bladder because they can save a few dollars? What grade of suture should I use? Heaven help us all....

I am an electrician, working in the Philadelphia area for 35 years.

I answer questions on FAQFarm and contribute to Google answers, among others, including my own FAQ page, Philadelphia electrician answers electrical FAQ!

2009-11-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

LIFE SAFETY WARNING!
[disclaimer]
Electricity is dangerous!
You can be injured or killed!
Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!
Are you qualified to do this work?

*

National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2008 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the hazards involved."

*

You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!

*

LIFE SAFETY WARNING!
[disclaimer]
This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!
I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.

*

I have received notes complaining I have let my blog go dead. I just figure that I don't need to keep repeating the same thing over and over, but maybe I am wrong.
I got the following inquiry from an obvious civilian [not even a novice!]

Question:
slowly as days and weeks go by in my house im losing power. first my lights started dimming and eventialy the reseptical lost power. and now my refridguater is slowly running. its an old house with a small porcelin panel. what can i do myselfe before calling an electrician in troubleshooting this problem

Answer:
Probably nothing. It sounds like it might be an open neutral, but it could be a damaged "hot"
Why are you fooling around with this? ...or do you want to become an amateur fireman as well?
Call an electrician!
NOW!

Visit Philadelphia electrician answers electrical FAQ questions

Amateur wiring hazard

2007-07-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

Save us from unlearned, untrained "Home" schooled arsonists and electrocutioners.

Lately, I have received scads of help requests from FAQ inquirers which reveal that they have undertaken no study of proper wiring practice whatsoever.

Question Subject: Tripping GFI Breaker

Question: I wired a bedroom with 12/2wg on three sockets and 14/2wg on two lights. I used a 20amp GFI breaker in the box. It work great until I put a load on it. I put in a new breaker and it trips under a load . THANK YOU - R

The only possible response was the following:

Answer: -

*

Robert Wilber

Licensed Philadelphia Electrician

Philadelphia License # 3516 - 16765

*

LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]

Electricity is dangerous!

You can be injured or killed!

Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!

Are you qualified to do this work?

*

National Electrical Code definition, NFPA 70 2005 Article 100 I: Qualified Person. "One who has skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations and has received safety training on the hazards involved."

*

You are more likely to be killed by 120 volts than any other voltage [120 volts creates the PERFECT fatal current through the human body's electrical resistance!]
TURN THE POWER OFF WHEN WORKING!

*

LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]

This information is provided for the use of parties as they see fit!

I am not responsible for the application of this information by any party, including those lacking sufficient skill or knowledge to perform these steps safely and any hazard created is the SOLE responsibility of the user.

*

Sorry you are having such great problems.

A legal, safe wiring system can be relied on because it has been installed in accordance with practices and standards developed and defined over the past hundred years through the cooperative efforts of hundreds of thousands of skilled, experienced electrical workers with the combined practical knowledge of MILLIONS of years of installation experience.

... but I don't think there is anything I can do to alleviate the effect of your actions.

The first sentence in your question verifies that the wiring you have installed does not meet these standards.

The product you have created is unsafe and non-functional. And now you ask advice from someone knowledgeable in the subject as to how to mitigate the damage you have wrought.

The only guidance possible is to recommend that:

1] ... you need to learn the rules and practices for installing electrical wiring, then remove the improper segments of your installation and replace them. At this point it may be possible to help you fix your existing problem, if it doesn't just get resolved during the correction process; or

2] ... you need to hire someone knowledgeable in the field to do the same thing.

Save us from free training at home centers

2007-04-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

I just got an e-mail inquiry from someone regarding the purpose of staples.

Some COMPLETE incompetent at a major national home center professed in a free electrical wiring course that one of the purposes for using staples is "that when you staple the wiring to the joists you are not merely securing the wires firmly in place, but the steel staples act as snuffers when there is a bad electrical wire burn. The heat reaches the staple which in turn will melt the sheating and cause the white wire to short with the black, thereby finally cutting off any supply."

This is absolutely not true.!

Please stop teaching this idiocy!

In fact, please stop teaching anything about electrical wiring at all.

Aluminum wiring problem and repair

2007-02-06T10:54:00.001-08:00

This is definitely a professional-level task.
Additionally, there are very limited options in regard to properly dealing with aluminum conductors.
Make sure that whoever performs the modifications is properly certified by the manufacturer of an approved system.
Consumer Product Safety Comm aluminum wiring repair report

Licensing protects homeowners

2006-03-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

[From public blog]
We close on our new home at [deleted for privacy] soon and I am looking for a recommendation for an electrician. Does anyone know of a reputable, honest, and fair priced electrician that we can call for a few misc. items around the house?

