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Electrical System & Wiring Hazard Inspection, Detection, Cause, Remedy, Prevention, Electrical Inspection Services, Electrical Repair Services ElectricAPedia © Guide to Electrical Hazards in Buildings: inspection, detection, & repair advice Aluminum Wiring Hazards Electrical Inspection Procedures & electrical inspector safety Electricians directories & listings Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok, Square-D, Zinsco, & other electrical product warnings Lightning protection system inspection & repair Low voltage wiring, switches, controls, inspection, repair, replacement guide Rust hazards in electrical panels

This website provides information about a variety of electrical hazards in buildings, with articles focused on the inspection, detection, and reporting of electrical hazards and on proper electrical repair methods for unsafe electrical conditions.

We address safety for the electrical inspector, aluminum electrical wiring hazards, how to determine service voltage and ampacity, how to inspect electrical panels, and significant electrical hazards of Federal Pacific Electric Stab-Lok breakers and panels, Federal Pioneer product warnings, certain Square-D product concerns, Zinsco and Sylvania circuit breakers and panels, multi-wire branch circuit protection, inspection and repair of low voltage wiring systems, and proper installation of lightning protection systems on buildings.

Critique and content suggestions are invited. Credit is given to content editors and contributors. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

ELECTRICAL HAZARDS, INSPECTION, REPAIRS - Electrical System & Wiring Hazard Inspection, Hazards, Repairs

