(Translations are approximate)

(908) 766-1010   (908) 735-5577   (973) 966-8010

(All telephone numbers reach us at the same office.)



Our web site and specifically this page has helped many people save money.  Some have asked about making a contribution to show their appreciation and support the effort, almost like shareware software. 
If you want to contribute, click where you see the word Contribute after each section.  We like helping and the feedback we get shows we're on the right track. 

Email: Paul@A-1ElectricCo.com


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Air Conditioning: Central Air   or  Room Air conditioners or in attics or finished basements

Central air conditioning:
Your air conditioning system has 2 key components:

Helpful Hint:  HELP, MY AIR CONDITIONING DOESN'T WORK AND I CAN'T GET COOL!
     

 

Check the air coming out of the vents.

 Then continue checking these items.

No air is coming out of the house air ducts.  If the check list to the right doesn't solve it, call us to fix the electrical problem.

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  1.  Is the thermostat switch set for 'Cool'?

  2.  Make sure it is not set to 'Heat' or 'Off'. 

  3.  Try setting the switch to from 'Auto' to 'Fan' to manually make the fan run.   (If this makes air flow but it isn't cold, go to "Air comes out cold" section below)

  1.  Is the safety switch for the furnace turned on?  (You may have  one on the furnace and often at the top of the basement stairs.)

  1.  Is the fan door (bottom panel of the furnace) secure? 
     Try banging the upper edge of it to be sure the safety interlock  switch behind the panel is pressed in.

  1.  Make sure the circuit breaker for the furnace or air handler  has not tripped.   Try clicking it Off and then back On.

 If none of these items resolve the problem, it's time to give us a call. 

 

Air comes out but never gets cold.  The answers to these questions determine whether to call us or an air conditioning company.

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  1. Is the outside compressor running?  Listen and/or see if the big  fan out on the unit is turning. 
     If not:  check the double circuit breaker near the unit, and at  the circuit breaker box.  Turn the breakers off, and then back  on.  If this doesn't help, it's time to call us.

  2. If the outside unit seems to be running fine (but nothing gets  cold), you need to call an a/c company since electrically,  everything is working.  You may need refrigerant or a compressor.

Room Air Conditioners
Typically, you can only have 1 unit on a circuit.  If it doesn't work, check the outlet with a lamp.  If there's no power, check the circuit breakers.

A/C systems in attics and finished basements 

A normal part of the a/c systems is condensation on the cooling coils.  This water (condensate) is collected and drained away.... and usually works fine.  But sometimes the drain line gets clogged, or the condensate pump (no always needed) stops working.  You want to know when there's a problem, and if the unit is in an attic or finished basement, you want the system to stop before it causes damage to the sheetrock, carpets, etc.   We can install safety shut-off switches for the condensate drain pipe and a float shut-off switch for the overflow basin. (These devices shut-off the a/c unit if water backs up in the drain line (if plugged by debris or mice debris) or the coils freeze (and thaw) from an a/c malfunction.) You want the system to stop, even if you're not home, before water causes damage.

 


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Aluminum wiring

Electrical wires are composed of either copper or aluminum conductors. Copper costs more and is heavier and less flexible.
Aluminum wire requires special anti-oxidant compounds at connection points. Most common house wiring uses copper. Between
1970 and 1973 or so, a small percentage of  houses were wired with aluminum wire throughout the house. There are 2 issues with aluminum wiring:


For these reasons, aluminum wires are only to be connected to outlets and switches, etc. that have been tested, rated and marked "For
Aluminum Wire".  Most switches and outlets are tested, rated and marked "For Copper Wire Only".

It should be noted that both copper and aluminum wiring could have loose connections that cause problems. We get calls to solve
power problems for both copper and aluminum wired homes..

Helpful Hint:  If a house has aluminum wiring, there are 5 options:

  1. Do nothing. There are many houses with aluminum wire that have not experienced any problems. Knowing that your house has aluminum wires is no reason to panic but you should be alert to symptoms that may indicate problems: warm outlets or switches, flickering lights, etc..

  2. Purple-wirenut pig-tailing - no longer recommended.  This means redoing all connections of aluminum wires with a copper tail that is then used to connect to the normal outlets and switches.  In the past, a special designed purple wire nut was used but there have been issues reported with the connections.

  3. Pressure-crimp terminations. This is only available from a limited number of certified contractors who have have been trained with the process by the  manufacture.  This is also uses the special anti-oxidant compound but with a special tool to squeeze the connections.

  4. Set-screw pressure-crimp terminations.  Using special (expensive) set-screw connectors, copper wires are pigtailed to the aluminum wires and normal outlets and switches are installed.   We can do this type of installation for $60 per outlet, switch, light, etc. 

  5. Replace all aluminum wires with copper wires.  The cost would vary depending on the house but roughly, expect a ranch house to be around $15,000 and a 2-story colonial to be around $25,000.   A split level would probably be in between.  Depending on basement and attic access, some holes and patching might be necessary.



