Artisan Electric | Midwest Indiana Electrical Consultants

About this time of the year we start getting the holiday lighting calls.  They range from simple questions about installs to the “I think I blew something up”.  Here is a top 10 list to help keep those holiday lighting projects safe, fun, and frustration fee.

1)  STANDARD INCANDESCENT LIGHTS – Not all ornamental lights are created equal.  If you are using the old standby 120 volt ac powered strands with replaceable lamps look for ones  that are of a feed thru design – that means they still work even if a lamp is out (this will be indicated on the box).   Nothing is more frustrating than a whole strand that goes out because of one bad lamp.  Also be careful how many you link together;  in many cases the manufacture only allows for 2 or 3 strands to be plugged into each other – exceeding that  limit can be dangerous and will cause them to burn out much more quickly (many companies now install in-line fuses in the cord end to prevent this).

2)  LED LIGHTS – these are becoming more popular and do offer some significant benefits.  Because of the lower power consumption you can link A LOT more of these together.  The high end products have replaceable lamps, but most are of a sealed variety that does not allow for individual lamps to be replaced.  The better LED lights come with a separate “driver” that connects the first strand to the outlet (see picture). Also keep in mind that LED light colors can vary a lot from company to company and will typically look different than the standard lights – check the color in the store before you buy.

3)  CONNECTIONS – Look for strands that have weatherproof connection points – typically some kind of 2 pin / 2 piece connector with a gasket (see picture).  If you use the standard 2 prong plug together type lights try to wrap the connections with good electrical tape or put them in a sandwich bag and seal the bag with tape or a twist tie.

4)  EXTENSION CORDS – use good quality cords with 14 gauge wire (or larger) that are rated for outdoor applications.  Be careful were you route the cords (smashing them  in windows or doors is always bad) and how you install them – nails and extension cords don’t mix well J

5)  GFCI PROTECTION – the NEC code states that any temporary power or lighting of this type installed out of doors should be GFCI protected.  A GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) is a specialty outlet that shuts off in the event of a fault to ground… basically when ever you use electrical cords and lighting that has the potential to get wet they are a must (see picture).

6)  LIVE WIRES and METAL SIDING – if you your home has aluminum siding or you are hanging lights from metal surfaces (like gutters) take EXTRA CARE.  These surfaces are very conductive, just like a wire, but often have no effective path to ground.  Just this week we had a call were a defect in a wire caused 120 volts to be flowing in the aluminum siding of a home.  This is a very bad situation that can cause a sever shock under the right conditions.

7)  OVERLOADED CIRCUITS – We see this one a lot… couple of 50 foot extension cords that have undersized conductors (like 16 or 18 gauge), with several hundred feet of lighting strands plugged into them, running back to a garage light that someone (of course not you) has taken the lamp out of and screwed in one of those “plug in adapters”.  Remember that all that conductor length and all those lights are adding significant load and resistance to a circuit.  As resistance goes up, so does AMPERAGE.  It is really easy to overload an existing circuit with that plug in Santa you want out by the road.  Overloaded circuits get hot, when things get hot enough they burn.

8)  LADDERS – be cautious of using metal ladders around electricity – do I need to say more about that, really!  Also remember that more people get hurt from falls from ladders than any other single workplace / home accident – most fatal falls are form short distance under 12’.  Try to refrain from putting up lights on an icy afternoon after too much of your “special” eggnog and leftover turkey sandwiches – running outside without your coat on while shivering too much to actually focus on what you are doing.

9)  STORAGE – still looking for a good way to store your lights so that they are ready to use next year and don’t become a tangled up mess.  Old wire spools work great for this; best part is you can get these for free from about any electrical supplier or electrical contractor.  They really do help make install and take down painless.  Here is how we do it >>>  leave all the strands connected together, put the spool on a pipe and a set of jack stands and you can roll / unroll easy as pie (see picture).

