Home Electrical Rewiring Projects

Electrical Rewiring Aluminum Wire

Electrical Rewiring Question I'm working on electrical rewiring of a remodel and I have found the wiring in this home to be a mixture of aluminum and copper.

Garage Rewiring Project

Electrical Rewiring Question I have been attempting to rewire parts of my garage, so I could have drywall hung. The box in the picture contains 4 wires.

Knob and Tube Electrical Rewiring

Electrical Rewiring Question We are looking to buy our first home in a neighborhood that has many older homes (circa 1910-1930).

Old Building Electrical Rewiring

What happens in a case like this is the power flows through a device and power is fed back to the panel supplying reduced voltage depending on the size of the 220 volt electrical device?

Be sure to get your copy of my BIG Book:
Perfect for Homeowners, Students and Electricians
Includes:
Home Electrical Wiring - Room by Room
120 Volt Circuits
240 Volt Circuits
Multi-Wired Circuits
Wiring Methods for Installing Home Electrical Circuit Wiring
Electrical Codes for Home Electrical Wiring
....and much more.

« Telephone Cable Splice Repair

Home Rewiring and Aluminum Wire »

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right

The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires!

The Non-Contact Electrical Tester
This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.

The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring!

The Plug-In Outlet Tester
This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use.

Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire!

The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter
My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires.
This handy tool has multiple uses:
The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation.
The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets..

The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.

Residential Electrical Parts and Accessories

Light Switches

120volt Outlets

Circuit Breakers

Electrician Tools

Voltage Testers

Wire a Cord Clothes Dryer
electrical-wiring

Davertest asks:

wire a dryer cord

Dave’s Reply:

wire a dryer cord

The following resources may help you:

Appliance Cord for a 120Volt Electric Stackable Dryer
Stack-able Washer and Dryer – What type of power cord do I need for my new stackable 120volt dryer to plug into a regular 110volt socket?
W-1017 C-0

240 Volt Wiring for an Electric Dryer
How to Wire the Electric Dryer Circuit Wiring: Dedicated Electric Circuit for a Dryer, Relocating an Electric Dryer to Another Location, 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cords.
W-885 C-2

Circuit Requirements for a Dryer
How can I wire a 4wire 240volt dryer cable? How to Identify The Wiring Connections for Your Electric Clothes Dryer.
W-928 C-0

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Wire a Cord Clothes Dryer
electrical-wiring

Davertest asks:

wire a dryer cord

Dave’s Reply:

wire a dryer cord

Circuit Requirements for a Dryer
How can I wire a 4wire 240volt dryer cable? How to Identify The Wiring Connections for Your Electric Clothes Dryer.
W-928 C-0

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For a DRAFT – assign the following:

To Include into a Theme Page Select One:
Draft Theme Pages – Use One as the Tag:
electrical-wire.html,laundry-electrical-wiring.html,wiring-a-dryer-power-cord.html,

To Include as a FAQ – Use One as the Tag:
Draft Matching Tags:
faqelwire1,faqhomlaundry,faqlgappdryer,

Electrical Question from Rowell about Electrical Wiring
Question: How do I identify home electrical problems and then decide the correct solution?

Dave’s Reply:
Magandang umaga my Filipino Friend, Salamat Po – Thanks for your electrical question Rowell. When an electrical circuit or device fails the best way to determine what has caused the problem is to begin troubleshooting using the process of elimination. Please follow the link below for Troubleshooting Electrical Wiring Problems. (This electrical question is from the Philippines.)

The Following links will assist you with your electrical question:
Troubleshooting Electrical Wiring Problems

For more information about Electrical Wiring
Electrical Wiring

This link is helpful as a Contractor
Electrical Code Articles

Make sure not to miss these Resources for: Wiring Diagrams
Wiring Diagrams

Be Careful and Be Safe – Never Work on Energized Circuits!

For Best Results Consult a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
Locate An Electrical Contractor in Your Area

Electrical Question from Rowell about Electrical Wiring
Question: How do I identify home electrical problems and then decide the correct solution?

The Following links will assist you with your electrical question:
Troubleshooting Electrical Wiring Problems

For more information about Electrical Wiring
Electrical Wiring

This link is helpful as a Contractor
Electrical Code Articles

Make sure not to miss these Resources for: Wiring Diagrams
Wiring Diagrams

Be Careful and Be Safe – Never Work on Energized Circuits!

For Best Results Consult a Licensed Electrical Contractor.
Locate An Electrical Contractor in Your Area

Wiring a 3 Prong Dryer Cord
Electrical Question: I have an electric dryer with a 3 prong cord but my wall outlet is a 4 prong.

