Tips & Hints

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=215 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="1d80ce82egerdp.png"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="10443320.gif" border=0 width="67" height="50" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>    1</B><B>. </B><A HREF="id24_m.htm#1__three_prong_receptacle_tester" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><B><U>Three prong receptacle tester</U></B></U></A><A HREF="id24_m.htm#1__three_prong_receptacle_tester" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U> </U></U></A></div> <div> <B>    2</B><B>. </B><A HREF="id24_m.htm#2__short_circuit_on_branch_circuit_" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><B><U>Short circuit on branch circuit</U></B></U></A><A HREF="id24_m.htm#2__short_circuit_on_branch_circuit_" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U> </U></U></A></div> <div> <B>    3. </B><B><U> </U></B><A HREF="id24_m.htm#3__baseboard_boxes" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><B><U>Baseboard boxes</U></B></U></A><U> </U></div> <div> <B>    4. </B><A HREF="id24_m.htm#4__finding_wall_outlets" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><B><U>Finding wall outlets</U></B></U></A><A HREF="id24_m.htm#4__finding_wall_outlets" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U> </U></U></A></div> <div> <B>    5. </B><A HREF="id24_m.htm#5__dimming_lights" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><B><U>Dimming Lights</U></B></U></A></div> <div> <B>    6. </B><A HREF="id24_m.htm#6__new_arc_faults_that_trip" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><B><U>New Arc-faults that trip</U></B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 BGCOLOR="#CC99CC" TEXT="#080000" background="1d7265f1ezuady.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>EDSTUBBS.COM                    Electrical Contractors Web Site</B></FONT><B>  </B><B> </B><B>|   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EDSTUBBS.COM Electric"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Code Classes and Master Electricians Exa"><U>Code Classes and Master Electricians Exam Review</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Books Reference"><U>Books & Reference</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Code Interpretation"><U>Code Interpretation</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letters Comments"><U>Letters & Comments</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (2008 N"><U> Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (2008 NEC) </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (2005 NE"><U>Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (2005 NEC)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id45.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (2002 NE"><U>Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (2002 NEC)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (1999, 1"><U>Let The Code Decide / Quik Talk (1999, 1996 and Older)</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Taking The State Test"><U>Taking The State Test</U></A>   |   <B>Tips & Hints</B>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Authority Having Jurisdiction"><U>The Authority Having Jurisdiction</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Email List"><U>E-mail List</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Electrical Background"><U>My Electrical Background</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Gwinnett Tech Seminars / Continuing Educ"><U>Gwinnett Tech Seminars / Continuing Education</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Tips & Hints</I></div> <bR> <div> Last update Feb 2007 </div> <bR> <div> <B>Hey!</B> I know you've got something out there you would like to share with the world. Every electrician, journeyman, helper, non-electrician and even inspectors have ideas and thoughts of how a job could look better, faster or easier. You know who you are. </div> <div> Send me your stuff on my e-mail<U> </U>and I will put it on the web page. Be sure to leave your name or company if you want the name listed.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U> </U><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800080" FACE="Times New" ><I>Do you want to know in advanced about Seminars & Continuing Education Classes?</I></FONT><I><U> </U></I><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Email List"><U><I><U>Click here</U></I></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New" ><I> </I></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#800080" FACE="Times New" ><I>and follow the instructions.</I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B>Here are some of mine:</B></I> </div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="1__three_prong_receptacle_tester"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>1. </B><B><U>Three prong receptacle tester</U></B> When you plug in a 120 Volt 3 prong circuit tester, it tells you if the circuit is off, open neutral, open ground or reversed polarity. When the two (orange or yellow) lights come on, the circuitry is correct. If the red light or one of other lights come on, the wiring is incorrect. What happens when all three lights come on? You have 240 Volts or 208 Volts single phase across the outlet. Go back and check your wiring methods.</div> <bR> <div> Send us your code question: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id24_m.htm" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U>Back to top</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="2__short_circuit_on_branch_circuit_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>2. </B><B><U>Short circuit on branch circuit.