The Complete Idiot's Guide to Electrical Repair

Contents at a Glance
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
How to Use This Book
Acknowledgments
Special Thanks to the Technical Reviewer
Trademarks
Part 1 The Basics: Out of the Dark Ages
Chapter 1 Fear of Frying
In This Chapter
A Wired World
Linear Logic
Follow the Electrical Code
Safety Rules, Mr./Ms. Homeowner
Mutual Respect
Do It Yourself or Hire It Out?
Drilling and Pulling
Neatness Counts
Simple Projects First
System Checkup
Plugless in Seattle
Let There Be Light
Hot Spots
Special Needs
Confused About Fuses?
Circuit Breakers
More Power to the People
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 2 What Is Electricity Anyway?
In This Chapter
Go with the Flow
Staying Current
AC/DC
You're Grounded
Voltage Provides the Push
Know Your Volts: 120/240
Amps for Short
Watt's That?
Wattage Around the House
This Joule Isn't a Gemstone
Resistance Isn't Futile
All Wire Isn't Created Equal
No Substituting
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 3 Histor y Lessons
In This Chapter
An International Effort
The Pioneers
Ben Franklin Flies a Kite
Galvani's Frog Legs
Watt
The Amp Man
Oompa-Ohm
Coulomb Was Très Cool
Other Electrical Fellows
Edison, Mega-Inventor
Let There Be Light
Our First Big Power Plant
Tesla Needed a Lawyer
Early Safety Measures
The Standards Change
Fuses to Breakers
Just One Ceiling Light
Knob-and-Tube Wiring
Wiring Evolves
Creeping Home Power Demands
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 4 If Your Walls Could Talk
In This Chapter
The National Electrical Code
You and the Code
Local Rules, Local Inspectors
The CEC
Underwriters Laboratory
Are You Up-to-Date?
Two-Wire and Three-Wire Systems
Feeling Polarized
Circuit Breakers vs. Fuses
This One Blows
This One Trips
The Main Shutoff
The More Power the Better
Look to Future Needs
Cost Comparisons
Panels and More Panels
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 5 More Wall Talk
In This Chapter
Branching Out to Break Up the Load
Amps, Watts, and Wire Gauge Working Together
Circuits and Runs
Know Your Circuits with a Circuit Map
What Are Friends For?
GFCIs-Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters
Wire Systems Old and New
Do You Need to Replace?
Jump Up to 200 Amps
Good Wire, Bad Wiring
When New and Old Collide
Location, Location
Your Checklist
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 6 When You Buy a House
In This Chapter
Caveat Emptor or Buyer Beware!
Who Does the Inspection?
The Preliminaries
Testing! Testing!
The Other Tool You Need
Smoke Alarms
Aluminum Wiring
What's the Story?
What You Should Look For
Warning: Aluminum Wiring Ahead
Solutions
The Great Outdoors
Attic Insulation Problems
A Breath of Fresh Air
More Testing
Some Final Points
The Least You Need to Know
Part 2 Safety, Tools, and Contractors
Chapter 7 Caution Signs and Safety Concerns
In This Chapter
Shocks Galore
When You Can't Let Go
How Much Can You Take?
Timing Is Everything
Know Your First Aid
The Source of the Problem
Quiz #1
Safe Work Practices
Turn It Off!
One Hand Behind Your Back
Test, Test, Test
On Dry Ground
Watch That Ladder
Tool Health
A Lesson from Your Kids
Speaking of Kids …
Some Statistics
Electro Kindling
New Service Doesn't Let You Off the Hook
More Information
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 8 Call Me Sparky
In This Chapter
An Electrician's Mindset
Think Before You Drill
Minimum Damage, Minimum Repairs
Permits
Keeping the Inspector in Mind
The Code Calls the Shots
Insurance Issues
Tools of the Trade
Hand Tools
Power Tools
Care and Feeding of Power Tools
Bits
Rent or Buy?
UL-Approved Parts for You
Home-Improvement Stores vs. Electrical Wholesalers
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 9 Extension Cords and Multiple Strips
In This Chapter
Extension-Cord Protocol
What the NEC Says
One Size Doesn't Fit All
When Cords Go Bad
Know the Rules
Homemade Cords
Multiple-Outlet Devices
Surge-Suppression Devices
What Do They Do?