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Arc-fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI)

Arc-fault circuit interrupters are based on newer technology.  (These are not GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters.  Click here for information on GFCIs.)  The purpose of AFCIs is to to detect a small spark that could cause a fire and shut off the breaker.  The spark could be due to a break in a wire,  a short circuit, bad connections, etc.  The problem is that when you flip a switch or plug in or unplug an appliance that is turned on, you get a small spark.  No one wants to have to constantly be resetting breakers in normal daily living.  The design has been improving so that these very sensitive devices do not cause nuisance trips; time will tell.
Here's a link for more technical data from the US Fire Administration web site.



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Attic Roof Fans

Click here if your attic roof fan no longer works.

First, some definitions:


From mid-spring until early fall, the sun beats down on the roof top and heats up the attic space.  It can get up to 130° F.  If this hot air is not cleared out, it will slowly saturate the beams, insulation, ceilings and walls. The large mass of hot air and the heated wood, insulation and sheet rock slowly transfers this heat to the top floor (or main floor of a ranch style house).  This is why the outside can be cooling off in the afternoon/evening but the house is still getting hotter and hotter inside.

The solution is to get rid of this high volume of hot air.  With a typical thermostat setting of 110° F, the roof fan turns on, pulls out the hot air out, replacing it with cooler air being pulled in through the vents.  A roof fan can pull air through the 2 gable vents and/or soffit vents on the roof overhang.  Even if it's 90° outside, that's a lot cooler than the 130° attic air.

Click here to see some photos of an attic roof fan installation.

Helpful hints:

If your attic fan has stopped working, it's either the motor or the thermostat; we can't know until we see it.  However, we can give an estimate for the following scenarios:

Note:  Replacements are taxable repairs, new installations are capital improvements which are not taxable.

Type of attic/house

Price

Flow Capacity

Attic square footage

Regular attic of older homes  (pre-1985)

$635.00

1250 CFM

1400-1800 Square. Feet

Large, high volutme attics of newer homes with steep roofs

$825.00

1530 CFM

up to  2200 Square Feet

Give us a call or send an email so we can get things back working as soon as possible.


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Bathroom Exhaust fans

These fans can be very effective.  To rid a bathroom of unwanted humidity, heat or odors, it's important to consider some important points:

It's important to use the right fan and install it properly.   We have several options, but we usually recommend larger, quieter fans.  In some cases, we will do a fan with more than one 'port' in the room to ventilate the area well.
If you have an old fan that's not working well.  We can sometimes get replacement parts, or we will replace the entire unit.  There's always a solution.



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Bulbs and Broken bulbs

Bulbs come in different sizes, shapes, colors, brightness and longevity.  Some bulbs are interchangeable, some are not.  Here's how to make some bright decisions:

CFL (compact fluorescent bulbs)

These bulbs are basically fluorescent bulbs folded into a small size with a built-in ballast.  They use less energy and last longer.  A 13 watt CFL can give the light of a 60 watt regular incandescent bulb.  If you have a dimmer for the lights, be sure the CFL bulbs are labeled "Dimmable", otherwise they will flicker.  

Not only are CFLs available in different wattages and shapes, including candelabra, there are also different colors available.  Cool white is good for task lighting, but warm white is nicer in a lamp, etc.  They even make one as a black light!

 

LED (Light emitting diodes)

These screw-in bulbs are getting better and less expensive.  The LED bulbs may last 50,000 hours instead of 1500-2000 hours for an incandescent but they are  still quite expensive.  You can spend from $35-$125 per bulb.  There are many factors: wattage, dimmable or not, color output and more.  As of Jan. 2010, I don't think they are cheap enough to be viable unless a light is always on, or it's difficult to replace the bulb.   Click here for more detailed information.

Broken bulbs, how to remove them:



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Carbon Monoxide (CO) sensors



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Ceiling Fans

Fans are a popular and efficient way to cool a room.  We can add a fan in virtually any location.  Some points to consider:

We have a few pictures of a particularly challenging fan installation (all wood paneling without any access above or below).  Click here.

Helpful Hints:
If your fan is not working:

  1. Is there power to other items in the room, wall outlets, lights?

  2. Is there a wall switch that is turned off?

  3. If there are pull-chains, try pulling each one once.  Perhaps the setting was changed.

  4. Check the reversing switch (most fans) to be sure it didn't get bumped into a middle position which is neither "Summer" nor "Winter".



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Circuit Breakers

Most homes today have circuit breakers in their main electrical panel.  You may also have a sub-panel located near the main panel, or elsewhere in the house.  Circuit breakers are designed to trip when there is too much electricity flowing on the wires.  If you overload the wires, they overheat and can melt causing a fire hazard. 

Helpful Hint: If you have power out in part of the house, it may be a wiring problem without tripping a breaker.  If so, you need an electrician.  If you have a tripped breaker, read on.