Thanks,

G.
----------------------------------
When is an electrician an electrician?
---
Hi
I am an electrician.
I am licensed.
Philadelphia electrician website
I encourage you to look for a licensed electrician.
See the Philadelphia L&I site and their list of LICENSED electricians:
Philadelphia L&I

Granted, REAL electricians [as recognized by licensure] cost more, but at least we have had to prove to someone, somewhere that we know something about what we say we can do, and have to carry insurance, and can be found next week ...

Who can you complain to for relief if you break the rules yourself?

Best of luck

Bob Wilber
----------------------------------------
Hey Bob!
I agree.
Today, the consumer cannot become aware of the complex manner about how electricity should be hooked up. Its too complex. And faulty wiring is still a huge cause of house fires and death.

The city itself falls down with their inspection system. The electrical inspectors are not city employees, but are employed by private inspection firms. So there's still lots of corruption and payoffs from job to job.

With today's current building mania the construction inspection itself is nothing more than a rubber stamp of what others have already done. So who holds the line on safe, affordable, electricity?

Its you guys, the union electricians and of course your boss, Johnny Doc.

Thanks for bringing reality to an arena that should never allow public corruption in the first place.

J.
-------------------------------
Sorry to disappoint.

I am NOT a Union electrician.

I WAS many years ago ...

My experience was that you only get IN if you know somebody [or like me, through a series of unusual events] and only work if you're "one of the boys"

None the less, most Union electricians are more or less competent [there is a great training system], though not particularly likely to be efficient or interested in the business' welfare [or the consumer's]. It is a useful system for providing quantities of acceptably skilled technicians on short notice. Period.

The most common expression heard on construction sites [outside of the usual profanity] is "You can't see it from MY house!"

Inspectors are licensed third party agents, who are required to be knowledgeable of the electrical codes and subject to unique licensure. I personally hold an inactive Philadelphia inspector license. They get paid very little for the great responsibility they undertake.

If you think inspectors get paid off, you are living in the wrong century! These people have careers and licenses to protect, and a lot of continual training and education on the line! Visit the Electrical inspectors' association website!

Most electricians who work as private contractors, and that are licensed, are non-union. This is because:
1] They can't get in the Union [most wouldn't want to]
2] They wouldn't be allowed to "work with the tools" [as the expression goes] if they were and they "own" the business
3] They would NEVER get any work if they charged Union rates [keep in mind that the pay and benefits package for a Union electrician is as much or more than most private contractors charge per hour!] People cry about licensed contractor rates, but homeowners would choke if they had to pay the rates needed to pay Union wages!

I am just like most guys with a skill and the ambition to work for myself because I think I can do a better job than the next guy.
It's the American way.
It's God's way.
I provide my skills to others, for a fee, to feed my family.
I agree to provide my services according to certain standards.
I am subject to all sorts of regulation, and submit to it willingly.
It is up to the consumer to make sure the people they use follow the rules.
I just suggest that if a guy won't bother to be licensed, he won't bother to be insured [probably uninsurable in an illegal business anyway]
And he won't worry about doing the job properly [even if he KNOWS how]
Why bother? He has nobody to answer to anyway ...

I admit I want a slice of the pie, even if it isn't as big as Donald Trump's slice!
Isn't that why we work?

Free electrical help isn't always helpful!

2006-01-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

Don't put yourself in Danger!

I am an electrician, working in the Philadelphia area for 30 years.

I answer questions on FAQFarm and contribute to Google answers, among others, including my own FAQ page, Philadelphia electrician answers electrical FAQ!

These sources all have disclaimers attached, and some of the electrical advice I read is absolutely frightening! Even people who claim to be skilled professional electricians often don't know what they are talking about!

Read what is offered in these sources, but check to make sure what they say is right. You are your own ultimate quality control expert. Control the quality of the advice you follow, or risk the consequences!

(LIFE SAFETY WARNING! [disclaimer]

Electricity is dangerous!

You can be injured or killed!

Improper installations can cause fire, injury and death!

More: Are your lights "acting funny"

2005-07-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

A new customer called because his "lights were acting oddly - getting brighter and dimmer when appliances started or something turned on or off..."

I found that the service had been changed less than a year ago, but the new service neutral was connected to a highly corroded tail from the old service neutral [rather than connected directly to the utility company neutral]. This left the old, highly resistive neutral connection as part of the circuit. Electrical voltage measurements showed fluctuating levels reaching as high as 180 volts.

Fortunately, repairs were made before any damage was caused to appliances and electronic equipment!

Stop the Presses! -Knob & Tube wiring outlawed!

2005-03-18T07:32:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia electrician hears shocking news.