I bought a 4 prong cord to switch out but before I installed it on dryer I wanted to make sure plug would fit. (I who knows nothing about electrical wiring or dangers).
The cord was on the ground with all 4 wires exposed when I plugged it into the outlet. Of course it arced and fried the ring terminals.
I turned off the circuit breaker to unplug the cord. I realize I could have fried myself now but my question is now that the new 4 prong cord has been installed on dryer and we plug it in, it does not work. Did I fry the plug?

Background: Toni, from Santa Cruz, California.

Additional Comments: Your website was helpful in showing me how to switch out a 3 prong to a 4 prong dryer cord.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electric wiring question Toni.

Connecting 3Wire and 4Wire Dryer Cords

Application: How to Wire a 3Prong Cord for an Electric Dryer, How to wire a 4 prong dryer plug.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced. This electrical project is best performed by a Licensed Electrician or Electrical Contractor or Certified Electrician.
Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools and Voltage Tester.
Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools and connect the 240 volt dryer cord.
Precaution: Identify the dryer circuit at the electric panel, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the dryer cord wiring.
Notice: Wiring a electric dryer cord and making the electrical connections should be done according to local and national electrical codes and using approved materials.

How to Hook Up a 3Wire and 4Wire Dryer Cord

Safety First – Unplug the Dryer Cord
- Always make sure the dryer cord is not plugged into the receptacle when making the wiring connections.
Damage from Shorted Wires
- NOTE: As with this question, shorted wires typically do not damaged the 220 volt receptacle outlet.
Resetting the Dryer Circuit
- If the dryer circuit breaker trips off, make sure to fully reset the circuit breaker, all the way off, then back on after the wiring and connections are completed.
- If a 240 volt dryer circuit should trip off, it is very possible that just one side of the breaker has tripped, or half of the circuit breaker. In this case the circuit breaker should be turned all the way off before making any wiring connections.
Ring Wire Terminals
- For best results, the ring terminal connectors should not be damaged, however if they are damaged they may be cut off and replaced with new ring terminal connectors which may be obtained from your local hardware store.

See More about Wiring a Dryer Cord

The following resources will help you with the electrical wiring connections for your dryer.

How to Wire a 3 Prong and 4 Prong Dryer Cord

Dryer Cord Electrical Wiring

Electric dryer installation with a typical 220 Volt electric power cord wiring system.
You may find yourself with either a 3-wire or 4-wire electric dryer.
Or a 3-wire or 4-wire outlet.
Lets look a how the electric dryer is wired.
What to do if your cord does not match the plug.
Fully explained electrical wiring diagrams for dryer cords.

Wiring a 3 Prong Dryer Cord
Electrical Question: I have an electric dryer with a 3 prong cord but my wall outlet is a 4 prong.

I bought a 4 prong cord to switch out but before I installed it on dryer I wanted to make sure plug would fit. (I who knows nothing about electrical wiring or dangers).
The cord was on the ground with all 4 wires exposed when I plugged it into the outlet. Of course it arced and fried the ring terminals.
I turned off the circuit breaker to unplug the cord. I realize I could have fried myself now but my question is now that the new 4 prong cord has been installed on dryer and we plug it in, it does not work. Did I fry the plug?

Background: Toni, from Santa Cruz, California.

Additional Comments: Your website was helpful in showing me how to switch out a 3 prong to a 4 prong dryer cord.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electric wiring question Toni.

Connecting 3Wire and 4Wire Dryer Cords

How to Hook Up a 3Wire and 4Wire Dryer Cord

Safety First – Unplug the Dryer Cord
- Always make sure the dryer cord is not plugged into the receptacle when making the wiring connections.
Damage from Shorted Wires
- NOTE: As with this question, shorted wires typically do not damaged the 220 volt receptacle outlet.
Resetting the Dryer Circuit
- If the dryer circuit breaker trips off, make sure to fully reset the circuit breaker, all the way off, then back on after the wiring and connections are completed.
- If a 240 volt dryer circuit should trip off, it is very possible that just one side of the breaker has tripped, or half of the circuit breaker. In this case the circuit breaker should be turned all the way off before making any wiring connections.
Ring Wire Terminals
- For best results, the ring terminal connectors should not be damaged, however if they are damaged they may be cut off and replaced with new ring terminal connectors which may be obtained from your local hardware store.

See More about Wiring a Dryer Cord

The following resources will help you with the electrical wiring connections for your dryer.

How to Wire a 3 Prong and 4 Prong Dryer Cord

Dryer Cord Electrical Wiring

Electric dryer installation with a typical 220 Volt electric power cord wiring system.
You may find yourself with either a 3-wire or 4-wire electric dryer.
Or a 3-wire or 4-wire outlet.
Lets look a how the electric dryer is wired.
What to do if your cord does not match the plug.
Fully explained electrical wiring diagrams for dryer cords.

