Hi everyone, I hope the New year is going good for you.
I wanted to share an issue we recently troubleshoot that can become a dangerous situation. Often improper wire terminations can cause extreme heat and lead to a fire. This outlet was being used to power a space heater, which use a lot of power. Thankfully the owners noticed something wrong and gave us a call. We were able to take care of it. Electrical outlets can be terminated in different ways. This outlet had the wire pushed into the back terminations. This type of termination can lead to problems when the plug is used for powering items that take a large amount of electricity. Space heaters, hair dryers and microwaves are some appliances that can pull a large amount of electricity. Eventually the wire when used this way can became extremely hot and be damaged, which creates a hazard.
1 Comment
Exterior lights are subject to a lot of wear and tear. I am often asked to repair or replace the decorative exterior uplights on the outside walls of homes and businesses. These lights look especially nice and can create great curb appeal plus security in the evening hours. The issue is often the existing older lights were designed in such a way that they tend to fill up with water, therefore they become rusty on the inside light socket. They also can fill up with dirt and debris. These exterior lights are often subject to abuse due to their location, commonly placed low on a wall and in flower beds. This location can be hard on traditional incandescent and even fluorescent light bulbs. They can get knocked around by landscapers who are working or pruning shrubs in these areas. If the fixture is knocked around and the incandescent or fluorescent bulb is broken the homeowner is usually unaware of there even being a problem until it is time for the lights to come on after sunset.
Recently the new sealed LED fixture has come on the market and these are a great fixture to use to replace the incandescent bulb or florescent lamp and base. This new style of fixture is more durable and will have a lifespan that is far superior to that of the old style. I wanted to talk a little bit about exit lights. They are necessary in commercial buildings and retail properties. They tend to be one of those fixtures that we don't pay much attention to unless we lose power and find it difficult to exit a dark building.
A common problem with exit lights is most of them are made out of plastic, and as the plastic ages it gets brittle. So if and when you do have to work on them they can crack and fall apart easily. The older ones use incandescent lamps which also contribute to worsening the condition of the plastic due to heat from the lamps and they burn out. The batteries tend to wear out over time and can be difficult to find exact replacements to fit the battery space in the fixture. My personal opinion is most of the time it is more cost efficient to just replace the whole fixture in most situations rather than replacing parts. Unless it is a high end exit sign made of metal or something other than plastic that is built to last. Most of the newer ones use LED lamps which is much better than incandescent lamps but they are still made with a plastic frame and can become brittle over time. So basically to sum it all up check out your exit lights and make sure they all work. Push the test button if they have a back up battery and see if your battery is good. If they do need repair, consider replacement as an option. During a recent storm a customer's electrical service mast was damaged. Thankfully the home wasn't hit by the large tree that fell, but however as you can see it bent the rigid steel pipe. We were able to rebuild this upper part of his service within a day.
A common problem that most people are aware of is the dangers of aluminum wiring.
I am often asked by those looking for a new home or who have just purchased a home about this issue. Here is a light switch and receptacle I ran across that clearly shows the damage when it was used with aluminum wiring. There are 2 problems with this picture. First the damage was created by heat from the terminations that are not rated for aluminum wire. The terminations are where the aluminum wiring was attached to the plug or switch. To keep this from happening the installer should have used devices rated for aluminum wire. Not doing so is the common problem that has caused so many home fires. The second problem with this picture was that it was a DIY installer who did not know the proper device to install. I have to admit that I am a "do-it-yourselfer" when it comes to a lot of things. I take pride in what I have been able to accomplish and the money I've saved. However DIY electrical projects are one of the few things that can cause electrocution, fire or even death. Small mistakes made on most DIY home projects are not detrimental however home electrical work can end in disaster. Please when in doubt be safe and contact a licensed electrician. |
817-648-1394
Clint ManningMaster electrician who enjoys helping people Archives
January 2019
Categories |