No. That was simple wasn't it?Actually the contrary is a bit the case -- electrical panels should never be blocked or made inaccessible.Olive from Calgary even showed us the beautiful use of Oak cabinets to hide the panel while leaving the panel still accessible. She even keeps all her important...
One viewer asked if they could convert one of the two lamps in a double outdoor light into a socket?If all you want to do is to run Christmas lights that do not have a ground plug, you can simply screw in a two prong outlet into the light socket. If your total wattage does not exceed the wattage...
One viewer caught our camera in a renovation store and asked why he saw electrical cheater plugs in Quebec but can't find them in Ontario?First, what is a "cheater plug"? That is the little gadget that was so common when we first changed from two prong outlets to three prong outlets. The idea wa...
Making electricity directly from light has become a common practice. We have small calculators that have no batteries and only require a lamp near-by. We have remote ocean beacons that function non-stop without fuel. These do have batteries, but they are charged all day long by the sun. We ca...
Theoretically, room lights should never be on the same circuits as any large appliances.Why? Because if the appliance, be it a refrigerator, a large TV or a hot electric fry pan, blows a fuse, you don't want to be thrown in the dark.When these are on the same circuits, on the same fuse or circui...
Measuring by yourself can be a drag. Here are three gadgets to help you out.If you are working with metal studs, you can now find a tape measurer that has magnetic on the hook. That won't slip and you can even just put it on the surface of the stud and measure from there.To get the hook on your...
The minimum control for a bathroom fan is a simple wall switch.Sometimes the bathroom lights and the fan will be tied together. Now when you have a noisy fan, this can be quite tiring, so to avoid the noise you use the bathroom in the dark.The biggest problem with the simple wall switch control ...
You cannot use a dimmer switch on a fan motor, but you can find fan speed controllers.Why? A regular dimmer switch simply reduces the voltage. That works with lights, but will burn out a motor (and maybe burn down the house).A fan speed controller is a much more complex electronic device that re...
Thomas from London, Ontario writes: "We have an electric water heater. To conserve electricity, I turn the heater OFF at its circuit breaker at night before retiring and then ON when I return from work. This usually gives plenty of hot water while at home. Does this cause any premature "wear ...
Wiping a steamed up bathroom mirror with your hand can be grounds for divorce.The Clear Mirror electrical mirror defogger could save your marriage. This is an electrical pad with self adhesive backing that glues to the back of your mirror. You tie a transformer into the bathroom light to power i...
