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Some important electrical terms :
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Ampere (or amp) is the measure of the rate of flow of electricity
-- comparable to flow of water through a hose. Branch circuits, fuses and circuit
breakers are rated in amperes to indicate the amount of electricity they can carry
safely.
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Volt is a measure of electric force. The volt is the force behind
the current, or amps, flowing through a wire. Just as the amp can be compared to
the amount of water flowing through a hose, the volt can be compared to the amount
of pressure that is pushing that water.
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Watt is a unit of power that does work electrically. Mathematically,
the watt is the product of amperes times volts.
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Watt-hour is the measurement of electrical energy used -- measured
as one watt of electricity used for one hour.
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Kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watt-hours, abbreviated "kwh." On electric
bills, this indicates the amount of electric energy used. A 100-watt lamp operated
for 10 hours (100 watts x 10 hours) uses 1,000 watt-hours -- or 1 kwh.
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Circuit Breakers and Fuses are safety devices that automatically
cut the flow of electricity when a circuit is overloaded. In the fuse, an element
melts when overloaded, stopping the flow. In the circuit breaker, a switch is tripped
when it is overloaded. Once the cause of the overload has been corrected, the fuse
must be replaced. The circuit breaker can simply be reset after the cause of the
overload has been corrected. Circuit breakers and fuses are preset to appropriate
amperage ratings, and it is important for the safety of your home or business that
the amperage ratings in the main service panel be observed.
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Kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watt-hours, abbreviated "kwh." On electric
bills, this indicates the amount of electric energy used. A 100-watt lamp operated
for 10 hours (100 watts x 10 hours) uses 1,000 watt-hours -- or 1 kwh.
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Main Service Panel (still known as the "fuse box" in many homes)
is a metal box that houses the circuit breakers or fuses. The main service panel
serves as the point from which the electricity is distributed to branch circuits
throughout your home for appliance, equipment and lighting outlets
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Electric Service Entrance normally consists of wires enclosed in
conduit, a proper ground, your electric meter base and the main service panel --
in other words, essentially the entire apparatus that is necessary to safely take
electricity into your home.
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Why fuses blow, what to do and how to replace a blown fuse :
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Fuses and circuit breakers are the safety valves of your electrical
circuits and are located in your main service panel. The two most common causes
that effect the blowout of fuse and circuit breaker trips are:
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Overload: Too many appliances, lights, fans may be on the circuit.
This is the main reason of Overloading.It can be corrected by disconnecting one
or more of the devices in use at the time of the interruption
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Short Circuit: A short circuit is an electrical fault in your wiring
or in a piece of equipment that is connected to it. Call your electrician to locate
and correct the problem. Common causes of shorts are frayed cords or damaged plugs.
Any time you spot a frayed cord or damaged plug, have it repaired/replaced immediately.
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Be sure no water is on the wall or floor near the service panel.
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Turn off the main switch or remove the main fuse, thus cutting off all the current
to your home and assuring your safety while you change other fuses.
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Unscrew the burned-out fuse. The scorched or discoloured face of the fuse makes
it easy to spot.
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Screw in a new fuse of the proper size. DO NOT replace with a fuse of larger capacity.
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Turn the main switch back on or replace the main fuse. That's all.
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To restore a tripped circuit breaker: Many homes and apartments
today have miniature circuit breakers (MCB) instead of fuses. Instead of blowing
out when trouble develops, a lever, which looks much like a light switch, trips
from ON to, or toward, OFF, thus breaking the circuit.
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Be sure no water is on the wall or floor near the service panel.
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Move the lever all the way to OFF and then to ON, just as if you
were moving a light switch.
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How's your "housepower"?
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The capacity of the wiring in your house is often called "housepower,"
or how much electrical power your house is equipped to use.
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You have full housepower when the wiring is designed to carry sufficient
electricity for all the lights, appliances, tools and other devices. Full housepower
means that the house has enough circuits, switches, and outlets to handle the electric
load, that they're all properly located -- and that the wiring meets all national
and local standards.
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Low housepower means the wiring is inadequate. Some indications
of low housepower are :-
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The TV picture shrinks noticeably when appliances are turned on.
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Fuses blow or circuit breakers trip frequently
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Lamps go dim when appliances are turned on.
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Appliances operate slowly or at noticeably less than full power.
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Too few outlets are available where you need them.
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Low housepower can be dangerous. Contact a qualified electrician
to upgrade the wiring.
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