There are 3 reasons for a tripping circuit breaker:

  1. Overloaded circuit and wires - inconvenient and possible hazard

  2. Short circuit - a hazard needs to be found and fixed

  3. Defective breaker - easier to fix, but rarely happens.

 

Overloading:

Occasionally, a breaker will trip from a simple overload and merely needs to be reset.  The question is: Which breaker is it?  Some breakers will look a little different when they trip from an overload.  If you know which breaker it is, try resetting it.

Helpful Hint:  Most circuit breakers need to be clicked 'Off' and then back 'On' when they trip. If you don't first click it 'Off', you will not be resetting it.  Also, read the Safety note and Helpful Hint further down in this section.

Overloading the wires is often caused by using more appliances than the wire can handle.  If you have a 15 amp breaker (for a 15 amp wire), it will trip if you are trying to use 20 amps at the same time.  You can't simply change the 15 amp breaker to a 20 amp breaker since it is connected to a 15 amp wire.  The analogy would be using a water pipe designed for 15 pounds of pressure and deciding to use 20 pounds of pressure instead - not a good idea.

How do you know how much electricity you're using?   A 1800 watt hair dryer uses 15 amps (Watts=Volts x Amps) 1800 watts ---- divided by 120 volts---- equals 15 amps). 

Here's a simple chart.  Of course, your appliance may vary.

Appliance Typical wattage Amps
Coffee maker 200   2
Computer (desktop) 200   2
Dehumidifer 900   8
Electric Curlers/Straightener 300 3
Freezer 500   4
Hair dryer 1800-2000 16
Iron 1200 10
Microwave oven 1500 13
Refrigerator 850   7
Toaster 1200 10
Treadmill 2000 17
TV 300 3
Vacuum Cleaner 1800 15

 

Short circuit

If power goes out and the breaker cannot reset, you have an electrical problem that needs to be found and corrected.

Safety Note:  If a short circuit is the cause of the tripped breaker, you will probably hear a buzz and/or see a the light flicker when you turn the breaker on, and the the breaker will turn off again.  DO NOT RESET the breaker again.  It's time to call us to find the problem and fix it.

Helpful Hint:  If you don't know which breaker it is, you can go through all the circuit breakers one by one (except the main breaker).  Click each breaker 'Off' and then back 'On'.
Why not reset the main breaker?  The main breaker has probably not been moved in many years.  At best, it will be very stiff and hard to move, at worst, it may not turn back on again and you will be completely without power.  (We get this kind of call on a Sunday afternoon from the do-it-yourselfer.)  If you think you need to shut-off the main breaker, you probably don't know enough working electricity and should instead call a professional.

Defective breaker

Sometimes the problem is simply a bad breaker, perhaps less than 2% of the time.  On power problem calls, we check that right away to be sure it's not a simply issue.  Then we go on to locating the short circuit.

Helpful Hint:  If the above hints do not solve your problem, read up on GFI outlets (and GFI breakers) in this section.


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Computer Power
Occassionally, we get a call about a potential  power problem involving  a computer that keep shutting off, even though it has a UPS (Uninterupptable Power Supply).  The UPS converts its backup battery power to 120 volts when the power goes out.  A simple, normal voltage drop in the house will trigger the UPS to try to run off the battery.  If the battery or UPS unit is bad, you end up with a computer shut-down.  It's normal for a brief voltage drop to occur when a refrigerator or an air conditioner starts.

Helpful Hint:  Test your UPS unit by unplugging it from the wall outlet and see how long the system works.  No UPS is better than a defective UPS.


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Computer Networking
Sharing files, printers and internet access (e.g. Broadband: Cable Modem or DSL)

As more people use more computers at home and at work, they want to be able to use files, printers, internet access, etc. from more than one computer.  The answer is interconnecting the computers with network wiring.  You can share as much or as little as you want.  Perhaps you just want to use the other computer's printer, or use the files when you're using a laptop.  More common now is the request to share internet access.  Since Broadband (Cable Modem or DSL) can cost $40-$50 a month, per modem, if you have more than one computer, you want to avoid having more than 1 monthly fee.  By the way, you don't have to leave one computer on for the other computer use the cable/DSL modem.
Some people opt to use wireless networking.  There are issues to be understood before going that route:
Security - the modems have to be configured to prevent outsiders from getting access to your network, or your passwords, credit card info, etc.  The default settings do not provide security.
Reliability - the wireless networks have evolved to different frequencies: 900 MHz, 2 GHz, 5 GHz.  These same frequencies are used for your cordless telephones.  When you use the phones, they can disrupt the networks.  Even microwave ovens can interfere with the network functions.  We have customers who tried wireless, but switched to hardwire due to these issues.
Distance/speed - some installations just don't provide the speed you need due to the distances between the network points.

