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Not an electrician, but I’ve done stuff like this a handful of times. This all sounds right.
I’d additionally recommend a non-contact voltage tester. Something like this: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O
Helps to give a little extra assurance that you aren’t about to get shocked.
Looks like a fluke contactless voltage tester to me.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_-GC-Db0M5M9FT
It is not the danger, It detects the danger. Or in more practical cases, beeps while you shut off breakers to figure out which outlet goes to what circuit.
This is why I always recommend testing wiring/equipment when doing electrical work. Even experienced electricians screw up and testing will save your life. Obviously a meter works best but I often recommend a non-contact voltage tester or "tic tracer" like this. Good luck on the next one.
Working with electricity can be a little intimidating/scary but it's really not that bad. If you don't have one, I would buy a non-contact voltage tester. Then:
1) Turn off the breaker to that circuit
2) Unscrew and remove the face plate
3) Use your voltage tester by placing it on the wires on the sides of the receptacle where the screws are. The hot wires should be the black wires, but I always test both sides to be safe (could be wired incorrectly). No beeping from tester and it should be safe to now work with.
4) Unscrew the receptacle from the wall, but don't take off the wires yet. Take a picture of how the wire are connected.
5) The outlet may have just three wires going to it (white/black/ground). In this case, the outlet is at the end of the circuit and doesn't feed any other downstream outlets. If there are two sets of wires (5 wires- two white, two black and a ground), then this outlet does feed another downstream outlet.
6) If you look at the back of your new GFCI outlet, you should see that it has a set of screws/inserts labels LINE and a set labeled LOAD. You should have the same marking on your old outlet. The LINE wires Supply the incoming power. The LOAD side send the power down to the next device.
7) Now just unscrew and disconnect the wires. Reconnect the wires the same way they were hooked up before. The black (hot) wires should be connected to the Brass/gold colored screws and the white (neutral) wires should be connected to the silver screws.
8) Most of the newer GFCI outlets work by stripping of the sheathing and just inserting the wires into the back of the outlet and tightening the wires on them.
Tighten everything down and re-install.
You local PBS channel should have current episodes and air older episodes sometimes.
Not sure if you were joking about the ceiling fan, but if the power was properly turned off then you could not get a shock. Never attempt to touch any wires without first testing them, always use some kind of Voltage Tester.
I don't think it's unreasonable for a homeowner to know how to replace a light switch or outlet. I don't do anything that involves adding to or modifying the breaker panel (besides just turning the breakers on and off, of course)
As far as DYI, I'm more inclined to work on electrical then plumbing (depends on what it is, I seem to always get some drips when finished!) and I never work on gas.
Their diagrams don’t really have an example showing this exact use case, which can be a bit confusing.
Basically the easy part is the first three wires:
-Black: tie into 120V line, which should also be black, but it’s not a bad idea to use a non-contact voltage detector to confirm. (You should have one of these anyway to confirm wires aren’t live before you touch them - obviously you cut the power before doing any wiring.)
-white: tie into neutral, which should be white as well
-red: tie into red wires, which are you interconnect (communication between detectors)
Okay, now regardless of what you’re using the relay for, you need to use the common wire (blue). Basically when the relay is not active (no alarm), the blue wire is switched to the yellow wire (so those two wires would complete a circuit when alarm is not active). When the relay activated, the blue wire is switched to the orange wire, completing a circuit from the blue to orange wires.
The way I have the door sensor set up is that when it sees the circuit completed, it knows the alarm was triggered. This is the default for that door sensor when you configure it to use the relay.
What they’re showing in the manual is similar, but they’re activating a siren by completing the circuit between 120V and the siren.
Hopefully that makes sense.
Once you get everything hooked up, you’ll want to test your detectors and make sure everything is still working correctly.
For electrical tools there is the non contact voltage tester. They're great for troubleshooting but, please, always verify with a digital multimeter before you touch a circuit. A GOOD multimeter, not the $20 auto parts store special.
For a decent DMM go with Extech or Amprobe. The best stuff is Fluke. The Fluke 117 is a good, "cheap" household handyman multimeter. The 87 is the best basic meter, in my professional opinion.
Your electrical testing tools is literally the only thing separating you from deadly electricity. Don't cheap out on them. And, yes, the 120v household power is more than enough to kill you.
> A plug in polarity checker for outlets to check the wiring. Measure voltage at the outlets. Products will run on 80 volts but prefer 110 to last.
