Electrical Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: I have partial power in the house, what could be going on?
A1: Hard to tell without sending an electrician, but to name a few common things:
- If have a transfer switch, could be a bad mechanism
- Bad breaker
- Broken Underground line
- loose connection
All of these you will need an electrician
Q2: I don’t have power at some outlets
A2: Check for a tripped breaker or a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) receptacle that needs to be reset
Note: A tripped breaker will be sitting half way, not all the way Off or all the way On.
Q3: What is a GFCI?
A3: A GFCI is a receptacle that is designed to protect you from electrical shock when moisture is present. The are installed in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements and outside. The GFCI receptacle will have two buttons on the face of it, one says TEST, the other says RESET.
- The TEST button should trip the GFCI receptacle and turn off power to it.
- The RESET button will turn the receptacle back on.
Q4: What if my GFCI receptacle won’t turn on?
A4: Either the breaker is tripped or the receptacle is bad. If after verifying your breaker is not tripped, you will need an electrician to diagnose.
Q5: I bought a house and the home inspection says that the electric panel is an unsafe brand.
A5: If you have a Federal Pacific breaker panel, you should have this changed as they are notorious for having breakers that do not trip when there is a short. This can and will cause wires to get hot and melt insulation and possible cause a fire.
Q6: I think I have a tripped breaker, how do I know which one is tripped?
A6: A tripped breaker will sit approx. half way between OFF and ON.
To reset the tripped breaker, you will need to turn it to OFF, then to ON.
Q7: How Often should I replace my smoke detectors
A7: Smoke detectors should be changed every 10 years or sooner. Both battery and hardwired smokes need to have their battery replaced at least once a year
Q8: My smoke detector keeps chirping, Why?
A8:
Q9: Why do my lights flicker?
A9:
- Loose light bulbs or worn-out fixtures
- Loose or damaged wiring connections
- Overloaded circuits
- Faulty light switches
- Breaker or panel issues
- Voltage fluctuations from appliances
- LED compatibility problems
- Utility or external power issues
Q10: How do I know if my electrical panel needs upgrading
A10:
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- Frequent breaker trips
- Use of extension cords for permanent power
- Flickering lights
- Rust inside the panel
Q11: What is an AFCI breaker?
A11: An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter detects dangerous electrical arcing that can cause fires. They are required in many of the living spaces in a home.
Q12: I want to install an EV charger, do I have enough power for it?
A12: You will need a panel evaluation to verify.
Q13: I have lost some electronics within the house, why and what can I do about this?
A13: It is more than likely you have taken an electrical surge on some or all your electrical circuits. It is recommended in todays world with electronics in many appliances and more in a home that a whole house surge protector be installed and point of use surge protection be used as well.
One common example of a point of use surge protector is a power strip. Use these on computers, televisions, etc… Use one with a sufficient Joule rating. Rule of thumb is the more Joules the better.
Whole house surge protection will need to be installed by an electrician.
Unplug devices during thunderstorms even though you have surge protection. The closer the lighting strike the higher the surge.
Consider using an uninterruptable power supply (UPS) for sensitive electronics like computers, televisions, cable boxes. These not only have a battery in them to keep the power on for short times, but also have surge protection in them.
Q14: I have power strips, do I really need whole house surge protection?
A14: It is highly recommended to have both.
Electrical surges can originate outside the home as well as within the home.
Examples of surges outside the home:
-
- Lightning, doesn’t have to be close either.
- Commercial building with electric motors.
- Power grid switching
- Downed power lines
- Sudden power restorations
Examples of surges within the home:
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- Overloaded circuits and appliances
- Faulty or aging wiring
- Well pump, machinery with electric motors, welders, etc…
Q15: What is a sub panel?
A15: A secondary breaker panel that distributes power from the main panel. The main panel will have a double pole breaker in it that feeds the power to the sub panel.
Q16: Do I need special wiring for a hot tub?
A16: Yes. Hot tubs require dedicated circuits and GFCI protection and proper grounding/bonding.
Q17: What is a transfer switch?
A17: A transfer switch like one used with a home standby generator will automatically transfer the house loads from utility power to generator power preventing back feeding the generator power to the utility grid when there is utility loss and vice versa when utility power returns.
Q18: When should I call a licensed electrician?
A18: Any time you experience repeated breaker trips, burning smells, sparking, overheating, or uncertainty about electrical safety.
Q19: My electric oven/range doesn’t have power, but the house does when the electric oven/range is on. What is going on?
A19: Your power is made up of two lines with the voltage and a neutral.
- Line 1 (L1) to neutral = 120Vac
- Line 2 (L2) to neutral = 120Vac
- L1 to L2 = 240Vac.
Your electric range/oven is wired to L1, L2 and neutral.
You have lost power on one of your power lines either L1 or L2 and when you turn on the electric oven/range, the heating coils in it are providing power through them to the other line powering up the circuits on the dead line.