</U></B> How many times have you blown a fuse or tripped the circuit breaker trying to find a short in a branch circuit in a home or commercial building? If it's a fuse, you can't always tell if it is a short or load with a standard voltage tester. You won't know if the fault is cleared until you replace the fuse or reset the breaker. Well, if it is a fuse and you didn't clear the short, there goes another fuse and you have to start all over again. Hope you have a lot of fuses. What about the breakers? As you know, you can reset the breaker over and over again until you have done permanent damage to the breaker where it won't reset after so many short circuit-ground faults. How do we handle this without blowing any more fuses or tripping any more breakers? </div> <div> Simple. If you still have the old " non-fuse stat" fuse panelboard, take out the old fuse and screw in a 60 watt to 100 watt light bulb. The light bulb will become the load for trouble shooting. If you have fuse stat or breaker, remove the branch circuit conductor from the terminal screw and install an Edison base light socket with a light bulb and terminate one lead to the breaker or fuse stat and the other lead to the branch circuit conductor. Now you again have the light bulb in series with the short.</div> <div> What we have here is a series load and short detector. As long as the short circuit is there, the light bulb will be fully lite with 120 volts across it. You can continue troubleshooting until you find the fault. You'll know when it is found. Either the light will go off or it will dim down. When the light goes off, that means there was a short without a load. When it dims down, you have found the short, but there is still a load down stream from the removed short. It will be safe to reinstall the fuse or fuse stat. If you installed a light socket, you can remove it. <B>It works for me.</B></div> <bR> <div> Send us your code question: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id24_m.htm" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U>Back to top</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="3__baseboard_boxes"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>3. </B><B><U>Baseboard Boxes </U></B>Having trouble with baseboard boxes being flush to the finish surface on the final? Article 370.20 requires that <U>all</U> outlet boxes shall be flush to the <U>finish</U> surface. You know and I know this is not always done. Some electricians install extension rings after the baseboards are installed by the carpenter. If the opening is cut properly by the carpenter, you might be able to get your receptacle in and put the metal or plastic extension ring, plus the longer 6-32 device screws, you have to install. Maybe the hole is cut two big and now you have to depend on the cover plate to keep the receptacle flush. All the customer has to do is use it and they may crack or break the plastic cover plate. Ready to go back and replace a 25 cent cover? I DON'T THINK SO! </div> <div> Have you ever thought about how much it cost you to do the labor and for the additional parts you have to pay for? </div> <div> Solution 1:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Nail your outlet boxes out 1 1/4 inch from the stud. 1/2 inch sheet rock (drywall) + 3/4 inch baseboard = 1 1/4 inch. If your baseboard is less than 3/4 inch then make your adjustment. </FONT></div> <div> Solution 2:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Uses cut in boxes if you got a reliable carpenter to cut the hole correctly. </FONT></div> <div> Solution 3:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Install adjustable boxes and set them out 1 1/4 inch. The carpenter will have to cut the hole right. </FONT></div> <div> Solution 4:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Don't put the boxes in the baseboard, unless the customer or contractor request them. It is not required by the NEC.</FONT></div> <div> You can also do the same installation for the microwave outlet, under the sink outlet, tiled countertop outlets, or behind wood cabinet and finish wood work.</div> <bR> <div> Send us your code question: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id24_m.htm" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U>Back to top</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> <B> <A NAME="4__finding_wall_outlets"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>4. </B><B><U>Finding wall outlets </U></B>Can't find the outlets you installed in the wall or ceiling? Don't you hate the sheet rock installer for covering them up? So do I. I had to come up with a solution for finding my outlet boxes without busting holes everywhere. </div> <div> First let's do preventive maintenance. You should always know where you or your employees install the boxes. Use the same side of each stud. Use the same height. Maintain the same distance apart and if there is no carpet or finished floor, mark the location of your outlet on the unfinished floor. Come back after the drywall Has been installed.</div> <div> Well, you didn't check the boxes and the drywall went up. Now what do we do?