House Wiring 101

The power is run through an electric meter which records how much energy is used in the home and is the basis for the monthly electric bill.

House wiring 101. Wires running inside nm cable bx cable or conduit are sized according to each circuit s amperage. In this article we ll show you some house wiring basics how to position outlet and switch boxes and run the electrical cable between them. Anytime you are working with basic house wiring study up on standard procedures so you don t put your family or yourself in jeopardy. In the modern smart home all you need is a smartphone and a wi fi router to unlock the power of connected devices.

We won t cover many other house wiring details. Plastic boxes and flexible nonmetallic cable commonly called romex put electrical wiring projects within the skill range of every dedicated diyer. Here is a video of me doing some basic electric work that i uploaded for a school project. The beauty of today s smart home is that it s mostly wire free.

For example wiring for 20 amp circuits is 12 gauge which is heavier than the 14 gauge wiring used for 15 amp circuits. And if you re undertaking a major home wiring project get familiar with your local inspector. Conventional 3 way wiring is not very complex. However there is an alternate wiring configuration that could cause confusion.

This differs from cable which is a group of wires encased inside a flexible protective sheathing. Conduit is a hollow tube that wires are pulled or fished through during installation. Electrical wire and circuit breakers are designed to work in tandem with one another and each must be of a proper corresponding size. Don t view them as a hurdle to overcome but as a valuable resource you can draw on to get the job done right.

Residential electrical wiring systems start with the utility s power lines and equipment that provide power to the home known collectively as the service entrance. The most common type of cable used in home wiring is non metallic nm or romex cable. Wire size is given in its gauge number. Wiring used with conduit.

Wireless protocols such as zigbee z wave wi fi and bluetooth le have done away with the need to install complex and expensive whole home electrical systems just to control your smart lights remotely. Alternate 3 way switch wiring diagrams. The heavier the gauge i e the thicker the copper wire the more electrical current it can carry without overheating. If anyone has any questions on any household or commercial wiring.