Computers Aren't Very Tough
Suppressors for Everyone
Speaking About Computers
More Rules
Going Whole Hog
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 10 Electing for Electricians
In This Chapter
Hiring It Out
Contracting for a Contractor
License and Bonding Spoken Here
The Name's Bond, Surety Bond
Insurance Is a Must
Three in One
Plans and Specifications-Always!
Who Draws Them Up?
Allowing Substitutions
Comparing Bids
About Those Contracts
Write It Down
Change Orders
A Deal's a Deal
Cleanup and Wall-Repair Woes
Electricians Hate Plaster Walls
Fire Blocks
The Least You Need to Know
Part 3 Components and Simple Repairs
Chapter 11 Switches and Receptacles
In This Chapter
There's One for Every Purpose
Switches
Three-Way Switch
Four-Way Switch
Switch/Receptacle Combo
Ganging Up
Pilot-Light Switch
Dimmers
Timers and Doorbells
Receptacles Galore
Don't Forget the Boxes
They're Not All the Same
Plastic or Steel?
Check the Size
Cover 'Em Up
Brass: New and Old
The Artful Flare of Ceramics
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 12 Replacing Old Switches and Receptacles
In This Chapter
Probing the Problem
Checking the Devices
Continuity Coming Up
New Switches
Three-Way Switch
Four-Way Switch
The Great Outdoors
Dimmers
Old Wire, New Switch
Disreputable Receptacles
Check and Check Again
Test for Grounding
Two-Wire Grounding
Installing a New Receptacle
Grounding an Old Receptacle
Aluminum Wiring
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 13 Lighting Up
In This Chapter
How Illuminating
Measuring Your Lighting Needs
Distinguishing a Lumen from Illuminance
Know Your Lighting
Aim High, Low, and Wide
Lighting Up Outside
Combining Lighting Styles
Looks Are Something
What's Your Type?
Incandescent
Tungsten-Halogen Lamps
Fluorescent Lighting
When Cheap Power Reigns
Other Considerations
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 14 Light Fixes
In This Chapter
Inspect First
Time to Replace
Installing a Box
Try a New Style
Fluorescent Fun
The Pieces Inside
Even More Efficiency
Fluorescent Woes
Lamps
The Easy Repairs
Bugged by Bad Plugs
Round-Cord Plugs
Sock It to Your Socket
The Least You Need to Know
A Dose of Reality
Chapter 15 Working Around Existing Wiring
In This Chapter
The Dangers of Overextending Yourself
Your Total Load
Don't Estimate, Calculate!
Leave Dedicated Circuits Alone
Uh-Oh, Old Wiring
Mixing Old and New Wiring
How Much You Can Keep?
Walls Everywhere
Boxes and the Code
The Perils of Plaster
Drywall
Boxes in Ceilings
No Access, Now What?
The Woodwork Comes Off
Get Your Drill Out
Insulation Obstacles
The Finish Work
Fitting All Those Wires In
Plaster and Drywall Repair
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 16 Trouble, Troubleshooting, and Safety
In This Chapter
The Rules Once More
Warning Signs
Hot Stuff
Short Circuits
Power Cords
Lamps
Incandescent Light Fixtures
Fluorescent Woes
Fire Hazards
Don't Overextend with Extension Cords
Regular Tests You Should Do
General Precautions
Power Outages
The Least You Need to Know
Part 4 Power Hungry
Chapter 17 Service with an Attitude
In This Chapter
One New Service Coming Up
Overhead and Exposed
Going Underground
New Service/Old Service
Fuse Box Becomes Junction Box
New Panel, Old Panel
Anatomy of a Panel
Location Is Everything
Grounding Your Panel
Breaker, Breaker
Subpanels-a Real Convenience
Subpanel Alternatives
Subpanel Considerations
What's This Going to Cost?
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 18 Adding New Circuits
In This Chapter
Write Up a Plan
Power Everywhere
15 Amps or 20?
Plenty of Dedicated Circuits
Roping the House
Keeping the Inspections in Mind
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 19 Kitchen Power
In This Chapter
The Well-Wired Kitchen
Dedicated Circuits Everywhere
Small-Appliance Circuits and GFCIs
Wiring the Fridge
Two More Exceptions
Ranges and Ovens
Dishwashers
Big Appliances: Stovetop and Range
Keep or Replace Your Appliances?
