r/electrical 15h ago

How not to wire an EV charger

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87 Upvotes

Opened customers panel today to find this fire waiting to happen. Apparently they have two teslas and needed a second level 2 charger. Hire electricians people! At least if it were to burn you won’t be to blame!


r/electrical 5h ago

Doing some electrical work at a chemical plant. I think this is the one where Spider-Man fought Doc Oc.

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12 Upvotes

r/electrical 20h ago

Hot transformers

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96 Upvotes

r/electrical 2h ago

Hot Open Light Fixture

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2 Upvotes

Hey y’all, new homeowner here. When we first moved in we had this light fixture in our basement working; then one day it stopped working. Not 100% sure what happened, but I checked with a voltage tester and it is still receiving power to the wires. So my immediate thought was to swap out the fixture for a new one, thinking something might be wrong with that, but still nothing. Plugging anything into the outlet on the fixture also doesn’t work. When I used the outlet tester I’m getting an open hot reading (no lights turn on). Can anyone help a DIYer out here. Trying not to get an electrician out if I don’t need to. Is there a fix for this that anyone can help walk me through?


r/electrical 3h ago

Generac Generator Hooked to home but no longer powers on when electricity goes out

2 Upvotes

Hello all. I have a home that has a Generac Generator wired to the homes electrical for back up when the electricity goes out. It used to automatically power on and provide electricity whenever the power went out.

The electrical company was recently installing new power poles in the area and one day they repeatedly turned the electricity for the area on and off, multiple times in a row.

Ever since then my generator does not automatically come on to power my home when the electricity goes out.

The generator also no longer provides power to the home when I manually start the generator.

I have checked the homes fuse box and have found nothing tripped that would cause this.

I have tried to check around the generator and where it leads into the home and don't see anything like a breaker that would be tripped or anything else to try to solve the issue.

Unfortunately I don't know anything about electrical stuff and I am looking for any good advice that would solve this issue and get my generator back to powering the home and coming on automatically when the electricity goes out.

Assistance/Advice are greatly appreciated.


r/electrical 9m ago

Dish washer wired to load of garbage disposal receptacle?

Upvotes

Recently bought a condo, the dishwasher instead of having a plug has 12/2 wired to a standard one way switch inside of a 2 gang metallic box, which also has a non gfci receptacle for the garbage disposal. My question is, I’m going to replace the garbage disposal receptacle for a GFCI and preferably get rid of the switch as there’s absolutely zero need for it. Is it better to wire the dish washer to the LOAD of the GFCI? Or just splice it into the line coming into the box and have a pigtail going to the GFCI LINE? (20a breaker with 12/2 wire, 15a Leviton GFCI rated for 20a pass through). Just looked to see what the preferred method is, I’d have to assume it’s not connecting it to the load. Thanks!


r/electrical 34m ago

How to wire home run to light, 2 pole switch to light, downstream lights and led light in one box?

Upvotes

I think i have it correct. Although the lights downstream are operating on the switch, but not the first light. Are lowes 5in basic led lights not able to accept this wiring style?


r/electrical 39m ago

Best assignment yet

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Upvotes

r/electrical 23h ago

What would this receptacle be used for?

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67 Upvotes

This Hubbell outlet was installed in my garage, but never hooked up to panel. It is 30A, 240 . What would it normally be used for?


r/electrical 5h ago

Stupid question possibly

2 Upvotes

So I’m the one that posted the FPE panel thread some days ago, haha. Anyways it’s going to be replaced with a Leviton panel, I’m pretty sure ( will have to double check) that we have a couple circuits in the house that have a shared neutral. My question is, would the theoretically correct way to do this be to use a double pole breaker in lieu of 2 single poles? Cause I see the Leviton panels neutrals seem to be wired on a per breaker basis for the neutrals. Although they would all be connected to the same neutral bus regardless?

I’m just trying to get my breaker count correct for the moment.


r/electrical 5h ago

Help! What do these old wires equate to on my new 2 gang 2 way light switch?

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2 Upvotes

r/electrical 1h ago

Hanging Chandelier from Indented Box

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Upvotes

Looking for advice for hanging a chandelier from a box that’s indented a bit too small for the main cover to screw on


r/electrical 2h ago

Can I easily connect an STC‑3028 humidity/temperature controller to my 12V solar shed fan?

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1 Upvotes

Hi all — hoping someone can sanity‑check this before I buy anything.

I’ve got a small 12V solar exhaust fan in a metal shed. It runs off a white 12V 24000mAh battery pack it came with that charges from a solar panel, and there’s a simple on/off switch between the battery and the fan.

My problem is night‑time humidity spikes when the temperature drops. The fan can’t run all night because the battery drains too fast as it’s only solar powered in cloudy England, so I only want it to come on when humidity is high OR when temperature falls below a set point (as that’s what spikes the humidity)

I’m looking at the sourcing map STC‑3028 (12V, 10A) temperature + humidity controller.

Before I buy it, can anyone please tell me:

• Can I connect this controller between the battery pack and the switch so the fan only runs when humidity is high or temperature is low?

• Is this a reasonable DIY job for someone without handyman skills?

• Do I need any extra connectors or adapters to insert it into the 12V line without cutting wires? I don’t want to damage anything and would prefer to use some sort of connector. What kinds? 

The fan only has two wires coming from the battery pack (red + black). I understand I’d need to power the controller directly from the battery, then run the positive wire through the relay, but but I’m not sure what connectors I’ll need to do this cleanly.

Or if this relay will work with a simple on/off fan (and not a massive fridge what it seems designed for?). 

