The National Electric Code (NEC) requires GFCI outlets in the kitchen, bathroom, garage, and for outdoor outlets. This code is usually adopted by almost all the towns and cities across the US and many other parts of the world. It is researched very carefully and discussed at length before being adopted.
GFCI outlets will protect you from a shock hazard due to wet or damp floors etc. They can be easy to install if the existing wall box is big enough to handle the larger (deeper) outlet. If there is not enough room in the wall box to handle the GFCI outlet, a gfci breaker can protect all the outlets on that circuit in lieu of single gfci outlets at the bathroom, kitchen counter, etc.
If your town or state has not adopted the NEC, you are not required to install these devices. It does offer a lot more saftey than a standard outlet.
Electrical contractor business
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
How to put out an electrical fire
1
Call the fire department. Even if you think the fire is small and you can contain it yourself, it's better to be safe and have the professionals on their way. Be sure to tell them it's an electrical fire so they can be prepared.
2
Shut off the main breakers to the house, if possible. Be sure your hands are not wet and the fire is not close to the breaker box before attempting this step.
3
Use a class-C or multi-purpose ABC fire extinguisher to put out the flames. You can not use any other kind of fire extinguisher on an electrical fire. The extinguisher should be clearly marked, but if it's not and you're not sure what kind it is, don't use it.
4
Throw a sodium bicarbonate such as baking soda on the fire to smother it. If a fire extinguisher is not available and the fire is small, dousing it with enough baking soda can put it out.
5
Get out of the house and wait for help to arrive. If you have no means to fight the fire yourself or if it's large or spreading quickly, it's best to leave the premises before the fire prevents you from leaving.
Call the fire department. Even if you think the fire is small and you can contain it yourself, it's better to be safe and have the professionals on their way. Be sure to tell them it's an electrical fire so they can be prepared.
2
Shut off the main breakers to the house, if possible. Be sure your hands are not wet and the fire is not close to the breaker box before attempting this step.
3
Use a class-C or multi-purpose ABC fire extinguisher to put out the flames. You can not use any other kind of fire extinguisher on an electrical fire. The extinguisher should be clearly marked, but if it's not and you're not sure what kind it is, don't use it.
4
Throw a sodium bicarbonate such as baking soda on the fire to smother it. If a fire extinguisher is not available and the fire is small, dousing it with enough baking soda can put it out.
5
Get out of the house and wait for help to arrive. If you have no means to fight the fire yourself or if it's large or spreading quickly, it's best to leave the premises before the fire prevents you from leaving.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Electricity Myths
Does it take more energy to turn on a light than to leave it on?
No. There's no power surge when you turn on a light. Turning the light off ALWAYS saves electricity, even if it's for just a second.
Does it take more energy to turn on a computer than to leave it on?
No. There's no meaningful power surge when you turn on a computer. Turning the computer off ALWAYS saves electricity. Of course, you can also use the power saver feature.
Is there ANY consumer device that uses more energy when you turn it on than when it's already on?
No, not in practical terms.
I don't believe you. Everyone says there's a surge when you turn on computers and stuff.
There's a surge but it's so tiny you can't easily measure it. That's because it happens for only a fraction of a second, and the surge itself is modest. It's certainly not costing you any extra money, not even a penny. So there's no surge in practical terms. As far as you're concerned there's no surge at all.
Think of it this way: If a device used twice as much power as normal for one full second when you turned it on, that would mean that it cost you one whole extra second of electricity. Big deal. That's a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a penny. And in fact, the surge doesn't really last for a whole second, it lasts for only a fraction of a second, and the surge isn't close to twice as much power as normal, it's much less. Bottom line: Surge is so incredibly insignificant it's really like there was no surge at all, for all intents and purposes. There is never a penalty for turning on a household device.
Does it take more energy to cool a house in which the AC has been off all day, than to keep the AC running at, say, 85 degrees during the day?
No. Cooling a hot house down at the end of the day always takes less energy than leaving the AC running all day, even if it's running on a high setting.
Does a 240V device use more electricity than the same device designed to run off 120V?
