Birmingham & Vicinity, Alabama Electrical and Electrician

In most Birmingham & Vicinity homes, there are a wide variety of electical components such as circuits, breakers, service panels and GFCI breakers. Each type serves a very specific purpose. This information highlights each major component and tips on eletrical safety and maintenance.

What is the definition of a Circuit?

A circuit is the track electric current moves, from the position where power comes into your home (the service entrance panel or a sub-panel wired to it) start turning the lights back on to a piece of equipment utilizing electricity (such as an outlet) and back to its original point. The National Electric Code (NEC) requires that every circuit contains a grounding system. By grounding, this ensures that, during an episode of a short circuit, Every metal part of the wiring system or of lamps or electrical fixtures coupled with it will be kept at zero volts. The grounding wire for every single circuit connects to the distribution center and subsequently running to the neutral and hot wires in the branch circuits.

Service Entrance Panel and Distribution Center

The wires from the master connect to the service entrance panel, the control center for your home's electrical service. Contained in a cabinet or box, the panel is often situated outside the house, underneath the electric meter. It can also be located on an inside wall, directly behind the meter. In this panel you will generally find the main disconnect - the main circuit breakers or main fuses to which the wires attach. Once passing through the main disconnect, the wires enter a distribution center enclosed in the service entrance panel or in a separate sub-panel. This is where the current is segmented into branch circuits, every 1 protected by a fuse or circuit breaker. These branch circuits then run to lights receptacles, switches, and appliances that are permanently wired. The service entrance panel and distribution center in the house are equipped with either circuit breakers or fuses. These are the fragile points of every circuit - the safety devices that keep the branch circuits and anything adjoining them from overheating and catching fire. If there is an overload or a short circuit, a circuit breaker will trip or a fuse will blow, shutting off the flow of current.

Circuit breakers

Circuit breakers are durable switches that serve the same function as fuses. When a circuit is transporting more current than is safe, the breaker switches to Reset. For almost all breakers, the switch has to be moved to the "Off" position and subsequently to "On" after a circuit is tripped. The distribution center and service entrance panel in your house are equipped with either fuses or circuit breakers.

Tripped breaker (electricity stops working)

If there is an overload or a short circuit, a fuse will blow or a circuit breaker will trip, shutting down the flow of current. Reset the breaker by pushing the handle to off position, then reposition the lever to the 1 position. Note: If it persists in tripping, do not continue trying to reset the breaker. The breaker has to cool down once tripped. While it is in the process of cooling, shut off all lighting and unplug anything connected to the circuit that was tripped, then attempt to reset the breaker. If the breaker does reset, start turning lights back on and plugging items back in until it trips again. This process will eventually identify the electrical item or light that is triggering the problem.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

The GFCI is a unique kind of circuit breaker that is mounted in bathroom, garage, and outdoor locations. If there's an electrical current leakage, or "ground fault," the GFCI opens the circuit immediately, cutting off the electricity. When a GFCI is tripped, reset it the same way you would a normal circuit breaker. For a receptacle GFCI, press the Reset button.

The Wiring of Homes

Modern homes in Birmingham & Vicinity have what is known as a "3-wire service." The utility company feeds three wires - two "hot," 1 neutral - through a meter to the house service entrance panel. These wires provide both 120-volt and 240-volt capabilities. One hot wire and the neutral wire together provide 120 volts, the amount designed for most household applications, such as small appliances and lights. Both the neutral wire and the hot wires can form a 120/240-volt circuit for such needs as a range and dryer. Wire connections are made inside metal or plastic boxes mounted on the ceiling or in the walls. Wall or ceiling mounted light fixtures, receptacles and switches all include their own boxes. Each single wire is wrapped in color-coded insulation so they can be easily identified. Though hot wires are mainly red or black, they may possibly be any color but white, green or gray. Neutral wires are gray or white. Grounding wires are bare or green.

Busted Bulb

If your light bulb has broken at the holder, turn the power off at the mains making absolutely certain noone can turn it on by mistake and push a carrot into the brass connector. Use this as a handle to twist out.

Guidelines for keeping efficient light fixtures

Exchange other bulbs throughout the home with bulbs of the next lower wattage.

Consider installing solid-state dimmers or high-low switches when replacing light switches. They make it easy to lessen the intensity of light in a room and therefore save energy.

Utilize compact fluorescent lights whenever your can; they provide more lumens per watt than incandescent lamps. These new lights can fit into many incandescent lamp sockets and give the same quality of light.

With efficiencies of 50-60 lumens per watt, the compact fluorescent lamps are 3-4 times more efficient than conventional bulbs and go on 10 times as long. For instance, an 18-watt compact fluorescent lamp gives the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent lamp. Though the preliminary cost is higher, the savings in electricity costs may possibly pay for the compact fluorescent bulb in about a year.

How to decide whether a rewire is needed

If you have just moved in and questioning whether a rewire is needed for your house, look for the following points. They indicate the possibility that you wiring must have an upgrade:

Round pin sockets or light switches.

Black light holders, rubber cables & switches.

Cotton covered cables or twisted wires from light fittings.

Sockets in skirting boards or switches on wall in bathroom.

General Indoor Electrical Safety Pointers for Homes in Birmingham & Vicinity

People are superb conductors of electricity, particularly when they are standing in water or on a damp floor. Your body may act like a lightning rod and carry the current to the ground. Follow these safety precautions to steer clear of the danger of injury, or even death:

At times, a white wire will be used as a hot wire. For easy identification, it should be painted black or taped where it's close to splices and terminals.

Touching a faulty appliance, plug, or bare wire can make you part of the electric circuit and put you in danger of electric shock.

Frayed wires are treacherous anywhere. They should be fixed at once, or even better yet, replaced.

Switch inflexible electric cords and follow Underwriters Laboratories (UL) guidelines.

Repair any appliance that emits smoke, shocks you, or sparks.

At no time should you use any electric appliance while in the shower or tub.

Don't use any appliance while you're touching metal pipes and faucets or anything damp.

Outlets near water sources (outdoors, kitchen sinks, bathrooms, garages) should be "ground fault circuit interrupter" (GFCI) protected as explained above.

Never touch an electric cord or appliance while your hands are moist.

Unplug appliances before cleaning them or removing anything from them (that burnt toast from your toaster, for example).

Don't jerk the cord when unplugging appliances.

Train children not to put things into electrical outlets. Plastic outlet guards intended for small children are a smart idea.

Maintain clean work areas. Oily rags, newspapers, and sawdust can catch fire from electric sparks.

Never overload a circuit with high-wattage appliances. Check the wattage on your appliance labels and be absolutely sure that the combined wattage of all the appliances you want to plug into the same circuit does not exceed 1440 watts for a 15-amp circuit, and 1920 watts for a 20-amp circuit.