For going with a hardwired computer network, here's the typical recipe:

  1. Start with (1) Internet access with either a cable or DSL modem.  ($40-$50 per month)

  2. Add (1) router to control/manage access among the computers. (Purchase for about $100)

  3. Add network cabling (also called CAT 5 or category 5 cabling) to link the computers together at the router.  The cost of the wiring depends on the location of the computers and the access for running the wires.  For 2 computers, the cost is usually $300 -$400.  Connecting additional computers would cost about $250 each.  The cost varies based on the access for running the wires and whether they are on different floors.

 


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What is "The Code"?

The National Electric Code (NEC) was initiated back in 1897. Over the years, the National Fire Protection Association has sponsored the NEC to ensure the "practical safeguarding of persons and property from the hazards arising from the use of electricity." The NEC is revised every 3 years; some changes are minor in scope, some are quite extensive. In order for licensed electricians to stay 'current', we are required to take a 24 hours of continuing education course for each code cycle. 9 hours are spent on code revisions and 1 hour on the law and regulations for electrical contractors. The remaining 24 are for technical and other subjects.


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Dimmers
Dimmers are a simple and nice update to a home.  They allow you to adjust the lighting to fit the situaion.
Dimming the lights does make them last longer and you use less electricity.  But you do loose a little efficiency (2%) at the outset.  A fixture without a dimmer is slightly brighter than a fixture with a dimmer at full On. 
Dimmers have rated capacities, usually 600 watts.  (You add up the wattage of all the bulbs controlled by the dimmer.)  Special dimmers can handler 1000 watts and 1500 watts.  If dimmers are put side by side, they must be derated so they don't overheat: 600 watts down to 525 watts, or sometimes 450 watts. 
It's normal for the dimmer to get warm while in use.  (2% of the electricity is lost to heat in dimmers)  Go to this link for more information from Lutron.

Helpful Hint:  A dimmer that is warm is normal but they should not get so hot that you get burned when you touch it.  A metal switch plate dissipates the heat evenly, a plastic plate's metal screws will get extra hot as they conduct the heat away.


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Dryers
Dryers usually do their job without fuss.  What can you do to be safer?  Be sure you clean your lint trap every load, and check/clean your dryer vent both inside the house and out.  At the outside of the house, lint often clogs the louvers, reducing air flow and adding to the time it takes to do a load.  You can even vacuum out the outer piece.   Also, although awkward, it wouldn't hurt to disconnect the dryer duct at the back of the unit and clean it as well.

 

Helpful Hint:  Here's a checklist/chart:

Problem Gas  (120 volt normal plug) Electric (240 volt large cable or large cord and plug)
Dryer does not run at all 1.  Check the outlet with a lamp to see if it works.
  1. If is works, you need to call an appliance repair shop. (We can recommend some.)
  2. if not, follow the directions about circuit breaker (Click it Off and then On again) If this doesn't solve it, call us.
 It is usually a double wide 30-amp breaker.  Click it Off and then back On again.  If this doesn't solve it, call us.
Dryer runs but does not dry Since the power is working, you need to call an appliance repair shop. (We can recommend some.)   This indicates that only part of the power is working.  

If you have an electric stove/oven or central a/c do they work properly?  Do your lights flicker or do they get brighter than usual sometimes?

  1. If not, you have a main household power problem it could be a street/utility problem or a home electrical problem.  Call us.
  2. If they work fine, try resetting the dryer breaker.  If there's still a problem, call us or an appliance repair shop.  
Dryer takes a long time to dry. Check the dryer vent to see if air flows freely.

If the heat cycles On and Off frequently, it is probably an appliance problem. 

You need to call an appliance repair shop. (We can recommend some.)

Check the dryer vent to see if air flows freely.  Generally, the electric heat portion works normally, or not at all.  You need to call an appliance repair shop. (We can recommend some.)



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What is the Electrical License?

The New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors issues electrical licenses to qualified individuals who have passed a state exam. To take the exam, a combination of work experience and education is required. The license must be renewed every 3 years along with the business permit to operate. It is illegal to do electrical contracting without a license and business permit. There are some exceptions, including work under 10 volts, work on an individual house by the homeowner or immediate family. The Board of Examiners can reprimand and fine people and businesses for violating the rules and regulations.

A-1 Electric Co., Inc.  is licensed by the state to perform electrical work and repairs. We must qualify for renewal every 3 years. To file an electrical permit for work on someone's home or office, you must be a licensed electrical contractor. Among the few exceptions, homeowners can file a permit to work on their own homes if they are the only residents. For example, if you own and live in a family house, you cannot do electrical work since it could endanger the other family.

A license does not guaranteed results.  You need to evaluate any contractor for reliability and competence.  If you don't understand something, you should ask.  Even technical issues should be explained in a satisfactory way to you.

Helpful Hint:  You can check on the validity and status of a license holder for electricians and other trades licensed in New Jersey.  Call 24 hours a day: (973) 273-8090 .  You will be prompted for the occupation code (190 for electrical contractors), or you can select from their list.  Finally you provide the license number (8460A for A-1 Electric Co., Inc.)