</div> <div> Solution 1:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Take a long straight board, 2 x 4, 1 x 4, a long stiff piece of material, all at least four long, or a four foot or long level and place it on the wall around where you think the outlet is. If you installed your boxes at the right depth, the drywall may not be leveled or flush. </FONT></div> <div> Solution 2:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Purchase a 6 inch or longer, very, very thin screwdriver with a small head. Take the screwdriver and stick it in an outlet that is already installed and measure from the edge of the drywall to the back of the outlet. Put a piece of tape on the screwdriver at the end of the drywall edge. Now, go to the area where you think the outlet should be located. Punch the screwdriver through drywall until it gets to the tape. If the screwdriver stops at the tape, you have found your outlet. If the screwdriver goes past the tape, you have missed the outlet. The only damage to the wall is the small holes you punch. You can repair that. </FONT></div> <div> Solution 3:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > Bust the holes in the wall, it's not your fault anyway. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Send us your ideals</FONT><U>: </U><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id24_m.htm" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U>Back to top</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="5__dimming_lights"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>5. </B><B><U>Dimming lights</U></B> Does it look dim sometimes when you turn on the washing machine or the dryer? Do they flicker sometimes and you don't know why? What about when the refrigerator comes on? Well, I'm going to light up your life.</div> <bR> <div> If you have this problem or you know someone that does, I'll show you how to figure it out and fix it. First I'll tell you what causes the dimming. It is the neutral conductor. We have all been told that the neutral carry's the unbalanced load. The other reason that there is a neutral is that you are splitting a voltage. 120/240, 120/208, 277/480, 347/600 volts. If you are using only a single phase transformer, you would ground one end of the transformer and there won't be an unbalanced load to be concerned about. All dwellings built today require a neutral with the service conductors. With this in mind, unbalanced loads will occur. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="1078ea70.png" border=0 width="398" height="423" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> If you have a 10 amp load on the top 120-V, single phase, 2-wire system, there won't be any variations. The bottom picture shows 120/240-V, single-phase, 3-wire system. This has a neutral conductor to carry the unbalanced load. Now let's put a 10 amp load on each half of this transformer. With the loads balanced, the neutral has 0 amps on it. The load crosses the top and bottom of the transformer (tip to tip) which will be 240-V. Let's change 1/2 to 5 amps and leave the other 1/2 at 10 amps. The neutral will now carry the 5 amp difference so the load between (tip to tip) will be balanced. Now let's cut or remove the neutral. 5 amps on one half and 10 amps on the other half will force the loads to balance in series with each other. All equipment would be forced to change voltage in series. You can see it with your lights because they dim or get brighter. </div> <div> This is the way to find out for sure if you have a neutral problem. If you think you have one, plug in a 120-V variable drill or any portable motor appliance in the kitchen and turn it on. If the lights wave up and down, you have a neutral problem. The first place to troubleshoot is in the panelboard or main. Sometimes the electrical contractor or helpers fail to tighten down the neutral terminal or the grounded conductor in the main. The next location will be from the meter enclosure to the power companies service drop. No one is above mistakes. Open neutrals are more damaging to your equipment than shorts or grounds. There is no overcurrent protection on neutrals. That's why they shall be permanent and continuous.</div> <bR> <div> Send us your ideals: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id24_m.htm" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U>Back to top</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="6__new_arc_faults_that_trip"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>6. New Arc-faults that trip</B>.</div> <div> Having trouble with installing new arc-fault in new or existing homes? Well let me help you resolve the problem. First thing to remember is the arc-faults are ground sensitive like the ground fault devices (GFCI). You cannot connect the ground wrong, but you can reverse the hot and neutral. I'm not sure if the manufactures are aware of this connection or the circuitry allows it. </div> <bR> <div> Now for the problem. If you connect a new arc-fault breaker in your panel and it trips as soon as you turn it on, then you do have a ground fault. Somewhere in the circuitry, there is a neutral or ground downstream from the panel. How do you find the problem? First turn off all of the single pole breakers in that panelboard. Second turn on the new arc-fault breaker only. If it trips again, then you may have a faulty breaker or you have created a ground fault in your wiring method. If the circuit turns on, then one at a time, turn on each single pole breaker one at a time until the arc-fault breaker trips. Stop right there and trace out the two circuits where they are in common. Most likely there will be a ground or neutral making contact in the same area or junction box. Look hard and good. Once you have found the contact problem, reset all of the other the breakers. I hope this is breaking news.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Send us your ideals</FONT><U>: </U><A HREF="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net"><U><U>Mailto:edstubbs1@comcast.net</U></U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id24_m.htm" TITLE="Tips Hints"><U><U>Back to top</U></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>