Electrical Repairs

AC (alternating current) relays are used as remote switching devices. Relays typically employ two separate, but mechanically connected, parts for the operation. A solenoid coil magnetically...

Connecting a wind generator to a power grid may be as simple as contacting your electric company to request installation of a meter. Advantages include eliminating the need to buy and maintain...

According to AllAboutCircuits.com, electrical resistance, measured in Ohms, is essentially electrical friction encountered by electrons as they move through a conductor. Ohms are typically...

Meter bases, or meter sockets, hold the electric meter. The electric meter is what the power utility company uses to determine your monthly bill. The meter base is a standard configuration that is...

Measuring the voltage of a dryer outlet is a simple way to verify the functionality of the electrical wiring and circuit breakers supplying this circuit. Often when a dryer does not completely...

Electric house meters can only be installed by power companies. Homeowners, however, can install the meter base. The electrical meter is part of a meter loop, which also contains a weatherhead and...

Home electronics and computers can be damaged by voltage that is over or under the nominal 110 volts AC (alternating current) delivered in American households. Likewise, electronics and appliances...

The breaker panel is where the electrical current delivered to your home by the power company is divided into individual circuits. Electricity flows through the circuits into various rooms of the...

Motor start capacitors help an electric motor overcome heavy loads. The capacitor does this by storing an electric charge much like a battery. Upon starting the motor, the capacitor releases this...

Water well pressure switches control the well pump for operation. The switch is typically directly connected to the pressure tank on the water system. A small ¼ inch diameter pipe nipple...

Troubleshooting a light fixture is usually a simple matter of testing a few components. The problem is nearly always with the light bulb, a loose wire, the switch or the circuit breaker. Before...

If your dryer suddenly quits operating or turns but has no heat, the first thing to do is a voltage test at the 220-volt electrical outlet. The same is true if you are plugging in a new dryer. The...

A VOM (short for “Volt-Ohm-Milliameter”) or a DMM (Short for Digital Multi-Meter) is a handy device to have around. A DMM is a digital version of a VOM. Some people use the terms...

A megger, or a megohmmeter, uses a high voltage to test the insulation value of wires. A megohm is equal to 1,000,000 ohms of resistance. This high value of resistance measurement ensures that the...

You can save money on electrical repairs and building a home if you wire up a fuse box at home by yourself. For various reasons, it might be important to learn how to wire a fuse box at home. The...

Power transformers are used to either step up (raise), or step down (lower), electricity. There are two separate circuits on a transformer: a high voltage side, identified as H1 and H2; and the...

Baseboard heaters are used to warm areas of a room. Typically, they are placed along the base of exterior walls and below windows. A 220-volt baseboard heater uses two hot wires to supply...

Contactors are used to remotely switch electrical power. The coil-actuated switch operates exactly like a relay, but a contactor typically handles higher amperages in the switch mechanism itself....

The digital clamp multimeter or clamp-on ammeter is a complete electrical testing tool. The clamp portion of the multimeter is used for reading amperage that is flowing through an insulated...

Step down transformers are used to take a high voltage and transform it to a lower workable power. Typically, step down transformers are used in control circuitry. The most common home application...

Electrical capacitors when used in alternating current (AC) circuits can be likened to a battery. The capacitor stores an electrical charge to give that circuit it is connected to, a boost of...

Removing an electric meter is a job for the utility company or a licensed electrician, since pulling an electric meter while power is applied can be a dangerous operation. There are things that a...

Twenty-four-volt transformers are typically used as control devices. These low-voltage devices are used as step-down transformer in which a higher voltage, generally 120 VAC, is made into a lower...

Wiring the meter base panel or service entrance to a home's main electrical panel is performed for the transfer of the utility's electrical service for the consumer. Many utilities control the...

Bringing power from a breaker panel into a new (or old) house can be a pain. It's risky, it's confusing, and it can be complicated unless you know what you're doing. This article describes the...

An RMS clamp meter measures the root mean square voltage of an alternating current (AC). Most household electrical outlets have 120 volts RMS coming out of them, so an RMS clamp meter can be...

A clamp AC meter provides an easy-to-use way of quickly measuring the alternating current (AC) voltage and current through a single wire or conductor. Clamp AC meters have a set of jaws that open...

A heat pump capacitor is used to give the pump motor an electrical "boost" when a working load is placed on the unit. Over time, the capacitor can become weak and ineffective for delivering that...

A frequency meter measures the frequency of alternating current (AC), which is present in most household electrical outlets. Most household circuits have a 60 Hz frequency. Reed frequency meters...

A volt meter is a device used by those working with electricity to determine how much of an electrical current is flowing in a particular outlet. Knowing how to successfully measure electrical...

A volt meter gauge is a device that monitors and displays voltage levels. Some volt meter gauges have needle indicators. The needle indicates the voltage by pointing at a number on the face dial....

A meter for a 120-volt panel can monitor the voltage level, thereby providing useful information in cases when troubleshooting a system is involved. For example, if an electronic device that gets...

Analog voltage meters perform the same function as digital voltage meters, but the analog part of the description refers to how the information measured by the voltage meter is presented on the...

Using a voltmeter to check the power on an electrical circuit is an accurate way for diagnosing problems. Although voltmeters may come in many different styles, they all operate the same way and...

Have you ever gotten your electric bill to be shocked at the amount due? I lowered my bill from $175 a month to just $50 a month. You can lower your electric bill and find out what's making it so...

Knowing how much current a home electrical appliance draws can be a valuable troubleshooting tool. For example, if your circuit breaker is continually opening, you might wonder if your circuit...

Testing electrical alternating current (AC) circuits with a clamp on ammeter is an efficient way for troubleshooting load problems. You will need to know the current draw of the device you are...

Whole house meters have been available for a few years, but not many consumers know that much about them. A whole house meter is an ingenious device that tracks your energy usage, allowing you to...

Working with electricity can be a tricky process and requires a great deal of caution because of the potential danger involved. The proper wiring of a house fuse box is in itself a safety feature...

Electrical loads are what you pay for at the end of every month on your electric bill. It is what makes the electrical meter spin, sometimes at an alarming rate, around and around. If you have the...

When a bad motor winding cannot be found by a physical inspection, many times an ohmmeter may show that there is a defective winding. Most repair shops will use a "megger" or a ground insulation...

In modern homes, most electricity meters are located outside of the home. Many electric companies prefer this, as it is more convenient than gaining entry into the home.

In one to five minutes you should be able to determine if you have a bad wire or you just need to properly reconnect the wires to their terminals.

No matter if you are checking a transformer for a doorbell or your central air conditioner, The concept is the same. You will know for sure now if your transformer is working or not.

When performing electrical repairs or troubleshooting problems with electricity, there are some basic tools that are needed. A voltmeter and a continuity tester are critical to help find problems....

Do you feel your electric bill reflects more than you actually use? Has your bill taken a recent jump upward? It may be that your meter is registering a faulty electric current that you are...

This article describe how to test a battery charger of any voltage.

Most everyone knows how to check the breakers in their electrical panel if one trips and makes some lights go off. However, if you're remodeling your home and adding more circuits than your panel...

With the rising costs of electricity, many have turned to alternative sources of power for their homes. Remote regions with no power sources can use wind power to charge batteries that can then...

Electrical problems can cause a short in a line and dead circuits, which are a nuisance and safety hazard combined. Many homeowners can test an electrical outlet with supplies on hand. There are...