10)  TESTING and ORIENTATION – test your lights before you put them up, and make sure you have the correct end of the light strand at the right location before you spend the day covering the house, only to find out that that you are trying to plug in 2 of the same cord ends together

This topic dedicated to all the Clark Griswolds everywhere – you know who you are!

Electrical Tip of the Day: Knob and tube electrical wiring was installed in homes from the 1920’s to the mid 1960’s – later in some rural locations.  As indicated by the name the instillation method used a combination of porcelain “knobs” and “tubes” as insulators to install the wire.  Here are the basic characteristics of a knob and tube wiring system:

• No ground: Only a hot and neutral wire are used… the circuit does not have a ground conductor
• Wire insulation: Electrical wires are wrapped in a rubberized cloth or ascroll fiber insulation.  In some cases a second rubber / fiber insulator was also slid over the primary conductors.
• Connections or splices were made outside of electrical junction boxes, typically by twisting the wire at a “tap” point, soldering the connection, and insulating it with tape.
• Hot and Neutral conductors separated on framing member:  Hot and neutral conductors were not in a common cable like modern romex wire.  They were separated onto opposite sides of framing members.

What you should know.  Currently the NEC code and most local jurisdictions do not specifically say that knob and tube wiring is illegal, however they do have some very specific requirements if it is to be left installed and in use (NEC 2008 – article 394). Here are the basic guide lines that must be followed:

• Over current protection to be on hot conductors only
• Over current protection not to exceed 15 amps
• No open splices – original splices may remain if soldered and insulated with tape
• New extension wire connections to be made in junction boxes
• Knob and tube wiring to be supported only by non-conductive stand off supports – it may not be secured in contact with combustible materials
• Knob and tube wiring is only rated to be used in free air, un-insulated spaces.  It is not permitted to have knob and tube wiring covered or concealed by insulation of any kind

So what makes knob and tube such a major safety concern today?   What it really comes down to is that it does not have a ground, the age of the conductor insulation, changes to the building or original installation (such as the way it has been spliced), and the addition of building insulation over or around the knob and tube.  Here are the key concerns:

• No electrical ground: The circuit is only comprised of a “hot” and a “neutral” conductor – making it less safe than a modern grounded electrical circuit.  Devices that use a grounded plug (three prong) should not be connected on an un-grounded circuit, specifically appliance loads.
• Damage : In most cases knob and tube is past the “safe” useable life span. Heat damage, cracked and rotten insulation, exposure to leaks, cracked or missing insulators, chewing rodents, or damage from being steeped on all add up over time.  We don’t find much knob and tube that is in safe useable condition.
• New work and open splices: We often find improper “new” extensions added to original knob and tube circuits.  Electrical splices are to be made in an approved junction box per NEC code.  The very basic reason for this is to contain a fire if the junction fails.
• Building insulation: The fire safety of knob and tube wiring relied on the fact that the wires were typically separated on framing members, suspended in free air between knobs, and passed thru combustible materials in ceramic tubes. Where original conductors were installed in walls or in attic floors, and where then later covered in building insulation, the knob and tube wires then no longer meet code.  They can become hotter than intended, and may be a fire hazard due to the proximity to combustible materials.
• Switched Neutral: It was the excepted install practice at the time to switch the neutral conductor on a knob and tube circuit.  It poses a increased risk for homeowners to have switched neutrals.  A switch can be in the off position and still have full voltage at the load (like a light fixture). Switched neutrals on a circuit can also cause voltage irregularities that can effect today’s sensitive modern electronics.
• Homeowners insurance: Most homeowner’s insurance policies have specific language regarding knob and tube wiring.  Is some cases they call for its removal in order for the policy to be valid.  In other cases there may be increased rates and/ or changes in coverage.  If your home has knob and tube wiring you will want to specifically ask your insurance agent how this affects your coverage.

So, that was a lot to digest.  If you have questions or concerns about knob and tube I would be happy to answer them for you.  Contact me here or thru the Artisan web page.