An inquiry from a new potential customer caused me to make inquiries about the insurability of homes with knob and tube wiring! Absolutely uninsurable say several major insurance companies, including Erie and Nationwide! More to follow in edits and new posts!

Lights "acting funny?" Watch out for problems!

2005-02-28T04:01:00.000-08:00

Are your lights "acting funny," get brighter, then dim, then really bright? You might have a real, serious problem!

[a letter I just sent]

Link to "Philadelphia electrician" website FAQ page

Re: Electrical damage related to failed neutral termination

Dear Mrs. [deleted]:

Thank you for the opportunity to assist with your electrical repair problem.
You contacted me because your lights were not functioning, following what has been described as “fluctuating lights” and a tripping circuit breaker. I came and proceeded to investigate the condition and found numerous ground faults in your electrical system. Many of these faults were cleared by disconnecting the attachment cords for various appliances. Other faults were cleared by removing several damaged light fixtures from various circuits.

Among other conditions observed was the non-functional condition of your central heat, due to the removal by a heating contractor of a damaged electronic circuit board. Electrical voltage measurements at the heater showed fluctuating levels reaching as high as 205 volts. Further investigation revealed a highly corroded splice in the neutral conductor at the service entrance connection point with the PECo lateral. A voltage reading of 118 volts was made across a highly resistive neutral splice. [There should be NO voltage potential across the neutral splice!]

This condition created varying voltage levels, which fluctuated with the now abnormally connected series load. This caused electronic components, appliances, and fixtures to be subjected to voltages at least as high as that measured at the heater, much beyond the acceptable design performance envelope, certainly damaging some of this equipment. Some of these devices, especially fluorescent lights, then contributed further to the degradation of other equipment and parts of the core wiring system.

One effect of this voltage anomaly was to cause abnormal high voltage gradients to enter the general house wiring and degrade the insulation value of installed conductors. Some of these conductors are damaged so that they possess high-resistance ground faults to ductwork and other metal building components. One cable was so badly impacted that the abnormal voltage pierced the insulation and caused the external metal sheathing to be welded to a section of duct that it lay against. Sections of this wiring need to be replaced immediately. Further, not all of the damage has been identified at this point. In witness of this, one circuit breaker continues to trip on attempt to reset it.

Please be advised that these are not conditions that can be safely ignored!

[end of letter body]

Just wanted to get this in quick - more later!

Arc Fault Circuit Breakers - AFCI

2004-12-21T20:09:00.000-08:00

I am motivated to post this because of something someone said while I was doing an electrical job in Dresher, outside Philadelphia, the other day. They were setting up a Christmas party in their church and asked why I was there, as they didn't know me. I told them I was doing some electrical work for the church and I gave the lady a business card. She proceeded to say that she needed an electrician. Then she told me how her house had burned down in 1996 after the receptacle outlet installed in a closet for the family's home entertainment equipment started sparking and burned in the wall. She had seen it happening, after looking for the source of a burning odor. The house was consumed before the fire department could arrive! I suggested that she must be jumpy about electricity now, but observed that she had a new home, wired by a different electrician. She stated that she felt uncomfortable in her rebuilt house because the electrician who had done the wiring had made several major mistakes, since corrected, and it left her nervous about her NEW house's wiring. Scary...! I told her about how an AFCI works and how having them in her house might make her feel safer. So here, for everyone else, is the first of several items on AFCI protection. Sleep tight!

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter
(AFCI)
FACT SHEET

THE AFCI
The “AFCI” is an arc fault circuit interrupter. AFCIs are newly-developed electrical devices designed to protect against fires caused by arcing faults in the home electrical wiring.

THE FIRE PROBLEM
Annually, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring. These fires result in over 350 deaths and over 1,400 injuries each year1. Arcing faults are one of the major causes of these fires. When unwanted arcing occurs, it generates high temperatures that can ignite nearby combustibles such as wood, paper, and carpets. Arcing faults often occur in damaged or deteriorated wires and cords. Some causes of damaged and deteriorated wiring include puncturing of wire insulation from picture hanging or cable staples, poorly installed outlets or switches, cords caught in doors or under furniture, furniture pushed against plugs in an outlet, natural aging, and cord exposure to heat vents and sunlight.