Thanks for the input. I went ahead and ordered some voltage and receptacle testers from Amazon just to be certain:
Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester
Southwire 40022S GFCI Receptacle Tester
> Lay down toilet paper under your last plumbing repair instead of a paper towel.
What's the purpose of this? Doesn't toilet paper just disintegrate when it gets wet?
Lol yes that's another great example of the superstition I was talking about.
Good news: you can buy a fluke ncvt that probably uses the exact same sensor as the ncvt mode on their multimeter.
Others have answered the basic question so here's my specific recommendation and why...
I've had quite a few over the years stashed in the various bags, but usually Fluke with a couple Klien ones. Recently broke my everyday one (got run over by a baker) and picked up a Fluke 2AC off Amazon (tip - If you need it sooner go hit up any local electrical supply outlet like Platt etc, not HD/Lowes) https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-2AC-Alert-Voltage-Tester/dp/B004I9J4DI
The thing I love about these is no on/off, very simple & fast - they just light up when it detects. But the new one has a test button that lights up to verify it's working first. I never realized how handy that is, and otherwise it's the same old super-simple tech. A+ go get one
Make sure you de-energize the wires when you swap the connectors at the wire nuts. You may have a breaker labeled “smokes” or they may be wired in with a nearby lighting circuit. I like this non-contact tester to confirm the power is off:
Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester, Pocket-Sized, Voltage Detection Range 90 V to 1000 V AC, Audible Beeper, Silent Mode, Includes Batteries And 2 Year Warranty, CAT IV 1000 V Rating https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O/
You just need to unscrew the wire nuts and match wire color on the new smoke detector pigtails. Check YouTube for a video on wire nut installation if you’ve never done it before.
Before you pay a electrician to do anything, here is a simple test you can do that is 100% safe for any homeowner.
Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_VB5BYRRSE94PSQRNSVF1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Get this exact tool, make sure it's 90-1000v if you live in Canada or the US.
I've had failures on everything from super cheap to super expensive. Fluke is what I carry everyday, whether I'm doing service work or on a big job!
It is a non-contact voltage tester that you can't get shocked from!
Test those wires, if they're hot, call a certified electrician! If they're not then you won't get the "emergency" charge for a company to come out and visit you!
Everyone and their dog recommends this one so I bought one of those fairly early on, but the greenlee that came with the starter kit I had works fine still as well (can't find a link, not even on greenlee's website. Seems to be discontinued.) To be perfectly honest I would probably trust fluke over any other brand for any electrical testing devices but the more important thing to remember is that they are precision instruments. Treat them like precision instruments and they will serve you well for many years.
Throw it away. Buy this:
Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
My apprentices all use that same Klein tester. It's fucking trash. Either it's waaaaay too sensitive, or inaccurate; in either case, it can't be trusted. I've used/seen Greenlee, Klein, and Southwire tic tracers. I'll never buy any of them again. Just re-bought this Fluke because I lost the first one. Not as reliable as a meter, obviously, but for a quick safety check, it is quite trustworthy.
From what I can see it's a pretty simple system. Do you have any more pictures of the setup?
If you don't mind spending some money to get an impedance tester that would be my first step to try to figure out what's going on with the speakers.
https://www.amazon.com/ALLOSUN-Impedance-Insulation-Resistance-Megohmmeter/dp/B013QKIGU6
I'm trying to replace the switches in my house with smart ones and for that, I'd need to turn the electricity off at the breaker.
Unfortunately, things are wired weird in my house. I cannot be certain that if the switch does nothing it means there's no power to the switch vs no power to the light fixture itself.
How can I reliably test if the switch has power or not?
I got a voltage tester, but I'm not sure if I'm using it right because it gives me inconsistent reports with plug points. How can I use it with a switch (without unscrewing it). Or is there a better tool?
I use this guy. It’s pretty bright indicator light and a decently loud tone for voltage.
Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KMc.Db8RTE4S8
I also have this guy and it’s a close second. The flashlight is decent. I do like the voltage bar they help identify what voltage you’ve got.
Klein Tools NCVT-3 Voltage Tester, Non-Contact Voltage Detector for AC and DC Dual Testing, Tester Pen Style with Flashlight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XJQ9ZE4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tPc.DbXK3AX2W
I’ve also tried the fluke flashlight combo and it’s not very good. The flashlight is good but the indicator light and no audible sound can make it confusing.
Glad to see this caper went off without a hitch. In the future, a non contact voltage tester or similar can help you to verify that a circuit is not live before working with it. A good double check even if you have turned off the breaker.
