Central / Northern California, California Electrical and Electrician

In most Central / Northern California 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 a Circuit?

A circuit is the path electric current travels, from the spot where power enters your home (the service entrance panel or a sub-panel wired to it) via wires to a device utilizing electricity (such as a lamp) and back to its original point. The National Electric Code (NEC) requires that all circuits contain a grounding system. Grounding makes sure that, during an episode of a short circuit, Each part that is metal of the wiring system or of lamps or electrical fixtures united with it will be maintained at zero volts. The grounding wire for all circuits are attached to the distribution center and subsequently extending to the hot and neutral wires in the branch circuits.

Service Entrance Panel and Distribution Center

The wires from the master join to the service entrance panel, the control center for your home's electricity. Housed in a box or cabinet, the panel is commonly located on the exterior of the home, under the electric meter. It can also be on an inside wall, directly behind the meter. In this panel you will generally locate the main disconnect - the main circuit breakers or main fuses upon which the wires attach. After passing through the main disconnect, the wires enter a distribution center contained in the service entrance panel or in a separate sub-panel. This is where the current is partitioned into branch circuits, each protected by a fuse or circuit breaker. These branch circuits then run to switches, receptacles, lights, and permanently wired appliances. The distribution center and service entrance panel in the home are equipped with either fuses or circuit breakers. These are the weak points of every circuit - the safety devices that keep the branch circuits and anything adjoining them from overheating and catching fire. If there's an overload or a short circuit, a fuse will blow or a circuit breaker will trip, shutting down the flow of current.

Circuit breakers

Circuit breakers are long-lasting switches that operate the same as fuses. When a circuit is transferring more current than is safe, the breaker will switch to Reset. For almost all breakers, the switch has to be pushed to the "Off" position and next to "On" upon the circuit tripping. The service entrance panel and distribution center in the home are outfitted with either fuses or circuit breakers.

Tripped breaker (lights and plugs stop working)

If there's an overload or a short circuit, a fuse will blow or a circuit breaker will trip, closing off the flow of current. Reset the breaker by moving the lever 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's in the process of cooling, shut off all light fixtures and unplug all items connected to the circuit that is tripped, then try to reset the breaker. If the breaker resets, start turning lights back on and plugging items back in until it trips again. This will identify the item or light that is instigating the problem.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

The GFCI is a special type of circuit breaker installed in outdoor, garage, and bathroom locations. If there is an electrical current leakage, or "ground fault," the GFCI exposes the circuit instantaneously, cutting off the electricity. When a GFCI is tripped, reset it the same way that you would a regular circuit breaker. For a receptacle GFCI, push the Reset button.

How Homes are Wired

New houses in Central / Northern California have what is known as a "three-wire service." The utility company connects 3 wires - two "hot," 1 neutral - through a meter to the home service entrance panel. These wires provide both 120-volt and 240-volt facilities. One hot wire and the neutral wire together provide 120 volts, the amount meant for most household applications, like lights and small appliances. Both the neutral wire and the hot wires can form a 120/240-volt circuit for needs such as a range and dryer. Wire connections are made inside plastic or metal boxes mounted in the walls or on the ceiling. Ceiling or wall-mounted light fixtures, switches and receptacles each includes its own boxes. Individual wires are wrapped in insulation that is color-coded so that they can be easily identified. Though wires that are hot are ordinarily black or red, they may perhaps be any color but green, gray or white. Neutral wires are gray or white. Grounding wires are bare or green.

Broken Light Bulb

If your light bulb has broken at the holder, turn the power off at the mains making absolutely certain nobody can turn it on by error and push a carrot into the brass connector. Use this as a handle to twist out.

Suggestions for maintaining efficient lighting

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

Think about installing high-low switches or solid-state dimmers while changing light switches. They make it easy to lower lighting intensity in a room and accordingly save energy.

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

With efficiencies of 50-60 lumens per watt, the compact fluorescent lamps are 3-4 times more cost-effective than conventional bulbs and keep going 10 times as long. As an example, an 18-watt compact fluorescent lamp delivers the same amount of light as a 75-watt incandescent lamp. Though the original cost is greater, the savings in electrical expenses may possibly pay for the compact fluorescent bulb in about a year.

How to find out whether a rewire is essential

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

Round pin sockets or light switches.

Black rubber cables, switches & light holders.

Cotton covered cables or twisted wires from light fittings.

Sockets in skirting boards or switches on wall in bathroom.

General Indoor Electrical Safety Tips for Houses in Central / Northern California

People are outstanding conductors of electricity, especially when they are standing in water or on a wet floor. Your body may imitate a lightning rod and transmit the current to the ground. Follow these safety precautions to avoid the risk of injury, or even death:

Sometimes, a white wire will be used as a hot wire. For easy identification, it should be taped or painted black where it is 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 hazardous anywhere. They should be fixed right away, or better yet, replaced.

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

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

Never use any electric appliance while in the tub or shower.

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

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

At no time should you 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 heave 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.

Keep work areas clean. Newspapers, oily rags, and sawdust can initiate a fire from electric sparks.

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