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Electric Utility Vs Homeowner – Who Owns What?

If your outside wiring is deteriorated or a storm damages your home's exterior wiring, are you or the utility company responsible for repairs?

In general, the power company is responsible for the street wiring and the wiring up to where it attaches to your house.  Also, they own the (glass) electric meter.  The homeowner is responsible for the wiring as it comes down the side of the house (for most homes without underground service).

The following areas are the homeowner's responsibility:

It should be noted that during repairs, additional work may be required to make your electrical system comply with National Electric Code requirements that have been updated over the years.


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Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Panels

A special note about the circuit breaker panel brand known as Federal Pacific or Stab-Lok

Many electricians and inspectors complain about this panel.  Some even say it is unsafe.  At one point we told customers that we hadn't seen any specific problems.  That changed one day when we saw two serious instances when we thought the breakers should have tripped and they didn't.  One case was significant in that I saw sparks come off the pole in the street but no breaker tripped.  From that day, our story has changed and we recommend that the panels be changed.  Due to age and corrosion of the main service wires and meter box, this may mean the entire service entrance wiring also has to be changed, see the Special Note below.   A service change is not a minor job so you may want to read more about this panel issue.  

This link takes you to a US Consumer Safety Commission notice in 1983 that says they didn't have the resources to determine whether they were safe as the new company owners claimed.  Basically, they didn't have the resources to check it out.

Click on http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm to read an articles that find the breakers to be a hazard.   It listsother resources available.   For more information on replacing your panel, go to Service Upgrades.

Special note:  If the panel is replaced, it probably means the main service cable on the side of the house, and the meter box should be replaced also.  Everything is probably over 30 years old, deteriorated and corroded.  In some cases, the original wires will not even reach the new terminals on the panel.

If you've been living in a house with this Federal Pacific Stab-Lok brand panel, you have a choice:


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Fluorescent Lights

These bulbs used to only come as long white tubes ranging from 1 foot up to 12 feet.  The new screw-in fluorescent bulbs to replace standard bulbs are becoming more and more useful.   Although older fluorescent fixtures only work above 50 F.degrees, they now make new energy efficient fluorescent fixtures with electronic ballasts that are brighter, turn on instantly and work in temperatures down to 20 F.  These are great for garage and basement lighting.

Long or circular fluorescent bulbs:

Screw-in Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs:


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Generators
If the power goes out, do you worry about your heat, sump pump, water and other needs?  A generator can provide power for your house when you need it.  Portable generators can help parts of a house with temporary extension cords, but the cords don't help with the furnace or well pumps.  Fully automatic generators can do part or all of a house.Virtually all generators have an electric start with a pull-cord back-up.  But you have to consider a few elements when deciding what you want:

  1. What are the important items to run?  We find the vital circuits are for  sump pumps, well pumps, furnaces, refrigerators, lights. (Click here to download a helpful list/calculator.)

  2. Manual or Automatic?  

  3. Stationary, or on wheels?  In most cases, people have the generator stored in the garage and wheel it into place when they need it.  Sometimes, it is permanently secured.

  4. Fuel Type:  The basic manual generators use normal unleaded fuel.  For these, you have to refill them occasionally just like a lawn mower.  If your house has natural gas or propane, you can have a permanently installed automatic generator with natural gas feeding it.

Helpful Hint Don't you wish there was an easy-to-follow instruction set for connecting to your generator.  We have written our own step-by-step  instruction sheet.  The aim was simplicity and understanding.  We have similar but different instructions for your scenario:  gasoline or natural gas, Cutler Hammer or GenTrans transfer switch.

 

 

Generator Type

Price Range (varies with size and equipment
Manual or Automatic
Appliances with Plugs (refrigerator, sump pump, microwave oven
(Direct-wired 120 and 240 volt)
Furnace, Well pump,
Fuel type
Portable
Notes / Comments

Simple, portable generator (electric or pull-start)  (without other accessories)

.

.

.


$500 -$1500
Manual
Yes
No
Gasoline
Yes
Simple but limited.  With extension cords, you can only power plug-in appliances, such as: 
  • sump pump and/or ejector pump

  • lamps

  • refrigerator 

  • (and with a modification, a furnace)

Portable generator
(electric or pull-start)  with Transfer Switch or Breaker-Interlock (and special twist-lock outlet and cord)
$3500 - $6000
Manual
Yes
Yes
Gasoline or Diesel
Yes
 

A typical transfer switch panel can power 8-12 circuits in the house, including:

  • sump pump and/or ejector pump

  • furnaces (more than one)

  • well pump

  • ceiling lights

  • built-in refrigerators and freezers


==> New:  We have a full panel power option that allows you to use different circuits at different times (so you don't overload the generator).

==> We can also add a power consumption meter to monitor your power usage.

Fully Automatic Generator 

.