No. The electric company charges you for watt-hours, not volts, and the wattage is the same. To figure volts you use the fomula V x Amps = Watts. A device that uses twice as many volts will use half as many amps, so the wattage will be the same -- and so will the cost.
No. There's no power surge when you turn on a light. Turning the light off ALWAYS saves electricity, even if it's for just a second.
Does it take more energy to turn on a computer than to leave it on?
No. There's no meaningful power surge when you turn on a computer. Turning the computer off ALWAYS saves electricity. Of course, you can also use the power saver feature.
Is there ANY consumer device that uses more energy when you turn it on than when it's already on?
No, not in practical terms.
I don't believe you. Everyone says there's a surge when you turn on computers and stuff.
There's a surge but it's so tiny you can't easily measure it. That's because it happens for only a fraction of a second, and the surge itself is modest. It's certainly not costing you any extra money, not even a penny. So there's no surge in practical terms. As far as you're concerned there's no surge at all.
Think of it this way: If a device used twice as much power as normal for one full second when you turned it on, that would mean that it cost you one whole extra second of electricity. Big deal. That's a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a penny. And in fact, the surge doesn't really last for a whole second, it lasts for only a fraction of a second, and the surge isn't close to twice as much power as normal, it's much less. Bottom line: Surge is so incredibly insignificant it's really like there was no surge at all, for all intents and purposes. There is never a penalty for turning on a household device.
Does it take more energy to cool a house in which the AC has been off all day, than to keep the AC running at, say, 85 degrees during the day?
No. Cooling a hot house down at the end of the day always takes less energy than leaving the AC running all day, even if it's running on a high setting.
Does a 240V device use more electricity than the same device designed to run off 120V?
No. The electric company charges you for watt-hours, not volts, and the wattage is the same. To figure volts you use the fomula V x Amps = Watts. A device that uses twice as many volts will use half as many amps, so the wattage will be the same -- and so will the cost.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Check out my Website and give me suggestions on how I can make it better.
I would like to share my website with everybody and see if any of you have ideas on how I can improve it. Thanks is advance. You can find my website @ http://pyeelectric.com.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Ask Questions Before You Hire an Electrician
While the majority of contractors are honest and capable, there are plenty of duds out there, a problem that trade associations acknowledge readily and are always working to correct.
Consumers tend to do a lot of finger-pointing, but they’d be much better off if they instead tried to get a handle on the basics of what a contractor does.
When you seek bids for work, you need to keep in mind that electrical contractors don’t necessarily handle all kinds of jobs. Some only do construction or remodeling work. Some do only minor repairs, such as installing a new light fixture or replacing an outlet or switch. So tell the electrician about the job you have in mind first.
In most municipalities, electricians need to obtain permits for larger projects, especially if a new circuit is being installed or an existing one is to be extended one. A permit isn’t needed for simple repairs, such as replacing an outlet or light or ceiling fan fixture.
Consider a permit your protection. Before the electrician can finish his work, an inspector from the city or town has to check and approve the work. The electrical contractor should always obtain the permit under his name, not yours, and post the permit on the job site. The cost of the permit is always included in the price of the job, and is, in most cases, based on a percentage of the cost of the work.
For insurance reasons, it's always best to hire a licensed electrician, especially when a permit is required. Knowing how skittish homeowners’ insurance companies are about consumer claims, it is important to make sure that the electrician can pay the damage in case he starts a fire.
The last thing you want when you hire an electrical contractor is to be sued if a worker is injured while working in your home. Before you hire a contractor for a large project, ask to see proof that he carries worker’s compensation. For a typical remodeling job, an electrician should carry a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance and worker's compensation coverage.
Before you hire a contractor for a large project, ask to see proof of current license, whether it is issued by the municipality, the state or both. Electrical contractors don't mind coming out to give you an estimate, but on a small job, they may lose money just driving to your home. Instead, the electrician may give you his minimum charge, or a fixed price for the job you have described.
On larger jobs, ask for an hourly rate. The average rate for a licensed electrician around the country varies from $45 to $65 an hour. Expect to pay more if a helper is needed on the job. You should also call two or three contractors and ask them to come to your home to give you an estimate.
