DIY Network – Home Improvement How-To & Projects : DIY Network

Marc Brandon Says:
is the ac disconnect bonded back to the panel? ANd is it ok by code to ground a satellite dish to the ac disconnect?

Wayne Gilchrist Says:
I’m not sure if your AC disconnect is bonded back to your breaker box. This depends on when it was wired, the local building codes and the electrician that wired the disconnect. However, if you need to ground your satellite dish, you need to run a ground wire back to the breaker box. Most satellite dish companies require a #10 solid wire, but I recommend checking with them first.

Ed Moulder Says:
I am subdividing some land for residential home lots.
The homes will be of avarage size and I am determining what size transformers we will need.
The locations will have between 3 and 49 total units. This is on an island where things tend to fail sooner than in other locations, so sometimes more smaller units are better than one large unit. Is there a standard alocation per home?

Wayne Gilchrist Says:
You need to talk to your local utility company about this. They will provide the transformers, this is part of their distribution system.

Lynne Says:
I have a ceiling fan/overhead light unit and one bulb went out about a week ago (both bulbs have been in the unit for a very long time since the light is used infrequently). Today, the light was on when I heard a loud pop and the other bulb went out. I replaced both bulbs and when I switch the light on, neither lights up. I put both bulbs in another lamp and they are not defective. Any thoughts as to what might have happened? The fan still works; but I’m afraid to use it now.

Wayne Gilchrist Says:
I’ll bet that the center tab is bent too far back from screwing in the lamps (bulbs) too tight. Try turning off the breaker for this circuit and verify that it is off at the light. If the power is off, use something plastic or nonconductive to reach into the lamp holder (light socket) to bend the center tab up a little. When screwing in the new lamp (light bulb), turn it until it lights up and turn an additional 1/4 turn. The lamp does not need to be torqued down real tight to work.

As for the fan, if you suspect a problem, I recommend having someone look at it or replace it.

admin Electrical Alocation, Bulbs, Ceiling Fan, Ceiling Fans, Code Satellite, Distribution System, Electrical Questions, Electrician, Gilchrist, Lamp Holder, Lamps, Light Bulb, Light Socket, Long Time, Loud Pop, Moulder, Overhead Light, Satellite Companies, Satellite Dish, Transformers

I have a 110V, 20A household electrical circuit that has current but no voltage. If I shut down the circuit break and no voltage or current is present at a plug (checked with Volt/OHM meter as well as a Voltage/Current tester) and then turn on an overhead light (three-way switch) in the same room, current appears at the plug but still no voltage. If I disconnect the wire carrying the current, the overhead light goes out; if I then turn the circuit breaker on I have a Hot/Neutral Reverse condition at the plug. I am in the process of taking the wall down so I can trace the circuit at that time. I was just curious; I thought you needed voltage to have current. Any ideas as to way this is happening would be appreciated and will help shorten my troubleshooting time.

It is a principal of electricity that you cannot have current flow without voltage.

E = R/I.

admin Electrical Break, Circuit Breaker, Conductor, Current, Electrical Circuit, Electricity, Household, Ohm Meter, Overhead Light, Troubleshooting Time, Way Switch

Help!!

I just moved into a brand new home. We turned our living room into a pool room and have a pool table in the center of the room. There is one switch on the wall that is connected to a plug on the other side so you can plug in a light and control it from the switch.

I want to install a light over the pool table and have it controlled by the switch.

How do I do that????
Wire from switch to outlet is four wire, red/black/white/ and green (ground). Wanted to pull this wire back and run it to the new light in the ceiling, but when I disconnect it from the outlet it leaves no power there.

Three wire run leaving the outlet is black/white/and green. Obviously to me the four wire coming over from the switch is feeding the outlet and the three wire from the outlet is feeding another outlet. My thoughts are to intersect the four wire in the attic with a junction box and run a two wire out of the box from the white and the red, therefore eliminating the red from the outlet in the wall all together. That will keep my outlet hot and bring my switch hot on the red to my light in the ceiling along with the white, which is common. Are these thoughts correct? Or am I totally wrong???

It is usually possible to do this either by running the new cable from the ceiling to either the switch or to the receptacle. So you might give some thought as to which would be easier. Normally it is easier to run new cables in interior walls without insulation. Sometimes the attic configuration also dictates which would be easier.

admin Electrical Brand New Home, Cables, Control, Insulation, Interior Walls, Junction Box, Light Control, Living Room, Overhead Light, Pool Room, Pool Table, Receptacle, Red Light, Wire Run