$8000 - $12,000 + (including plumbing work, may do portion or all of house.)
Automatic
(Yes)
Yes
Natural gas (piped) or Propane
No
 

Exercises and Self-tests regularly; works even if no one is home.

  • Brand/maintenance note:  

  • Generac talks about needing to adjust the valve tappet clearance after 6 months.  That's a laborious process that went out of use in car engines in the 1960s.  

  • Kohler has hydraulic self-adjusting lifters.



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GFIs or GFCIs

Helpful Hints: Do you have some lights or outlets not working?  A GFI outlet or GFI circuit breaker may have tripped. 
(Common areas affected by GFI outlets include: bathroom outlets, garage wall outlets, outside outlets,  outlets in unfinished basements.   Kitchen counter outlets also now have GFI outlets but they operate independently from the bathroom, garage, etc.)
Also read the sections: "Overloaded circuits" and "Short circuits".

Safety Information

General Background

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI or GFI) are special electronic devices to protect people from fatal electric shocks. Note, however, that you can still get a shock. There's an important difference between these devices and circuit breakers or fuses. Breakers and fuses are designed to disconnect power from a circuit when there is too much electrical current flowing. If too much current flows, the wires will overheat and create a fire hazard. Most circuit breakers are 15 or 20 amps, this equals 15,000 or 20,000 milli-amps. The bad news: it can take as little as 10 milli-amps to fatally shock someone. The good news: GFIs are designed to shut-off when it determines that only 5 milli-amps are "missing", presumably it could be shocking someone.

GFIs were first instituted into the electrical code requirements for bathroom outlets in the early 1970s. Over time, they have proven their effectiveness and have become required in more an more situations. Now, GFI protection is required in areas where the potential for shocks is quite likely: bathrooms, kitchens, unfinished basements, garages, outdoors, jacuzzis, hot tubs.

According to when your house was built, or when work was done in certain areas, you can expect to find Ground Fault protection in the following areas:

Starting in
  Year         Location
1973                 Bathroom outlets
1973                 Outside outlets
1987                 Garage outlets
1987                 Outlets in unfinished basements, crawl spaces
1993                 Kitchen counter outlets within 6’ of sink
1996                 All kitchen counter outlets

Remember: Outlets in one location may be protected by outlets in another location. If you have an outlet not working in one of these areas, check the other areas to look for the resetable outlet with push buttons.  And don't forget to check the circuit breaker box to see if there is an unusual GFI breaker with a push-button there.


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Grounded outlets

Grounded outlets have the '3rd hole' for the ground wire connection. Most electrical work after 1960 or so have grounded outlets. A few things to note:



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Heating problems

There are 5 common types of heating systems:


Helpful Hints:  If your heat is not working, here are there are some basic items to check:

Hot air systems:

Hot water baseboard:

Steam heat:


Electric heat:
Is it just one, or several baseboard heaters that are not working?

Heat Pump
If you get air coming through the ducts but no heat, the heat pump (a/c compressor) may not be running.  Read about central air conditioners above, and check whether the unit is running.  You will probably need to contact a heating/cooling contractor.  (You can call us for a referral if you want.)


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Holiday lights not lighting?

If your holiday lights are giving trouble, it can stress anyone, whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or an other celebration.  Here are some ideas:


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Home Inspections

When buying a home, the home inspection is very important.  A large investment needs qualified, professional help.  A good realtor is step one.  A good lawyer and title search comes next.  Evaluating the physical house is also key.   It would be a foolish mistake to buy without getting an inspection by a qualified inspector.  However, there are 2 basic issues to remember:
1.)  Inspectors are generalists. They can give an overview of what they can see and offer opinions based on their experience.  Usually, they are on target but sometimes they are wrong.  They can miss items, misjudge the seriousness or underestimate the cost to fix the problem.  When in doubt, talk to an experienced specialist, eg. Plumber, electrician, roofer, etc.
2.)  How did you learn of the inspector?  Remember that the inspector is balancing 2 issues.  If the inspector is too strict, rigid and pessimistic, he may not get a referral next time.  If  he is too casual and optimistic, he may miss items and end up being sued.  It's not an easy job.

Although it would be nice to hire several experts instead of a generalist, it isn't practical at the outset.  Get the overall inspection first.  But if there are any flags raised, consider hiring an specialist to evaluate the house.

What are the most common problems we get calls for?  "Doubled tapped" wires on breakers, ungrounded or reverse wired outlets, Federal Pacific - Stab Lok panels, and extension cords (temporary wiring) for permanent equipment such as garage door openers, lights, etc.   Except for the Federal Pacific panel issue, these are smaller items to correct.  If you want to make a good impression on a potential buyer, have these problems addressed before you get an inspection.

Helpful Hint
Buying a house?  Has the house been remodeled and upgraded?  Who did it and what were their qualifications?  Is the work sloppy and amateurish?  When done by a unqualified homeowner or unqualified professional,  the work can be dangerous and expensive to correct.  (Of course, everyone says their work is good.  Have you ever heard anyone say their work is not any good!)  You may want to live in this house but you should be making an informed decision knowing its potential hazards and costs.