Wiring a Smart Light Switch

Electrical Question: I am trying to connect a smart light switch. The existing switch only has two black wires connected to it, which I assume are the line and load wire.

How to Wire Light Switch

I am trying to connect a TP-Llink smart light switch. The existing switch only has two black wires connected to it, which I assume are the line and load wire. the new switch has 4 wires, which all need to be connected – line, load, neutral and ground. Pretty straight forward, or so I thought.
I pulled all of the wires out of the switch box to locate the neutral and ground wires and found a bundle of ground wires and another bundle of neutral wires clamped together (please see photo). In my limited experience, I have never seen this before. Would I be able to separate one ground and one neutral wire and connect them to the switch?

Thank you!

This electrical wiring question came from Jeff in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Dave’s Reply:

Thanks for your electrical wiring question Jeff.

How to Wire a Smart Light Switch

Application: How to Wire a Smart Light Switch.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced – Best performed by a Licensed Electrical Contractor, or Certified Electrician.
Electrical Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, Voltage Tester, and appropriate Safety Gear.
Estimated Time: Depends on the personal level experience, ability to work with tools, install electrical circuit wiring, and the available access to the project area.
Electrical Safety: Identify the electrical power source to the Light Switch, turn it OFF and Tag with a Note before working with the electrical wiring.
Electrical Wiring Parts and Materials: Electrical parts and materials for the Light Switch should be approved for the specific project and compliant with local and national electrical codes.
Electrical Codes and Inspections: Installing or changing home electrical wiring should be done according to local and national electrical codes as adopted in your specific area of Hawaii. A permit and inspections may also be required.

Wire a TP-Link Smart Light Switch in a Garage

This electrical wiring project is about wiring a smart light switch in the garage of a old house.
electrical-wiring

Light Switch How to Wire

From what you have described, and looking at the photo, the home wiring has been installed and crimp connectors have been used for the spliced connections, and this is typical for many older homes.
Here’s what I typically do in a situation like this: Turn off the circuit power. An additional wire may be added to the group of ground wires as they are now, just trim the ends of the wires evenly and add one more wire, then twist the group together and install a twist on wire connector.
The group of neutrals will either have to have the crimp connector removed, or the group of wires may be cut just below the crimp, then strip back the insulation, add an additional white wire, twist together, and install a twist on connector. This will provide you with all the wires you need, including the switch wires, to wire up the TP-Link Smart Switch

More about How to Wire a Light Switch

How to Wire a Switch

Wiring a Light Switch – Diagram 1

Wiring Diagrams
Fully Explained Light Switch Wiring Diagrams. Detailed Electrical Wiring Diagrams and Pictures assist your Home Electrical Projects.

Guide to Home Electrical Wire

Electrical Wire for the Home

Complete listing of electrical wire types and parts used for home projects with electrical code information serves as selection guidelines.

Home Electrical Sub-Panels

Sub-Panel Electrical Wiring for the Home

Electrical sub-panel wiring considerations for the home complete with pictures. Careful planning for your Sub-Panel with immediate and future load considerations will help you understand how to size your Sub-Panel. This information will help as you consider a Sub-Panel and its size.

Electrical Boxes for Electric Repairs and Home Wiring Projects

Electrical Junction Boxes for Home Wiring

Understanding electrical junction boxes and what they are used for. Home electrical wiring is the process of installing electrical wire to a location that will serve electrical devices or an appliance. One very important component is the box where the wire will be installed. The type and size of the home wiring electrical boxes will depend upon the circuit size, application and its location.

How to Install Garage Electrical Wiring

Garage Electrical Wiring

Fully Explained Photos and Wiring Diagrams for Garage Electrical Wiring with Code Requirements for most new or remodel projects.

Electrical Grounding and Ground Wires

Electrical Grounding Methods and Requirements

Listing of electrical codes for grounding with examples of electrical grounding codes for home electrical wiring.

Wiring a Smart Light Switch

Electrical Question: I am trying to connect a smart light switch. The existing switch only has two black wires connected to it, which I assume are the line and load wire.

How to Wire Light Switch

I am trying to connect a TP-Llink smart light switch. The existing switch only has two black wires connected to it, which I assume are the line and load wire. the new switch has 4 wires, which all need to be connected – line, load, neutral and ground. Pretty straight forward, or so I thought.
I pulled all of the wires out of the switch box to locate the neutral and ground wires and found a bundle of ground wires and another bundle of neutral wires clamped together (please see photo). In my limited experience, I have never seen this before. Would I be able to separate one ground and one neutral wire and connect them to the switch?

Thank you!

This electrical wiring question came from Jeff in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Dave’s Reply:

Thanks for your electrical wiring question Jeff.

How to Wire a Smart Light Switch