In many of the homes built in the late 80’s and 90’s little attention was paid to the lighting.  Likewise, historic homes and one-of-a-kind custom homes often share a common problem… bad lighting design and layout.  So here are 5 tips to help you out with some potential lighting updates.

#1 – There are no rules! You can do whatever you want… like anything else the lighting in your home can and should be a statement about you.  Some folks prefer lighting that stands out and is a point of interest in a room, others prefer lighting that is ambient and becomes “part of the space”.  Either way is fine – but do not be afraid to be daring.  Chandelier in the bathroom?  Why not!  Really like that historic fixture?  Get it restored!

#2 – Sconce Lights and table lamps can be your friend! Lighting in a room tends to look better and more interesting when it comes from multiple sources.  A combination of ceiling lights, wall mounted sconces, and table lamps can really help get the look and feel of a home dialed in.  I am a big fan of adding sconce lights to living rooms and dining rooms.  This can be a very cost effective way to spruce up a space and really change the look of a room, both with the fixtures themselves and the layering of the light.

#3 – Kitchen lights can be cool too! As I said earlier, there are no rules.  Nothing says that you have to keep that old fluorescent  surface mount light in the center of the kitchen anymore…  and those old can lights over the bar with the yellow stained “eye ball” trims, maybe it’s time to retire them.  A combination of under cabinet lights, pendant lights, reseeded can lights, and hidden “nook” ambient lighting can make a huge difference in a kitchen.   Many of these changes can be done on a tight budget, and in most cases can be done in several phases to spread the cost out into affordable bites.

#4 – Outside lighting sets the mood! No matter what time of year it is the exterior lighting on your home is the mood setter.  At night when you come and go it is the most striking visual feature of your home, embrace it.  There are a lot of considerations for exterior lighting… be it security, landscape lighting, architectural feature lighting, lot lighting, path and drive way lighting, and so on.  As with lighting in the interior of the home “layering” your exterior lighting is the secret.  Using the structure of the home, the landscape, the decks and garages, and any other building feature to get varied elevations of light really brings things to life.  Here is another quick tip – landscape lighting always looks better when done in non-symmetrical layouts, with several different types of fixtures and lamp types.  If you are sporting the “runway” landing strip lights down your front sidewalk let’s talk.

#5 – Dimmers, Dimmers, Dimmers! The amount of ambient light that comes in a home changes with the seasons, the weather, the time of day… and so too does all of our moods.  Being able to dim the lights in a given space is one of the quickest affordable changes that can be made to dramatically affect the lighting in a space.   The light level needed in a room to play a quality game of RISK with the family is certainly not the ideal amount of light needed for movie night (especially if it is scary move night) – dimmers to the rescue.  I also find that installing dimmers for your exterior lighting is a very cool and helpful way to dial in the look of a patio or outdoor living space.

Electrical Tip of the Day:  Like everything else, light fixtures need maintenance too.  Failure to maintain old fixtures can, and does, cause fires; as well as representing a high risk of electrical shock to the homeowner.  Many of the products used to make old (vintage) fixtures are long past the point of safety and need to be replaced, especially ones with cloth insulated wire and cardboard insulated lamp sockets. That said many of these vintage fixtures simply cannot be replaced and have a charm that is hard to live without.

So what do you do?  One good option is to restore them.  Restoration can give you the option of keeping the old fixtures but updating them with modern products to keep you and your family safe.

The warning signs… do your fixtures need some restoration attention?  Look for frayed, cracked, or peeling exposed wire, burnt or charred lamp sockets, fixtures that hum or flicker, and fixtures that seem to burn out a lot of lamps.  Any fixture that is older then 30 years should be looked at.

So what does a full restoration cover?  Typically we would remove the fixture, replace all the old wire, install new solid porcelain lamp sockets, give it a good cleaning (being careful not to destroy the patina), check / re-wire the junction box where it was installed for problems, then re-install.