It's the quickest way to test something yes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EJ332O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdo_t1_HPfuCbK06ZQZB
Once you get more cash flowing, invest in a actual multimeter so you can test voltage more efficiently. Fluke products are the best.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006Z3GZU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_9RfuCbFJD43P3
I have the same non-contact tester. It is very sensitive. I was at a friend's house helping him install a ceiling fan. We had the breaker off and used the non-contact to verify that the circuit was dead. When I got on the ladder to test in the ceiling box, the tester was going crazy. His wife had these lights hanging from the ceiling. The tester was picking up the magnetic field from them, even though I was 3 to 4 feet away from them.
This is the model I use at work I haven't had any issues with it giving false readings when it is around a lower voltage source. However, if you have enough static electricity, it will pick it up.
oh my goodness!!! what a great little gadget. I had no idea something like this even exists. I checked Amazon Canada but there are so many of these, and the instruction videos shows them sticking it into the hole of the wall plug. Yeah of course it has electricity inside. Will it work on any surface like a lets say a metal countertop that is "live" for whatever reasons???
I am going to buy the one a little expensive because it seems to be a reliable brand as per the reviews. Please let me know what you think and tell me if it will work on any conducting surfaces??
How about that one please??
Going strong year 2.5 with this bad boy. Everyone seems to come to borrow mine when their milwaukee / klein / greenlee is being bothersome.
Edit: Mine lives on the top left shoulder strap of my vest. Never leaves that place. If mine was to break tomorrow I'd feel I got my monies worth out of it.
I'll second the call from /u/Cheech47 that you should get a multi-meter. I'll go even further and say you should also get a non-contact voltage tester. The one linked is my preference, but just don't pick up whatever cheapy they have at Home Depot or Lowes. You want one that will work in a marginally crowded box without just going off because *something* in there is hot. =)
yup, knipex is good. He probably already has a multimeter and hot stick, but I like having multiple hot sticks around as they go bad.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006Z3GZU/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Replacing them is extremely simple. It's just a matter of turning off the power at the electrical panel, unscrewing the plate and switch/outlet, disconnecting the wires from the old switch/outlet, and reconnecting them to the new one. Three way switches just have one extra wire. This video gives a good overview of the process.
The only tool you might want to grab is a non-contact voltage tester to make sure the power is definitely turned off before you start handling the wires. A regular DMM would work as well if you already own one.
http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B000EJ332O/
This is a higher quality one and it's still pretty affordable, these would indeed be pretty helpful. Sure, hidden cameras are inherently hidden but they require some basic stuff (Power, a point of view) and based on that you can surmise where they would be should they exist.
Someone who wants to creep you would want to get you naked so bathrooms and bedrooms, aimed at toilet/shower and bed/closet areas, from there you go for POV, where could a camera be that faces these areas. There are ultra small wifi cameras but most people would go with the easiest possible installation (i.e. wired to existing power sources and so on) so it's not as hard as it sounds.
Unless someone who worked there previously switched the black and white, or used a neutral to carry current without re identifying it. OP needs a proximity tester so they can verify first.
Don't get the klein tick tester or tape measure, they're junk, the tester beeps at everything and the tape will break the first time you bend it.
Get the fluke tester: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EJ332O?ie=UTF8&tag=vrefid-20&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B000EJ332O&linkCode=xm2&tag=vrefid-20
And a fatmax tape: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AGYYQW8?ie=UTF8&tag=vrefid-20&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B00AGYYQW8&linkCode=xm2
Well, I am an electrician, but I'm in the states.
The color code is a little different than what I'm used to, but I would guess:
- The Red/White are hot
- The Browns are the neutrals
- The green-yellow/green are ground
I would guess that the two red/white wires are your switch-legs to your ~~two~~ four lights and the single red/white wire is your hot.
It could be that one of the two red/white is your hot, and the other of the two is paralleled off to another circuit. Which would mean that the single red/white off the bottom is paralleling to the ~~two~~ four lights (weird, but I've seen weirder).
You could pull the single off the bottom and check it with a non-contact voltage tester:
- It it doesn't light up, that's your switch leg.
- If it does light up, that's your hot and the other two are the switch legs.
Pretty sure mains voltage in the UK is 240V, so be careful. It'll hurt about halfway up your forearm if it "gets" you.
Hey, here's a pretty nice little guide about UK light switches and swapping to a dimmer: How to replace a light switch
If this article is current, your wires are color-coded weird...