Electrical Basics

Before you decide to install the electrical wiring you just bought from your local hardware store, you need to know some basic electricity, safety, and electrical codes. Otherwise your work will be in vain and you could literally burn your house down if you don’t follow proper procedures.

·        Electrical Permits – No matter what project you want to start in your home, you cannot do it without a permit. Some areas are very strict as to how far a homeowner can go with installing electrical wiring. So check the rules where you live and see what you are allowed to do.

·        No Juice – No not orange juice. This means you cannot have any power at the breaker box before you begin work. Pull the main switch, and using your AC meter or line tester, check to see if the circuit you are working on is still hot. The tester will glow if it is, or will read the voltage level if there is a voltage going to the circuit. If there is no voltage, you are safe.

·        Service Panels – Be watchful of service panels. Even though you pulled the main switch, the wires going into the breaker box is still live. Do not touch these wires or you will be electrocuted.

·        No Wet Floors – Danger, danger, danger is the word if you see any water near the service box. Water is a great conductor of electricity and you will get shocked if you stand in water and touch a live wire. You may even get killed.

·        No Metal – Metal is also a great conductor of electricity so whatever you do, don’t touch or stand on metal. Otherwise, you are asking for trouble.

·        Use Correct Tools – When you work with electrical wiring, make sure to wear gloves, they protect your hands from getting cut, use tools with rubber handles, and wear shoes with rubber soles.

·        What About Ground – Here is an important rule to remember about electricity. The basic rule of electricity is that it always seeks the fastest path back to where it came from. By providing grounding, you are assured you are not part of the path. All electrical boxes have a wire connected to earth ground by some means, be it a cold water pipe or grounding rods. When you work on receptacles or other electrical devices you may notice the colors of the wires. The industry standard is black or red for live wires, white for neutral and bare copper or green wires for ground. Make sure when you work on any electrical device there is a green wire to ground. A neutral or white wire is used to transport the electricity back to the source of power.

·        The Electrical Code – The electrical code is made up of rules and regulations concerning installation and maintenance of residential and industrial systems. The book all electricians refer to is the National Electrical Code book. It is the electrician’s bible for the electrical industry. Get one if you don’t have a copy. This will make sure that when you do any installation it will be done correctly.