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What is a Surge Protective Device? SPDs are designed to limit over-voltage to protect devices that could be damaged. Normal household voltage is 240 volts AC. In an AC circuit, a voltage spike is a quick event, typically lasting 1 to 30 microseconds that may reach over 1,000 volts. Lightning hitting a power line can cause a spike of thousands of volts. A motor, when switched off, can generate a spike of hundreds of volts. Spikes can also occur on telephone and data lines

Breaker panel Your electrical panel is the heart of your home’s power system—but like any hardworking component, it has limits. When those limits are exceeded, the risks go beyond inconvenience and can become serious safety hazards. Knowing the signs of an overloaded electrical panel can help you act before problems escalate. One of the most common warning signs is frequently tripping circuit breakers. Breakers are designed to shut off power when a circuit is drawing too much

Have you ever been at home or work and suddenly noticed a faint, buzzing noise? Did you get up and wander around, looking for the source of the buzzing, to find it coming from one of your light fixtures? Did you wonder what is causing this buzzing and is it dangerous? Lights will sometimes make a buzzing sound due to electricity interacting with the components inside the lighting system. While lights are designed to operate quietly, small electrical or mechanical vibrations c

Let me tell you about a couple of recent service calls. A little while ago I had a call to check out a chandelier that stopped working. My customer was certain the issue was in the light fixture since it had stopped working around the time it had been bumped into when some furniture was moved. When I investigated I determined that the fixture was working properly. The next step was to check the switch. By removing the switch and directly wiring the fixture I demonstrated that

What is Phantom Draw? Phantom draw, also known as standby power or vampire energy, is the electricity consumed by appliances and electronic devices that remain plugged in when they are switched off or in standby mode. Many customers ask if this is wasted energy and something they should be concerned about, especially given the rising costs of the world we live in. Studies show that up to 10% of your electricity usage can be from phantom draws. There are many devices in your h

As summer draws to a close it's time to start getting ready for winter. An important thing to do is to check your electric heaters. Dust...

Recently I've had the opportunity to do some troubleshooting mysteries. One of these was a receptacle (plug) that wasn't working. In this...

O those useful extension cords! Extension cords are wonderful things when you need power for tools or lights. Here are some things to...

One of things that I run into all the time is exposed NMB wire. NMB is not rated for exposed installation. An exposed location is...

Old broken or nonfunctioning receptacles can result in being shocked or can even be a fire hazard. Old plugs and plugs that get a lot...

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