Here are some examples of a restoration project we have underway now (note the old socket being replaced as it was actually starting to arc and burn at the bottom – this is a pretty common condition that occurs after years of use, high wattage lamps, and the lamps being over tightened to “make them work”).

Electrical Tip of the Day:  The number #1 cause of electrical house fires in the US is the misuse of portable electrical space heating equipment.  The truth of the matter is that these things have a pretty high degree of danger associated with them that many people are just not fully aware of.  Here are a few quick tips:

• Do not use them on extension cords, and if you must – use a grounded #12 gauge cord that is just long enough to do the job
• Make sure the heater is not on a circuit that already has a large load on it. A 1500 watt heater on high will draw as much as 13 amps.  If you are using a 15 amp circuit that is really only supposed to be run at 80%  (per NEC code) the heater alone puts you at the limit of the permissible load rating of the circuit
• Do not plug in other cords into the same outlet as a heater.  Most outlets are only rated for 15 amps, so adding an additional load could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back
• Do not use space heaters on wiring systems that have not been upgraded to ground 3 wire circuits and modern toggle style breakers.  Most of these old systems were not design for these kinds of loads
• Ideally space heaters should be used on 20 amp circuits that does not share power with the lighting system or other outlet loads
• If the heater keeps tripping the circuit, then don’t “force” the breaker back into reset.  It is tripping for a reason and a larger problem could be in progress
• Use heaters of a “sealed” design – such as the portable electric radiator type.  They do not have exposed elements that can ignite combustible materials
• Make sure your heater has a UL listing for safety and has an automatic shut off device in case it gets knocked over – if it does not it is time for a new heater
• Do not use plug adapters and multi-outlet plug strips with electric heaters
• Never leave a heater unattended with pets and small children
• Make sure you have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, ALWAYS!

If you have any questions on how to safely use space heaters in your home or office give us a call – we would be happy to get you on the right track.

Electrical Tip of the Day:  Many homes have receptacles which are damaged, have internal parts that are worn, or have deteriorated over the years (some older outlets were made from a product called Bakelite – a precursor to modern plastics that did not tend to hold up well). Outlets also deteriorate from repeated use, from plugging-in and unplugging.  As a result, when plugs fit loosely into receptacles, especially the two-prong ungrounded type, they may slip partially or completely out of the receptacle with only slight movement of the attached cord.  Receptacles in this condition may overheat and pose a serious fire hazard.  In addition to a device being worn, loose or improperly mounted receptacles and switches can pose just as much danger.  It does not take much movement for a loose device to cause a short circuit situation inside a junction box.

We recommend that homeowners have a qualified electrical contractor replace all deteriorated and damaged receptacles.  In older homes (typically any dwelling over 20 years old) we highly recommend what we call a “full device and switch” – were we come in , replace all the devices in the home, re-wire all the device junction boxes, and check each location for deteriorated wiring / signs of  over-heating.

Electrical Tip of the Day: This is a re-post of some great information / explanation of the Arc Fault Circuit breaker from Tim Carters, “Ask the Builder” blog. Arc Fault breakers have been around for about 5 years but have not been something typically enforced by local code.  Currently that is changing – and the 2008 NEC code does require their use for new construction.  We suggest their use in a lot  of older homes with questionable wiring as a quick and affordable means of fire protection and added peace of mind for the owner.

DEAR TIM: There was a house fire on our street last week. The fire investigators traced the cause to a short in an electrical wire. I am terrified that a fire can start in my own home without warning. Why didn’t the person’s circuit breaker trip as soon as the wire shorted? Is there a way to prevent fires caused by short circuits in electrical wiring? Laura M., Bellevue, PA

DEAR LAURA: Your neighbor’s fire was just one of the 115 +/- electrical fires that happen each day in the USA. These fires cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage, injure thousands of people and are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people each year. I can see why you are terrified. Ask any firefighter and he will tell you that electrical fires are non-discriminatory. They can strike anywhere and at any time.

