This article discusses many common misunderstandings about the function of the neutral wire and its relation to power problems. The subjects of dedicated lines, phase reversal, isolation transformers, ...

According to IEEE/ANSI Standard C62.41-1991 (formerly IEEE Standard 587), Recommended Practice on Surge Voltages in Low-Voltage AC Power Circuits, the worst normal mode surge expected inside a ...

A friend who was buying an older house was concerned about electrical safety and asked for my opinion as an electrical engineer. All of the AC receptacles (also called outlets) in the house were the ...

The multi-wire branch is here to stay; so is ground fault protection. But we should unite these technologies only when it’s a good match. Ground-fault protection and the multi-wire branch circuit ...

First on the electrical wire color code is black. “Black wires are most used as ‘hot’ wires in residential systems,” says master electrician Allyson Saling with Frontdoor home services app. “Hot or ...

Copper metal is usually at the core of any electrical wire, and this carries the current for the entire device. Wire insulation is another crucial but understated component. Common wire is insulated ...