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Storm Tips

Checking Electric Wiring Connections

Periodic inspection of the electrical system is recommended to help keep

your home safe and
its equipment operating properly.

Need for inspection indicators

Your wiring and connections need a thorough inspection, and possibly repair work, if you are experiencing power quality problems such as

television and radio interference
tripping breakers
blown fuses and
dimming or flickering lights.

Prevent problems by watching for symptoms of poor electrical connections.

Results of neglect

To provide safe, reliable service, electrical connections should be tight and dry. When they are not, the connection can degrade over time resulting in

overheating
arcing and
possible fire.

Troubleshooting arcing

When connections arc, you may notice the symptoms of electrical noise arcing, such as

radio or
television interference.

The table below describes what to do if you detect arcing in your home.

Step	Action
1	Isolate the faulty circuit by turning off the breakers at your main panel one at a time until the interference disappears.
2	Call a qualified electrician to inspect the entire electrical system.
3	Inform the contractor about the circuit you have identified.

Proper wiring of electrical outlets

A standard outlet has 3 holes for each plug:

2 vertical rectangular slots and
1 rounded slot centered

between and
slightly below the other 2.

The table below describes the characteristics of these a properly wired electrical outlet.

Component	Characteristic
Rounded Slot	The ground connection, which is for safety.
Larger Vertical Slot	The neutral connection, which returns the electrical current used in your appliances back to the source.
Smaller Vertical Slot	The energized conductor, which sends the electrical current to the appliance (also called the hot leg).

Polarity

Some home appliances have polarized plugs, where 1 of the 2 prongs is larger than the other. This ensures the proper polarity when they're plugged into a standard outlet. If any of the wires in the outlet are connected to the wrong slot, the equipment can malfunction, creating a potential health hazard.

Checking polarity

It is easy to check polarity at an outlet. Most home supply stores sell a device for less than $10 that will tell you if the outlet is properly wired.

Warning: If you check an outlet with a polarity tester and the unit shows an improper condition, have a qualified electrician inspect the electrical system.