You may think you'll save money by buying the materials yourself, but the Leviton Institute has found that it is better for the electrician to make all the purchases. If the electrician buys the materials, he's responsible for warranty issues, defective products, and broken or missing parts.
For example, if you bought a light fixture and the electrician finds a part missing during installation, it's up to you to go back to the store and get the missing part. Meanwhile, the electrician sits around and charges you by the hour. If the electrician buys the fixture and a part is missing, it's his responsibility -- and his time.
To install a new circuit, an electrician may need to drill or cut holes in the walls. Repairs aren’t generally done by the electrician. The same is true if you're having landscaping lights installed outside and the contractor needs to dig trenches in the lawn and uproot shrubbery.
On small jobs, the contractor expects payment when the job is completed. On larger jobs, the contractor will typically ask for 10 to 30 percent of the total job before work begins, with additional payments upon completion of certain stages. Don’t make the final payment until you've received a waiver stating that all suppliers and other workers on the job have been paid by the electrical contractor. Without this waiver, you may be responsible for these charges if the electrician doesn't pay them.
Consumers tend to do a lot of finger-pointing, but they’d be much better off if they instead tried to get a handle on the basics of what a contractor does.
When you seek bids for work, you need to keep in mind that electrical contractors don’t necessarily handle all kinds of jobs. Some only do construction or remodeling work. Some do only minor repairs, such as installing a new light fixture or replacing an outlet or switch. So tell the electrician about the job you have in mind first.
In most municipalities, electricians need to obtain permits for larger projects, especially if a new circuit is being installed or an existing one is to be extended one. A permit isn’t needed for simple repairs, such as replacing an outlet or light or ceiling fan fixture.
Consider a permit your protection. Before the electrician can finish his work, an inspector from the city or town has to check and approve the work. The electrical contractor should always obtain the permit under his name, not yours, and post the permit on the job site. The cost of the permit is always included in the price of the job, and is, in most cases, based on a percentage of the cost of the work.
For insurance reasons, it's always best to hire a licensed electrician, especially when a permit is required. Knowing how skittish homeowners’ insurance companies are about consumer claims, it is important to make sure that the electrician can pay the damage in case he starts a fire.
The last thing you want when you hire an electrical contractor is to be sued if a worker is injured while working in your home. Before you hire a contractor for a large project, ask to see proof that he carries worker’s compensation. For a typical remodeling job, an electrician should carry a minimum of $500,000 in liability insurance and worker's compensation coverage.
Before you hire a contractor for a large project, ask to see proof of current license, whether it is issued by the municipality, the state or both. Electrical contractors don't mind coming out to give you an estimate, but on a small job, they may lose money just driving to your home. Instead, the electrician may give you his minimum charge, or a fixed price for the job you have described.
On larger jobs, ask for an hourly rate. The average rate for a licensed electrician around the country varies from $45 to $65 an hour. Expect to pay more if a helper is needed on the job. You should also call two or three contractors and ask them to come to your home to give you an estimate.
You may think you'll save money by buying the materials yourself, but the Leviton Institute has found that it is better for the electrician to make all the purchases. If the electrician buys the materials, he's responsible for warranty issues, defective products, and broken or missing parts.
For example, if you bought a light fixture and the electrician finds a part missing during installation, it's up to you to go back to the store and get the missing part. Meanwhile, the electrician sits around and charges you by the hour. If the electrician buys the fixture and a part is missing, it's his responsibility -- and his time.
To install a new circuit, an electrician may need to drill or cut holes in the walls. Repairs aren’t generally done by the electrician. The same is true if you're having landscaping lights installed outside and the contractor needs to dig trenches in the lawn and uproot shrubbery.
On small jobs, the contractor expects payment when the job is completed. On larger jobs, the contractor will typically ask for 10 to 30 percent of the total job before work begins, with additional payments upon completion of certain stages. Don’t make the final payment until you've received a waiver stating that all suppliers and other workers on the job have been paid by the electrical contractor. Without this waiver, you may be responsible for these charges if the electrician doesn't pay them.
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