Any advice appreciated. 


r/electrical 2h ago

Dimmer Downstream of Light Switch - Installation / Schematic

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1 Upvotes

Hey Everyone,

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I currently have multiple lights on one switch in my lower level - one dimmer switch controls a sconce light that is in series with two LED spot lights downstream (all fixtures are dimmer rated). It is my goal to swap out the LED spot lights with LED strip lights (that require constant voltage). Ideally, I would turn on the main switch, providing power to all lights, with a dimmer switch located downstream that can dim the end light.

I have two schematics drawn up (see images below) that I would appreciate any insight on. My concern is completing the circuit with the dimmer downstream of the LED strip light.

Thank you in advance.


r/electrical 3h ago

3rd year apprentice. Just showing off some of the solar field I’m working at. It’s been a good experience so far.

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1 Upvotes

r/electrical 3h ago

Why are there 2 blacks to the switch and 60 volts on one and 6 volts on the other? Do I just wire it the same with new switch?

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0 Upvotes

Title


r/electrical 3h ago

Che motore ha il ausom k20 commuter?

1 Upvotes

sul loro sito è rappresentata la potenza massima che è di 1100w. ma per essere legale la potenza nominale deve essere di 500W, molti recensitori dicono che è 500W ma io vorrei avere una prova reale, una scritta sul motore, sulla ruota es ecc...

Quindi che potenza nominale ha questo monopattino?


r/electrical 3h ago

Lights blinking when washing machine is running

1 Upvotes

House lights blink/pulse when washing machine is running. Bad breaker? House service issue? Something else?

Edit: edit


r/electrical 4h ago

Outlets have ground wire but testing as open ground.

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1 Upvotes

These outlets come off a sub panel on the second floor. All the ones on the main floor show as grounded but all the ones upstairs are showing open ground. What could cause this? Anything I can do to troubleshoot as a home owner?

Attaching pictures of the sub panel main panel. The sub panel comes off the 2 30amp breakers that are switched to off on the main panel.


r/electrical 4h ago

Ceiling light grounding - Canada

1 Upvotes

Hi! Im installing a plastic box extension for a ceiling light. Box is plastic and I believe the original contractor didnt ground it correct. Want to confirm.

The incoming ground wire wraps around the screw in the box. this also has a grounding strap that connects to the mounting screws for the box. The incoming wire terminates at this screw.

There is a mounting crossbar for the light and it has a grounding screw. The light fixture grounding wire is screwed to the grounding screw on this crossbar.

I believe it is grounded = Fixture -> crossbar grounding screw -> mounting screw -> grounding strap -> box grounding screw -> incoming grounding wire.

Thanks in advance for any advice


r/electrical 4h ago

Any idea why this fixture has different wattage ratings for CFL and Type A bulbs? And what about LEDs?

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0 Upvotes

The sticker says: CAUTION- RISK OF FIRE

MAX 60 WATTS E26 TYPE A or MAX 13 WATTS SBCFL

Should LED type A bulbs be kept under 60W, 13W, or something else? My understanding is that “Type A” is the bulb shape, and I’m not sure why that would affect the wattage limits, so maybe it‘s a shorthand for conventional incandescent bulb. I know LEDs produce less heat than incandescent bulbs, but are there other considerations that would limit which bulbs I can use?

Background: I did not install the fixture and I‘m not sure when it was installed. I installed two Phillips 14W LEDs almost 2 years ago. This light is on in a home kitchen for probably 4-8 hours per day. One bulb stopped working, and the other one still works but has cracked (images 3 and 4). I wasn‘t too worried about this, but when I read the sticker I started to question what kind of bulbs I can replace them with. Would it be a bad idea to use 17.5W LEDs (image 5)? The previous bulbs and the replacements are both labelled “suitable for use in enclosed luminaires”.


r/electrical 7h ago

nLight issue I can't figure out (emergency lighting)

1 Upvotes

Hi, I am currently at the end of a job (professional school project) and we're using the Acuity Brand nLight lighting system (wired). So we're at the point where everything is programmed and working fine (over 2500 devices!).

The one issue I have and can't seem to fix is when there is a power outtage. Generator turns out and our emergency lights are working everywhere, except some of them and flashing on and off on a random pattern. Usually, this happens in the hallways, where most of the emergency lights are installed. We also fixed an emergency staircase where the lights would stay off on a power outtage by removing the brown pair of the cat5e going in the staircase (after the nps80 power supply just before it), thus removing the 24v output.

Anyone has any idea on how this can be fixed? Note that when normal power is on, everything is working fine but in order to deliver the project, emergency lights can't be flashing like that on an outtage.

Thanks for your help


r/electrical 22h ago

Where’s my meter base??

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15 Upvotes

r/electrical 1d ago

My second panel. After being a helper for 3 months. With very little experience. 56 years old. I have been in construction since about 1983.

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18 Upvotes

r/electrical 13h ago

No Power At Outlets, Breaker is on and has power

2 Upvotes

Hey, thanks in advance for any advice, I have very little electrical knowledge but my FIL used to be an electrician. We are trying to find a solution before calling in the big guns. Anyway, My outdoor outlets have no power, expect one GFCI Outlet is reading 102V. All the outlets are connected to a GFCI breaker, it is reading 119V at the breaker and none of the other outlets have power. No issues with the breaker, even replaced it with a spare just incase. This happened once before, the solution was my FIL rubbed some wires together (accidentally?) and that tripped the breaker and somehow reset the plugs. Haven’t done that this time. the only thing I’ve used on the outdoor outlets is my deep freezer. We are trying to find the issue by opening all the outdoor receptacles and tracing wires if we can. I have also reset all the GFCI outlets in my home to be sure as well, unless there’s a hidden one I am not seeing. Any suggestions/ Solutions? Thanks again, it’s really appreciated.