Lighting the Way
Work Lights
Accent Lighting
Lots-o-Switches
Ventilation
You Have a Choice
Up and Out, Down and Through
Bigger Is Better
Wiring Concerns
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 20 Bathroom Wiring
In This Chapter
GFCI Is a Must
Installing the Fan
How to Size It
Roof or Wall Vent?
So Many Different Switches
It's Cold in Here
Baseboard Heating and Forced Air
Heated Floors
Heat Lamps
Some Codes Don't Like Electric Heat
More Bathroom Toys
The Luxury of Warm Towels
Fog Be Gone
On-Demand Hot Water
Bathroom Lighting
Incandescent Fixtures
A Possible Laundry Room?
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 21 The Great Outdoors
In This Chapter
Light Up the Night
Light Pollution
Other Concerns
Drilling and Digging
Metal and Plastic
You Can't Use Cable
The Job So Far
Draw Up a Plan
Skip the Digging
Light Options
Low-Key Low Voltage
Fiber Optics
120-Volt Lights
Fancy Fixtures
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 22 Electric Heat and Air Conditioning
In This Chapter
Electric Furnaces
Seal Those Ducts
Zone In
Hooking Them Up
Heaters with Receptacles
Going Portable
Radiant Heating
Heat Pumps
Whole-House Ventilation
Air Conditioning
Air-Conditioning Alternatives
Shade
New Construction
Hot-Water Heaters, Big and Small
Mixing Water and Electricity
Hot Water on Demand
The Least You Need to Know
Part 5 Refinements
Chapter 23 Workshops, Offices, and Generators
In This Chapter
Workshops
Woodshop Details
Raceways or Cable?
Safety Power Controls
Lighting Your Workroom
A Breath of Fresh Air
Home Offices
Beyond Manual Typewriters
Voice and Data Coming Through
Conduit for Future Options
How Fast Can You Go?
The Need to Suppress
An Outside Job: Raceways
It's a Wiremold World
Generators
The Mechanics of a Generator
Resistive and Reactive Loads
Read the Manual
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 24 Your Own Hi-Tech Revolution
In This Chapter
The Automated Home
A Wealth of Possibilities
Decisions, Decisions
Mixing and Matching
Speed Demons and Slowpokes
Coax Dance
Look Ma, No Wires
Hedging Your Wiring Bets
Staying Alive with Cat 5
Cooperating with Coaxial Cable
Package Deal
X-10, an Original
The Installation
Staying in the Closet
Jacks Here, Jacks Everywhere
Is It Worth the Trouble?
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 25 Alarms, Detectors, and Security
In This Chapter
A Class 2 Act
Alarm Systems
To Monitor or Not To Monitor
False Alarm
Hard Wired or Wireless?
Wireless Is Almost Effortless
X-10 System
Driveway Alarms
We're Watching You
Some Oddball Alarms
Installation Issues
Smoke Detectors
Wireless or Hard Wired?
Photoelectric or Ionization?
The Law
What About Carbon Monoxide?
Smoke and Heat: Install Both?
What's Safe Enough?
The Least You Need to Know
In This Chapter
Chapter 26 More Low- Voltage Wiring
No Escaping Mom with an Intercom
Phone-Based Systems
Hard-Wired Intercoms
Wireless Intercoms
Video Door Phones
Ding Dong, Door Chimes
Wired to Ring
Chimes
Wireless Chimes
Wiring for One or Two Buttons
Troubleshooting an Existing Doorbell
Thermostats
Thermostat Replacement
Wireless Thermostats
The Least You Need to Know
The Wired World at Home
Chapter 27 A Few Alternatives
In This Chapter
Conserve and Save
Watts Add Up, Doc
Energy-Efficient Lighting
Heating
Thermostats
Air-Conditioning Alternatives
Improving Your Air Conditioning
Sizing Up Your Air Conditioner
Time to Get Efficient
Cool Your Hot-Water Costs
Drips and Flows
The Appliances
Your Hot-Water Tank
Keeping the Outdoors Outdoors
Look Through Any Window
Insulation
Here Comes the Sun
Is It Worth It?
Resources
The Least You Need to Know
Chapter 28 Putting It All Together
In This Chapter
How Far Do You Go?
Time and Money Considerations
Added Value
Convenience
Estimating the Job
A Realistic Time Frame
Sample Jobs
Hiring an Electrician
The Least You Need to Know
Appendix A Resources
Books
Web Sites
Appendix B Glossar y
Index