When most people think about having the computer, the TV, the audio and such being run out of a central hub, they usually only think about distribution. Those units do exist. But you can go a step further and get a central hub that filters and conditions the electricity and the signals to separ...
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...
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...
You can get an idea of the total power possible to bring into the house by looking at the main fuses or breakers -- not the set of ordinary ones that you replace or reset often. The main breakers are in the top of, or above, or between the regular electrical box and the electrical meter. There ...
Plastic covered wires that run along the top of your baseboards are dangerous, because they can easily be damaged. It is so easy to just add a wire like this that it is often done, with extension cords, or even regular wiring simply being nailed to the baseboards to keep them off the floor.If th...
David wants the electrical outlet in the bathroom to be on all the time and not just when the light switch is on. How do you wire that, he asks?You may or may not be able to do it with the existing wires.Start by opening up the light electrical box. Turn off the light switch. Measure the volta...
Nancy from Welland, Ontario has had a terrible saga with her electrical appliances literally blowing up. We have been writing to each other for some while now trying to find the elusive problem. Read it through, you may learn about how to hunt down problems, and learn a bit about electrical sys...
Knob and tube wiring is safe if it is in good condition and it is doing no more than it was designed to do. In fact it was an very good wiring system designed to keep the two wires far apart from each other and well protected as it ran through the house.What could make it unsafe?Rodents gnawing ...
When you are working in an older house and pull down that ceiling light fixture, you may discover a wiring job that could be endangering your house. By code, and for good reason, all electrical connections must be made inside metal boxes that are accessible. That means that you don't cover junc...