HOW THE AFCI WORKS
Conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and short circuits; so they do not protect against arcing conditions that produce erratic current flow. An AFCI is selective so that normal arcs do not cause it to trip.
The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors current flow through the AFCI. AFCIs use unique current sensing circuitry to discriminate between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the control circuitry in the AFCI trips the internal contacts, thus de-energizing the circuit and reducing the potential for a fire to occur. An AFCI should not trip during normal arcing conditions, which can occur when a switch is opened or a plug is pulled from a receptacle.
Presently, AFCIs are designed into conventional circuit breakers combining traditional overload and short-circuit protection with arc fault protection. AFCI circuit breakers (AFCIs) have a test button and look similar to ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) circuit breakers. Some designs combine GFCI and AFCI protection. Additional AFCI design configurations are anticipated in the near future.
It is important to note that AFCIs are designed to mitigate the effects of arcing faults but cannot eliminate them completely. In some cases, the initial arc may cause ignition prior to detection and circuit interruption by the AFCI.
The AFCI circuit breaker serves a dual purpose – not only will it shut off electricity in the event of an “arcing fault”, but it will also trip when a short circuit or an overload occurs.
The AFCI circuit breaker provides protection for the branch circuit wiring and limited protection for power cords and extension cords. Single-pole, 15- and 20-ampere AFCI circuit breakers are presently available.

WHERE AFCIs SHOULD BE USED
The 1999 edition of the National Electrical Code, the model code for electrical wiring adopted by many local jurisdictions, requires AFCIs for receptacle outlets in bedrooms, effective January 1, 2002. Although the requirement is limited to only certain circuits in new residential construction, AFCIs should be considered for added protection in other circuits and for existing homes as well. Older homes with aging and deteriorating wiring systems can especially benefit from the added protection of AFCIs. AFCIs should also be considered whenever adding or upgrading a panel box while using existing branch circuit conductors.

INSTALLING AFCIs
AFCI circuit breakers should be installed by a qualified electrician. The installer should follow the instructions accompanying the device and the panel box.
In homes equipped with conventional circuit breakers rather than fuses, an AFCI circuit breaker may be installed in the panel box in place of the conventional circuit breaker to add arc protection to a branch circuit. Homes with fuses are limited to receptacle or portable-type AFCIs, which are expected to be available in the near future, or AFCI circuit breakers can be added in separate panel boxes next to the fuse panel box.

TESTING AN AFCI
AFCIs should be tested after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit. Subsequently, AFCIs should be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and providing protection from fires initiated by arcing faults.
A test button is located on the front of the device. The user should follow the instructions accompanying the device. If the device does not trip when tested, the AFCI is defective and should be replaced.

AFCIs vs. GFCIs
The AFCI should not be confused with the GFCI or ground fault circuit interrupter. The GFCI is designed to protect people from severe or fatal electric shocks while the AFCI protects against fires caused by arcing faults. The GFCI also can protect against some electrical fires by detecting arcing and other faults to ground but cannot detect hazardous across-the-line arcing faults that can cause fires.
A ground fault is an unintentional electric path diverting current to ground. Ground faults occur when current leaks from a circuit. How the current leaks is very important.
If a person’s body provides a path to ground for this leakage, the person could be injured, burned, severely shocked, or electrocuted.
The National Electrical Code requires GFCI protection for receptacles located outdoors; in bathrooms, garages, kitchens, crawl spaces and unfinished basements; and at certain locations such as near swimming pools. A combination AFCI and GFCI can be used to satisfy the NEC requirement for GFCI protection only if specifically marked as a combination device.

1 Ault, Singh, and Smith, “1996 Residential Fire Loss Estimates”, October 1998, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Directorate for Epidemiology and Health Sciences.

Home safety-electrical info

2004-10-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

*According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) about 200 people die in America from electrocution each year.
*Deaths from residential fires run close to 700 annually.
*Each year about 3,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with electricity.
*Almost 10,000 fires result from damaged or overloaded cords and plugs each year.

Consumers can take steps to protect themselves from accident and injury.

* Have a licensed electrician install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) outdoors, in bathrooms, kitchens, or in any location where electrical appliances or products come in contact with water. Nearly all electrocutions involving consumer products could be prevented by using GFCIs.
* Unplug appliances before cleaning them. Never plug in or unplug an electric cord while your hands are wet. Keep appliances like radios, TVs, and hair dryers away from sinks and bathtubs.
* Don't overload outlets and extension cords.
* Don't pull the cord when unplugging appliances; grasp the plug firmly and pull.
* Be sure the proper wattage light bulbs are used in light fixtures and lamps.
* Examine electrical cords to make sure they aren't frayed or damaged. Do not run electrical cords under rugs or carpets.
* Make sure the batteries in your smoke detectors are working. Test smoke detectors regularly.
* Repair [or throw away!] any appliance that smokes, sparks or shocks you.
* Teach children to not put things into electrical outlets. Protect your children from injury by using plastic outlet guards.

Just born

2004-08-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

trying to figure out what a blog might be good for to anyone
I have a multipage website to promote my [business: service/financial interaction with other people..] Robert Wilber Electric.
I am interested in feeding my family, electrical safety, life in general