The arc-fault breakers have a very important pigtail wire that gets connected to the neutral / ground bar in the panel. The white neutral wire of the circuit actually connects to a screw on the breaker.

The electrical shorts that cause these fires produce arcs. These miniature fireworks create sparks and temperatures that approach 10,000 F. This intense heat can rapidly ignite plastic insulation, wood, carpeting or any other combustible material in the vicinity of the arcing wires. Arcs happen frequently in appliance electrical cords where insulation has become brittle or is cracked. Hidden wires behind walls nicked by nails or pinched by fasteners can also be sources of sinister arcing. Loose connections where wires are attached to switches and outlets are often arc hot spots.

The traditional circuit breakers in your neighbor’s house did not prevent the fire for a simple reason. They are not designed to sense arc faults. Traditional circuit breakers are actually designed to protect just the wire behind the walls and the switches and outlets that they are connected to. The circuit breakers are designed to trip when they sense a short that causes an avalanche of electricity coursing through a circuit. They also will trip when a constant massive amount of electricity passing through the circuit causes a heat buildup within the breaker. Traditional breakers are not designed to protect lightweight appliance wires and extension cords that are plugged into wall outlets.

Fire producing arcs can occur in wiring before traditional breakers react. Electrical manufacturers recognized this problem and decided to attempt to stop as many of these electrical fires as possible. The result of the hard work of many is a new arc fault circuit interrupter breaker. These devices work and act like a traditional circuit breaker except that they are smarter. Many of these new devices contain small filters and logic devices that allow them to sense an arc just as it is about to produce the sparks and intense heat. If arcing conditions are present, then the breaker trips instantaneously.

Do not confuse these devices with the personal protection ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) that have been around for over 30 years. The GFCI circuit breakers, at the present time, do not have the capability to sense arcs.

The new arc fault circuit breakers are identified in section 210-12 of the 1999 edition of the National Electric Code. Beginning January 1, 2002, they were required to protect branch circuits that serve residential bedrooms. These areas of the house have been identified as the source of many electrical arc related fires. The state of Vermont has taken a slightly more aggressive stance. They are requiring that these new life saving circuit breakers be used in all circuits that feed residential living areas. Their regulation went into effect on January 1, 2001.

These new arc fault breakers can be purchased now in every state in the USA. These breakers are the same size as your existing traditional circuit breakers. The new arc fault breakers cost about $25 – $50 each depending upon manufacturer, but it is a very small price to pay for peace of mind. An experienced electrician can install a new arc fault breaker in a matter of minutes. It actually takes longer to remove and replace the cover to the circuit breaker panel than it does to switch out the breaker.

Electrical Tip of the Day:  So as most of you know by now, compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) are all the rage.   There are a lot of good reasons to use these lamps for certain applications.  However, in locations where you plan to use DIMMERS they tend to be a poor choice.  Most of the products available at the home stores are not dimmable, and even those that say they are do not perform well and will have a considerably reduced lamp life as compared to not running them on a dimmer.  So, before you spend the bucks make sure you know what you are after and what specific applicaton the lamp will be used for.  More information on CFL lamps see our home page,  www.artisanelectric.net

Electrical Tip of the Day:  Smoke detectors are an important part of any electrical system.  Ideally they should be powered by 120 volts AC, have a battery back up system, and be interlinked.   Smoke detectors should be located withing 4′ of each bedroom door, in or near stairwells, in your mechanical space, in your attic, in your garage, and in your basement / crawl space.  If you have questions about fire safety your local fire department can be consulted at no charge to do a walk thru and help you out.

Electrical Tip of the Day: Florescent lamp color is rated in degrees Kelvin. Natural sun light on a clear day is about 6000K. Florescent lamps are available in a wide range. From as low as 2000K (which tends to be the old yellowish cool white color) to as high as 7500K (which tends to go into the blue / red spectrum).  If you are not happy with the light quality at your office or place of business chances are a lamp change out can make a huge difference.