Northwestern Oregon, Oregon Electrical and Electrician

In most Northwestern Oregon 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 house (the service entrance panel or a sub-panel wired to it) begin turning lights back on to a device utilizing electricity (such as a lamp) and back to its original site. 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 part that is metal of the wiring system or of electrical fixtures or appliances coupled with it will remain at zero volts. The grounding wire for all circuits is coupled to the distribution center and then is run with the neutral and hot wires in the branch circuits.

Distribution Center and Service Entrance Panel

The wires from the master link to the service entrance panel, the control center for your electrical service. Encased in a cabinet or box, the panel is often located outside the house, beneath the electric meter. It can also be positioned an interior wall, precisely behind the meter. In this panel you'll generally locate the main disconnect - the main circuit breakers or main fuses upon which the wires attach. Subsequent to passing through the main disconnect, the wires go through a distribution center contained in the service entrance panel or in a separate sub-panel. Here the current is divided into branch circuits, each 1 protected by a fuse or circuit breaker. These branch circuits subsequently run to lights, switches, receptacles, and permanently wired appliances. The service entrance panel and distribution center in your residence are setup with either fuses or circuit breakers. These areas are the weak points of every circuit - the safety devices that keep the branch circuits and anything connected to them from overheating and catching fire. If there's an overload or a short circuit, a circuit breaker will trip or a fuse will blow, shutting down the flow of current.

Circuit breakers

Circuit breakers are heavy-duty switches that serve the same purpose as fuses. When a circuit is transporting more current than is safe, the breaker changes to Reset. Commonly on most breakers, the switch has to be moved to the "Off" position and then to "On" after the circuit trips. The distribution center and service entrance panel in your home are setup with either circuit breakers or fuses.

Tripped breaker (lights and plugs stop working)

If there's an overload or a short circuit, a circuit breaker will trip or a fuse will blow, stopping the flow of current. Reset the breaker by pushing the lever to off position, then reposition the lever to the 1 position. Note: If it keeps on tripping, don't persist in resetting the breaker. The breaker needs to cool down once tripped. While it's cooling, shut off all lighting and disconnect all items disconnected 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 method will identify the item or light that is producing the problem.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

The GFCI is a special circuit breaker that is mounted in outdoor, garage, and bathroom locations. If there is a current seepage, or "ground fault," the GFCI exposes the electrical circuit instantly, cutting off the electricity. When a GFCI is tripped, reset it as you would a standard circuit breaker. For a receptacle GFCI, press the Reset button.

How Houses are Wired

Modern homes in Northwestern Oregon contain what is referred to as a "3-wire service." The utility company connects three wires - two "hot," 1 neutral - through a meter to your service entrance panel. These wires provide both 120-volt and 240-volt resources. One hot wire and the neutral wire together supply 120 volts, the amount designed for most household applications, such as light fixtures 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. Connections between wires are made inside metal or plastic boxes mounted in the walls or ceiling. Ceiling or wall-mounted lighting, switches and receptacles all include their own boxes. Each single wire is covered in insulation that is color-coded for easy identification. Though hot wires are generally black or red, they very well may be any color save for green, gray or white. Neutral wires are white or gray. Grounding wires are bare or green.

Busted Bulb

If your bulb has broken at the holder, shut down the power at the mains making sure noone can turn it on by error and push a carrot into the brass connector. Use this as a handle to twist out.

Suggestions for preserving efficient lighting

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

Contemplate installing high-low switches or solid-state dimmers while changing light switches. They make it simple to lower lighting intensity in a room and thus save energy.

Use compact fluorescent lights whenever your can; they emit 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 efficient 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 preliminary cost is greater, the savings in electrical bills might pay for the compact fluorescent bulb in about a year.

How to ascertain whether a rewire is necessary

If you have just moved in and are speculating if a rewire is necessary for your home, look for the following points. They show the likelihood that you wiring requires an upgrade:

Round light switches or round pin sockets.

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 Northwestern Oregon

People are outstanding conductors of electricity, specifically when they are on a damp floor or standing in water. Your body may act like a lightning rod and transmit the current to the ground. Follow these safety precautions to avoid 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 terminals and splices.

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

Frayed wires are treacherous anywhere. They should be repaired right away, or better yet, replaced.

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

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

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.

By no means should you touch an electric cord or appliance while your hands are wet.

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.

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

Maintain clean work spaces. Newspapers, oily rags, 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 certain that the combined wattage of every appliance 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.