Every home requires electricity for wholesome living, and this necessitates proper electrical wiring. A poorly wired house could deal with a lot of avoidable problems that include increased consumption rate, electrical damages as well as fire breakouts. This is why it is important to understand residential electrical wiring. This article will address everything that you need to know about the topic.
The Basics Of Residential Electrical Wiring
Technology has evolved as is evident with the new building structures and other amazing feats in the world today. In recent decades, houses have been wired using the NEC electric code. The NEC code identifies electrical cables and wires with the use of color. These colors include green, white, black, red, and yellow. These colors ensure that the wiring of a home is carried out safely with no complications.
How To Connect Electrical Wires
Connecting electrical wires is pretty straightforward if you can identify the different components of a wiring system. Knowing what every wire color represents is another crucial part of connecting electrical wires correctly.
– Black Wires: Black wires are hot wires. These wires are responsible for carrying the electrical load from the main source, which is the electric service panel to the needed outlet.
– Red Wires: Like black wires, red wires are also hot wires. Their main function is the interconnection of smoke detectors. The way red wires work, once one alarm goes, all the others will follow in quick succession.
– White and Gray Wires: White and gray wires are the neutral wires in the circuit. They connect to the neutral bus bar, which then attracts current and transports it around the house. Although they are neutral, white and gray wires can still carry charges.
– Green Wires: Green wires are responsible for connecting the grounding terminal, running the charge into a ground bus bar. The function of green wires is very crucial as they provide an avenue for current to escape, in the unfortunate event that a live wire comes in contact with a conductor.
Wiring For Residential Buildings
The wiring for residential buildings is usually done with nonmetallic cables. Made up of two or more wires wrapped in colored sheathing, nonmetallic cables provide maximum protection for homeowners. A typical nonmetallic cable is made up of one hot wire, a neutral, and a ground. The composition could vary from one package to another.
DIY Wiring Tips
Below are tips to follow if you intend to carry out a DIY wiring job.
- Get Your Tools: It is important to get all your necessary tools before you start on any DIY wiring task. A multimeter and wire stripper are essentials.
- Know Each Wire: You should know each wire and what they represent beforehand. This will help you avoid electric shock and ensure that your house is properly wired.
- Have Extra Wire: The trick is to have more wire than you need. This will keep you covered in the case that some wire is damaged.
If you cannot handle the wiring, it is best to hire a professional electrician in Sydney.