• ** Safety Hazards and Safe Electrical Inspection Procedures for Electrical and Home Inspectors at Residential Electric Panels
• Aluminum Wiring Information Website Aluminum Electrical Wiring Hazards and Repairs: in-depth authoritative info, photos, documents including selection of proper vs. ineffective repair methods. E.g.: Ideal 65 "Twister" purple connector fails in field and lab testing with aluminum wire.
• Ampacity and Voltage of an Electrical Service: How to determine the electrical service size or ampacity and service voltage (120/240) entering a Building
• ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS: what are they, how do AFCI's work, where are they required to be installed? Also includes notes on GFCI's and the 2008 NEC electrical code.
• Cadet Heaters Recall CPSC notice supplemented with identification and heater failure photos
• Circuit Breaker, a bad one fails to trip failure at aluminum bus-to-circuit breaker connection - field report and photographs
• Circuits, electrical: electric circuit basics for homeowners, electrical shorts, definitions of AC/DC, watts, amps, volts, etc.
• Code Basics, electrical: electrical code information for homeowners. Can I do my own wiring?
• Conduit, electrical: information for homeowners & home inspectors.
• DEFINITIONS of ELECTRICAL TERMS: Amps, Volts, Watts, Resistance and other electrical terms are defined and illustrated with sketches
• DIRECTORY OF ELECTRICIANS: if you need to hire an electrician with special skills or familiarity with aluminum electrical wiring, FPE Stab-Lok replacement panels, Zinsco replacement panels, etc. here is a directory of professionals.
• ELECTRIC METERS & METER BASES: inspection and problem diagnosis
• Electrical Panels, How to Inspect in Buildings, safety for electrical inspectors, electrical panel, fusing, wiring defects, defective products. Inspection Class Presentation
• Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Website Stab-Lok Circuit Breaker Panel Hazards Latent fire hazards, in-depth authoritative research, documents, advice on Stab-Lok electric panel and circuit breaker failures and what to do when this equipment is found in Buildings.
• Federal Pioneer NCO15 and NC015CP circuit breaker recalls from Schneider Electric in Canada
• How to Identify FPE Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Electric Panels - is yours one of these? ALSO: A History of the FPE Stab-Lok Issue.
• FPE FIRES: Failures continue: FPE breaker fails, results in fires: field reports
• Federal Pacific Electric Fires Waiting to Happen, Debate Waiting to Be Ended, detailed article
• Federal Pacific Electric Panel Replacements FPE Stab-Lok Panel Replacements: two cost and method options for FPE panel replacement.
• 2004 FPE Stab-Lok Technical Report - St. Louis ASHI Seminar including: Hazard Summary & Independent Tests confirms Stab-Lok failures
• Siemens Electric Panel Fires: field report and possible defective equipment - article withdrawn, field reports wanted
• GFCI Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Receptacle Defects & Testing [in process]
• Electrical Grounding Defects [in process]
• KNOB & TUBE ELECTRICAL WIRING: identification, inspection, evaluation, and safety guide advice for home owners & inspectors
• Knob and Tube Wiring & Home Owners' Insurance [Carson Dunlop]
• Lightning Strike Risk Assessment, Lightning Protection Systems & Services, lightning rods, grounding
• Low Voltage Electrical Wiring Repair & Replacement Guide for GE®, Remcon, Sweepe, Bryant, Sierra, other brands, and newer Touch-Plate® low voltage wiring systems. Low voltage lighting switches, relays, transformers, transconverters.
• Multi-wire branch circuit inspection and defects
• Outlet, how to install: guide for home owners & home inspectors - it's easy but important details make the difference between a safe installation of an electrical receptacle and one that is both dangerous and illegal.
• Rust and Corrosion in Electrical Panels, A Study and Report on Frequency and Cause for Electrical and Home Inspectors at Residential Electric Panels
• Square D Electrical Panel Recalls: - Counterfeit Square D Recall
• Square D GFCI Recall
• Square-D & Federal Pioneer AFCI Notice (also Federal Pioneer - Schneider Canada)
• Square D Circuit Breaker Recalls, announced by the US CPSC, recalls include a Square D GFCI circuit breaker distributed by Square D, and a Counterfeit Square-D circuit breaker sold through Scott Electric
• Zinsco Electrical Circuit Breaker Failures: overheating, failure to trip, burn-ups involving Zinsco and certain Sylvania electrical panel components
• Zinsco Electric Panel Replacements a discussion of repair (replacement) options for Zinsco Electrical Panels and Zinsco-type Sylvania Electric Panels
• "Electrical System Inspection Basics," Richard C. Wolcott, ASHI 8th Annual Education Conference, Boston 1985.
• "Simplified Electrical Wiring," Sears, Roebuck and Co., 15705 (F5428) Rev. 4-77 1977 [Lots of sketches of older-type service panels.]
• "How to plan and install electric wiring for homes, farms, garages, shops," Montgomery Ward Co., 83-850.
• "Home Wiring Inspection," Roswell W. Ard, Rodale's New Shelter, July/August, 1985 p. 35-40.
• "Evaluating Wiring in Older Minnesota Homes," Agricultural Extension Service, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108.
• "Electrical Systems," A Training Manual for Home Inspectors, Alfred L. Alk, American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), 1987, available from ASHI. [DF NOTE: I do NOT recommend this obsolete publication, though it was cited in the original Journal article as it contains unsafe inaccuracies]
• "Basic Housing Inspection," US DHEW, S 352.75 U48, p.144, out of print, but is available in most state libraries.

...

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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR
AFCIs ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS
ALUMINUM SECs & WIRING
ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS
AMPS & VOLTS DETERMINATION
AMPACITY - the LIMITING FACTOR
BOOKSTORE - ELECTRICAL
CIRCUIT BREAKER FAILURE
Classified CIRCUIT BREAKER WARNING
DEFINITIONS of ELECTRICAL TERMS
DIRECTORY OF ELECTRICIANS
ELECTRIC METERS & METER BASES
ELECTRIC PANEL AMPACITY
ELECTRIC PANEL INSPECTION
ELECTRICAL BASICS
FEDERAL PACIFIC FPE HAZARDS
GROUND SYSTEM INSPECTION
HEATING COST FUEL & BTU Cost Table
HEAT, ELECTRIC
KNOB & TUBE WIRING
LIGHTNING PROTECTION
LOW VOLTAGE BUILDING WIRING
MAIN DISCONNECT AMPACITY
MULTI-WIRE CIRCUITS
PUSHMATIC - BULLDOG PANELS
RUST in ELECTRICAL PANELS
SAFETY FOR ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS
SE CABLE SIZES vs AMPS
SQUARE-D RECALLS
UNDERGROUND SERVICE LATERALS
VOLTAGE MEASUREMENT EQUIPMENT
ZINSCO / SYLVANIA HAZARDS

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