The Complete Idiot's Guide to Electrical Repair
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00 8964 FM 11/24/03 11:30 AM Page i Electrical Repair by Terry Meany A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. 00 8964 FM 11/24/03 11:30 AM Page ii Copyright © 2000 by Terry Meany All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the pub- lisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any lia- bility assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information, address Alpha Books, 800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240. THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO and Design are registered trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. International Standard Book Number: 0-7865-4938-6 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: Available upon request. 06 05 04 87654 Interpretation of the printing code: The rightmost number of the first series of num- bers is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost number of the second series of numbers is the number of the book’s printing. For example, a printing code of 00-1 shows that the first printing occurred in 2000. Printed in the United States of America Note: This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering profes- sional services in the book. If the reader requires personal assistance or advice, a com- petent professional should be consulted. The author and publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indi- rectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book. 00 8964 FM 2/12/03 2:57 PM Page iii Publisher Marie Butler-Knight Product Manager Phil Kitchel Associate Managing Editor Cari Luna Acquisitions Editor Randy Ladenheim-Gil Development Editor Alexander Goldman Production Editor Christy Wagner Copy Editor Amy Lepore Illustrator Jody Schaeffer Cover Designers Mike Freeland Kevin Spear Book Designers Scott Cook and Amy Adams of DesignLab Indexer Brad Herriman Layout/Proofreading Fran Blauw Mary Hunt Liz Johnston 00 8964 FM 2/12/03 2:57 PM Page iv Contents at a Glance Part 1: The Basics: Out of the Dark Ages 1 1 Fear of Frying 3 A brief intro to your electrical system. 2 What Is Electricity Anyway? 15 The why, how, and where of electricity. 3History Lessons 27 Electricity has always been around, but it took a lot of smart guys to harness it and make it useful. 4 If Your Walls Could Talk 39 Codes, inspectors, and a closer look at your wiring. 5 More Wall Talk 53 Your wiring shouldn’t be a puzzle; all you need to do is understand the pieces and how they go together. 6 When You Buy a House 67 How to be an electrically smart buyer when you go house hunting. Part 2: Safety, Tools, and Contractors 81 7 Caution Signs and Safety Concerns 83 Electrical shocks can be more than shocking; here’s how to avoid them. 8Call Me Sparky 97 To do your own electrical work, you should look at the job the way an electrician would. 9 Extension Cords and Multiple Strips 111 A great convenience—as long as you don’t abuse them. 10 Electing for Electricians 125 What to look for in, and expect from, a qualified electrician. Part 3: Components and Simple Repairs 135 11 Switches and Receptacles 137 Telling the difference from one type to another. 12 Replacing Old Switches and Receptacles 149 Simple repairs to get you started. 13 Lighting Up 171 From bare-bulb fixtures to halogen lamps, there’s a light for every purpose. 14 Light Fixes 187 You don’t need to live in the dark if you know how to repair your lights. 15 Working Around Existing Wiring 205 Here are some guidelines for accessing and tying into your system. 00 8964 FM 2/12/03 2:57 PM Page v 16 Trouble, Troubleshooting, and Safety 223 Avoiding bigger problems later by staying out of trouble now. Part 4: Power Hungry 233 17 Service with an Attitude 235 More power to you when you upgrade to a new service panel. 18 Adding New Circuits 247 Additional power calls for more circuits; here’s how to add them. 19 Kitchen Power 251 Cooking should be convenient, and new kitchen wiring goes a long way toward accomplishing that. 20 Bathroom Wiring 263 Water and electricity can mix if you follow the rules. 21 The Great Outdoors 275 You don’t need to limit your electrical work to the indoors when you have a whole yard to light up. 22 Electric Heat and Air Conditioning 287 There’s more than one way to get some cool comfort or winter warmth from your electrical system. Part 5: Refinements 299 23 Workshops, Offices, and Generators 301 Extending your system after you’re finished with the basics. 24 Your Own Hi-Tech Revolution 317 Power at your fingertips when you wire for remote controls and media madness. 25 Alarms, Detectors, and Security 333 Protecting your family and your home from smoke, fire, and intruders. 26 More Low-Voltage Wiring 349 Intercoms, doorbells, and thermostats help complete your wired world at home. 27 A Few Alternatives 359 Accessing electricity is great, but saving energy can be a big plus, especially with your utility bill. 28 Putting It All Together 373 Looking at the big picture. Appendixes A Resources 385 BGlossary 387 Index 391 00 8964 FM 2/12/03 2:57 PM Page vi Contents Part 1: The Basics: Out of the Dark Ages 1 1 Fear of Frying 3 A Wired World ......................................................................4 Linear Logic ........................................................................4 Follow the Electrical Code ....................................................5 Safety Rules, Mr./Ms. Homeowner ........................................5 Mutual Respect ....................................................................6 Do It Yourself or Hire It Out? ................................................6 Drilling and Pulling ............................................................7 Neatness Counts ..................................................................8 Simple Projects First ............................................................9 System Checkup ....................................................................9 Plugless in Seattle ................................................................9 Let There Be Light ..............................................................10 Hot Spots ..........................................................................10 Special Needs ....................................................................10 Confused About Fuses? ........................................................11 Circuit Breakers ....................................................................12 More Power to the People ..................................................12 2 What Is Electricity Anyway? 15 Go with the Flow ................................................................16 Staying Current ..................................................................17 AC/DC ..............................................................................17 You’re Grounded ................................................................18 Voltage Provides the Push ..................................................19 Know Your Volts: 120/240 ................................................20 Amps for Short ..................................................................20 Watt’s That? ........................................................................21 Wattage Around the House ................................................21 This Joule Isn’t a Gemstone ................................................22 Resistance Isn’t Futile ..........................................................22 All Wire Isn’t Created Equal ..............................................23 No Substituting ..................................................................25 00 8964 FM 2/12/03 2:57 PM Page vii 3 History Lessons 27 An International Effort ........................................................28 The Pioneers ........................................................................28 Ben Franklin Flies a Kite ....................................................28 Galvani’s Frog Legs ............................................................29 Watt ..................................................................................29 The Amp Man ..................................................................29 Oompa-Ohm ......................................................................30 Coulomb Was Très Cool ....................................................30 Other Electrical Fellows ......................................................31 Edison, Mega-Inventor ........................................................31 Let There Be Light ..............................................................32 Our First Big Power Plant ..................................................33 Tesla Needed a Lawyer ........................................................33 Early Safety Measures ..........................................................34 The Standards Change ........................................................35 Fuses to Breakers ................................................................35