|
|
|
Do It Yourself |
Simple Electric
Are You Good at Tests
|
Home Repair Simple Electrical |
Are You Well Grounded |
|
If you want to have or change your two pronged outlets, you can do that, If you know what you are doing and turn the electric off at the panel and go see the Building Department.
to see if you can? But if you do there is not a third wire in your outlet boxes, then you will have to run a ground wire to each outlet that you are changing. It also has to be run all the way back to the main ground at the electrical panel, This is no job for beginners, Seriously. Don't Change the two prong If you have two pronged plugs and hate to use the little plug in adapter for a three pronged plug. Do not just change your sockets to three prong outlets. It seems like a good idea but you don't have a ground if you do this and if you go to sell your home you will have to have them changed back or put a GFCI in for each one or each circuit. So if you want to do this then make sure they run a ground wire for each plug outlet and then you can change to three pronged outlets! |
Disclaimer;
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, HIRE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN TO DO THE WORK IF IT INVOLVES ANY WORK WITH A LIVE CIRCUIT and you see BARE WIRES, if you see SPARKS, FIRE, see or smell smoke or the burnt smell of plastic, ETC. IF YOU MUST WORK ON THE CIRCUIT YOURSELF. CONTACT THE LOCAL BUILDING DEPARTMENT IN YOUR TOWN TO SEE IF YOU NEED PERMITS. Or who you should call for help with the repairs. TURN OFF ALL BREAKERS INCLUDING THE MAIN BREAKER or Fuse Box. Simple Electrical Test, only to see if it has electricity going to a device or outlet.
If not, go to the fuse panel or breaker box and see if any of the breaker switches are the wrong way. If this is the case then push it to the left and then back to the right. If it stays to the right solidly without flipping again then it might just mean you have to many things plugged into that circuit. Then see if there is anything with a motor on that circuit. It could be an air conditioner or power tools, etc. You might have to put those things on another circuit because they are overloading it. To much electrical energy being used by to many devices at once. To find out which circuit ( if Not Marked in the panel) it is, you can call an electrician or turn off all the other breaker switches except the MAIN breaker (generally at the top and marked) and see what is still on. Another way is to start by unplugging things close to that plug and then try the breaker again to see if it stays. If you do all that and the breaker will not stay on at all, it is time to call an Electrician to search that circuit with special tools they have. It might be a short ( broken wire or two live or hot wires touching each other)
Are You Well grounded You can buy a device called a polarity and Ground tester. It has three lights on the end of it that tell you what is wrong with that outlet or what is correct!!!...Sometime you have an old house that you own and you want to change all the two pronged outlets into three. You like that idea because all your devices have three and it is a hassle every time you go to plug something in you have to remember where you put the converter to plug in first. I have seen some people even break off the ground plug. Please do not do this. It is there for a reason SO YOU DON'T GET SHOCKED or at the very least you have a better chance to get away before you do. |
What Does a Ground Do ? Don't ever just shove the ground wire into the box or lighting fixture and not hook it up. This wire is there for a reason. One of the reasons is if you or a device creates a short ( short being a circuit that returns through you or a device to the ground) it will send the electricity through that ground wire back to the ground at the panel and to the ground rod in the foundation or dirt. It will discharge it instead of into you. I hate those funny plugs in the Bathroom with the Buttons I have seen people who want those to be replaced with regular outlets? They say they hate it when it goes off and doesn't work. They can not get their hair dry. Well maybe if you change them to a regular outlet and you are in bare feet, wet just out of the shower. And that ugly outlet with those two little buttons that click isn't there,
What is that GFCI I hear about Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt... This device is part of The universal Building code now. That means it is required in all bathroom designs and kitchen designs. Also on outside outlets and anywhere within 2 to 3 feet of a water source, like a sink, washing machine etc. When there is a short that little device can save your life. It only goes off when there is a problem like your hair drier gets to hot because it is broken, you didn't know that, did you? well instead of hating that thing. I would take great care of that device, it is there to help you. Now go apologize to it! What to do when it clicks off The button generally Red will pop out. If you are using some electrical appliance on the device unplug it and push the RESET or it may be wired in series with other plugs in that room or in different rooms and the GFCI may be in another room. So look at the other ones in the house to see if they are tripped like above and RESET. If it does not reset then go to the main panel and see if they are tripped. Another type of GFCI Sometimes there will be a breaker in the panel that has the GFCI on it with a push button reset also. If that does not reset and you unplugged everything from the outlets you may have a serious wiring problem. Call a Professional to check it out. It may be not big deal but it could be a short or wet wiring somewhere in or outside the home that needs to be fixed. Wet stuff trips GFCI's too If you happen to be working outside with a plug in device when it starts raining or in a wet area ( not a good idea) the GFCI circuit will trip because the device got wet. Unplug it and leave it alone to dry it a sheltered place. When it has dried well try it again after resetting the GFCI and it should be fine. |