Selling a house?  Go through your house ahead of time and look for improper items that you've lived with over the years.   What do you think the buyer and home inspector will think when they see it?   Your realtor can be helpful in sharing experience garnered over the years of how people react.  Taking care of problems before hand is easier, cheaper and less stressful than waiting until the last minute. 


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Hot Tubs

The requirements of the water pumps, air blowers and heating coils require a lot of power, as much as a double oven!  Not only will a heavy duty circuit be required, but special ground-fault protection is needed as well.  There are also requirements about the location of outlets nearby and an accessible power disconnect.  This makes the electrical installation quite involved.  It can cost from $900 - $1800 depending on where the hot tub is going, the difficulty of running the wiring and other items required to pass the electric code.

Helpful Hints:


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Humidistats

Since forced hot air systems dry the air while they heat it, humidifiers are used to add moisture back to the air.  A humidistat checks the humidity level and turns the humidifier on when necessary.  The humidistat may be attached to the ducting near the heater to measure the return air, or it may be located next to the thermostat in the house.  Generally 40% humidity is a good setting.  If it gets very cold, 40% humidity may cause the warm humid air to condense on the cold windows.  If this happens, simply lower the setting 5% at a time for a few hours to see if the situation 'clears' up.


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Kitchens

Kitchens are where the action is.  Kitchens are where families spend a lot of time.  People cook, do paperwork and homework and socialize.  It's no wonder it's one of the most electrically complex areas of the house.  Quite simply, people use a lot of electricity there.  You heat a lot of things all at once, you use appliances, you need lots of light to see.  Older homes often have 1 circuit for the kitchen outlets and lights, often fed from the basement below where the washer and dryer are.  Well,  30 years ago, we weren't using the microwave ovens, toasters and toaster/ovens, coffee makers, dishwashers like today.

In the interest of safety, the electric code looks to reduce overloaded wires (fire hazard), extension cords (tripping and damaged wiring hazard) and dangerous electrical situations (shock hazard).  Over time, the code has required more and larger capacity circuits than before, as well as GFI outlets for personal safety.  Although older homes may not have the specifications we need today, kitchen remodeling will require you to comply with today's code.  Remember that the code is modified over time based on problems and hazards that have been reported in the real world.  Here's a rundown of the code requirements and why:

At least two 20 amp circuits for the kitchen counters, and not shared with anything else in the house except the dining room outlets.  This is to prevent tripping circuit breakers from too many things running at once on the circuit.  Even small microwave ovens can use as much power as a hairdryer.  A look at the chart below will give you some idea of the power needs in the kitchen.  As a comparison, note how little power a 60 watt bulb needs.
     

 


Bulb

Microwave

Coffemaker

Toaster/Oven

Dishwasher

Refrigerator

Watts

60 

1500

750

1350

720

1200

Amps

0.5

12.5

6

11

6

8 -12

Outlets for the kitchen counter need to be protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFI or GFCI).  This is usually a special outlet with push buttons for Test and Reset on it.  One of these special outlets can protect other normal-looking outlets on the counter.  Newer homes will probably have at least 2 of these special outlets on the counter.  Refer to the GFI section for more general information.

Since counter outlet circuits are supposed to be dedicated to the countertop, other items such as refrigerator, lights, hood, dishwasher, garbage disposal are not to be on the same circuit.


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Knob and Tube wiring

Knob and tube wiring was one of the first methods of running electrical power in a house.  It served its purpose well for many years but its exposed installation and age makes it a safety issue.  Home insurance companies often require it to be replaced before they will insure a house.  It's a lot like tires, even if they've been great for years (and even if they've just been sitting there doing nothing), they deteriorate and need to be replaced.
This link takes to a good article decribing knob and tube wiring in greater detail.


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Lightning

It's virtually impossible to prevent lightning strikes.  Lightning rods may provide an easy path to ground to minimize the effect of lightning on the house but they're unsightly, expensive and difficult to find certified installers.  (We do not install lightning rod systems.)  Furthermore, damage to the electronics of a house may not come from a direct hit, but could come in via power lines, telephone lines or cable TV lines. We can install Surge suppressors and lightning arrestors at the panel are good ways to minimize the damage.  Go to Surge Suppressors for more information and prices.
 

What do you do if your house had been damage by lightning?
Since most home insurance provides coverage (less the deductible), it's important to compile a thorough list of what has been damaged.  As you scan the list before, you'll probably be surprised at how many things in your house contain electronics and can be affected.

