I'm looking for residential problems.

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delfa

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Here's my story. I'm the only electrician at a plumbing/havc company and the boss is doing a tv spot to increase our electrical calls. He asked me to come up with some common residential problems for him to talk about on a home owners level. He's a plumber so I have to make it real simple for him to understand too.
I'm looking for problems like checking for rust or water at the bottom of your electrical panel. He also needs solutions like, checking the condition of service cable, checking the weather proof seal on meter socket, checking where the cable penetrates the building. I know you guys can help me out because you are all so smart.
 
walk through a house and show the areas that require GFCI protection and how to test a gfci recept. and breaker with the buttons and show its proper function, if they dont have the gfci's in appropriate locations or if they do and they dont function properly, they need to give you a call....
 
Also do it with the AFCI's and how they are to be tested.

Show them the wattage rating of a light socket. Explain why a higher wattage bulb should not be used. I have seen too many times a 100 watt bulb in a 60 watt socket.
 
Loose or broken devices (switches, recepts, fixtures) in the wall. Damaged sealtight/liquidtight from the A/C to the disco. Loose GEC at the ground rod. Panel cover with extra K.O.s missing. Extension cords. Open splices in attic or crawl spaces.
 
Ungrounded receptacles.

Over 10-year-old smoke detectors.

Not enough receps and using extension cords.

Service too small for loads served.

Aluminum wiring.

Lights hum when dimmed.

Recessed lights cycle on and off.

Lights dim when AC comes on.
 
The most common thing I get called on is lighting and can lights are quick money security lights, coach, chando, its all a good improvement shows well people unfortunately care more about looks than preventitve maintenance.
 
delfa said:
I'm looking for problems like checking for rust or water at the bottom of your electrical panel. He also needs solutions like, checking the condition of service cable, checking the weather proof seal on meter socket, checking where the cable penetrates the building. I know you guys can help me out because you are all so smart.
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Most of the things you mentioned are equipment condition issues - sure that is part of it - but the bigger concerns would electrical connection issues, and general code violations - or just plain dumbassed issues.

Off the top of my head I feel that the bigger safety hazards for electrical issues would be the following in residential. Seen results of fires for the first 5 below.

  1. Bare light bulbs in closets (Yes! I have this as #1)
  2. Neutral connections in service and panel feeders
  3. Same as above for MWBC
  4. Over OCP of conductors
  5. Faulty OCP - short of replacement there is no way to check for this, but FPE panels do not have the best reputation - I recommend replacement in most situations where FPE is used for branch circuits.
  6. GFCI protection where required.
  7. Device condition and general installation practices.
Much of the above can be done in a simple inspection by opening panels, spot checking devices, and general visual inspection of wiring methods. For #1 just open all the closets - and look up.... In many buildings of a particular era I do this and find a pillow or box leaning on a bare 150W bulb in a porcelain pull-chain :rolleyes: a fire waiting to happen.

Mostly in terms of code violations I find them after someone buys a house then decides to re-model it. That's when all of the previous owners shoddy handyman work comes out to shine. Really you would be surprised at what you find just opening a box or two in an older molested home - even many unmolested homes... I view all buildings wired in the 70's with suspicion... :rolleyes:

Otherwise certain practices and conditions can be a hazard and finding them before they go up in flames is a good thing. Like a 15a breaker pulling 50a for years, and the wire was so hot the insulation would blow off in the breeze like chalk dust - had it not been K&T it would have shorted, since the 15a FPE held at ~50 - who knows 10kA might have held too?
 
delfa said:
the boss is doing a tv spot to increase our electrical calls. He asked me to come up with some common residential problems for him to talk about on a home owners level. He's a plumber so I have to make it real simple for him to understand too.
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So, toss out the 30 second spot, and go for the 1/2 hour infomercial. :D
 
th_briantpanel001.jpg
If your breakers look like this..... you might want to call us.
 
If I were going for the "hidden problem" that most home owners aren't looking at everyday, I would get a picture of an old P.O.S panel crammed full of 50 years of handyman add-ons then cut to a picture of a nice new panel. All nice and safe with AFCI's and groomed like a show dog. Easy money and a full days work, not changing light bulb's for spare change. :grin:
 
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