 

Alarm system

Garage door openers

Sprinkler system controls

Audio equipment (all components)

GFI outlets (inside and outside)

Surge suppressors

Computers, modems, scanners, printers, fax machine

Jacuzzi

Timers

Dimmers

Low voltage transformers for thermostats, doorbells, intercoms, alarms

Video equipment (TVs, VCRs, DVDs)

Exercise equipment 

Smoke detectors (120 volt type)

Water softener control


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Motion Sensors

Motion sensors to control lights are a great invention!  They're economical, practical and reliable.  They usually are used to control outdoor floodlights or fixtures.  The purpose is to turn on the lights if it's dark and there is motion in the area.

If you want to manually turn the lights on, even if there is no motion triggering the lights, the sensor had a built-in feature that lets you use the wall switch to override the sensor.  (This feature only works when it's dark.)

Helpful Hint:  The switch for the motion sensor light must stay on.  This allows the electricity to go to the sensor for it to operate.  If the switch is off, the unit can't work.  If the unit is not working, make sure the switch is on and make sure you have good bulbs installed.  If animals trigger the light, you can try reducing the sensitivity or adjusting the aim of the sensor.

Instruction manual for our most common unit: Heath-Zenith manual


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No Power

Power problems can be divided into 2 basic categories:  house wiring problems or utility problems

Is the power out in only part of the house, only some lights or some outlets?

Also read the sections: "Overloaded circuits", "Short circuits" and "GFI outlets"

Is the power out in the entire house?


Helpful Hint:  If you notice lights getting brighter, then returning to normal, this indicates high voltages that could also affect and damage electronic devices like computers, TVs and more.  Don't delay getting this fixed.


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Overloaded Circuits

Circuit breakers and fuses are designed to protect wires from overheating due to electrical overloads. If you try to use too much electricity on a wire, it heats up and becomes a fire hazard. A good analogy would be too much water pressure in a pipe which would cause it to burst.) For example, if you have multiple electric plug-in heaters or air conditioners on a circuit, it will probably cause the circuit breaker to trip. You don't simply install a larger circuit breaker since the wire would be no larger and would still overheat. The solution is to have the appliances on separate circuits. This may mean simply plugging into another outlet on a different circuit, or we may need to add wiring to provide a separate circuit and outlet.
What are the big energy users?  If it creates heat, or cold, you can expect it to need more power than simply lights or electronics.  These items can be fine by themselves, but if they are operating at the same time as another big item, the circuit breaker may trip.  Most wall outlets and lights are on a 15 amp breaker.  Kitchen and bathroom outlets are not put on 20 amp circuits since they know these areas have heavy demands.

  Plug-in appliances  Energy load

 Air conditioners

8-14 amps 

 Coffee makers (especially big ones for parties)

12 amps

 Copying machines

12-16 amps

 Curling irons  8 amps
 Dehumidifiers 6 amps
 Electric space heaters 12 amps
 Freezer 6 amps
 Hair dryers  15-18 amps
 Irons  9 amps
 Laser printers  12 amps
 Microwave ovens (even the under-cabinet types 12-15 amps
 Refrigerators  12-15 amps
 Toaster and toaster-ovens  12-15 amps
 Treadmills  12-15 amps

 Vacuum cleaners

 9-14 amps


Helpful Hint: At first, you can't tell whether a breaker has tripped from an overloaded circuit or a short-circuit. Resetting a circuit breaker often has a trick to it that most people do not know.


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Radon fans

Important: The only way to know if your radon fan is working properly is a with a vacuum gauge (manometer).    This device tells you if there is a vacuum being created by the fan to draw out the air from beneath the basement.  If the fan is not running and/or the manometer does not indicate the proper operation of the fan, we can replace the fan.  It costs about $375, including the fan.
==> Be wary of assuming the fan is doing its job just because you can hear it running. We've seen a few cases where the fan was 'running' but it was not drawing the air out.

vacuum guage

 


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Recessed lights (also called 'high hats'):

Recessed lights are composed of the housing, which is installed in (above) the ceiling and the trim which is attached to the house and is the visible portion you see from the room.  The trims are mostly interchangeable within a brand and model.  Obviously, different size trims (4" or 6") are not interchangeable since they have different housings.  To a limited extent, some trims can be used on different brands but only in certain cases.

A key concept in lighting is determining where you need lights.  Is for general illumination, fireplace mantle or paintings?  Based on the lighting needs, we come up with a layout of lights and 'zones'.  Zones refer to which lights are to be controlled together and where the switch should be for the set of lights.

There are several types and styles of recessed lights:
 


Type

Diameter

Voltage

'Down'-lights

     6" 

120 volt

Eyeball or Regressed Eyeball

     6"

120 volt

Low Voltage or High Intensity

     6"

12 volt (with transformer)

Slope ceiling

     6"

120 volt

Mini-recessed down lights

     4"

120 volt

Mini-recessed eyeball light

     4"

120 volt

Mini-recessed low voltage/high intensity

     4"

12 volt (with transformer)

The lights come in 2 basic installation methods:
 


New work

Ceiling is open without sheet rock.

Old work

Ceiling already had sheet rock on it.

Finally there are some issues regarding the space above the ceiling and insulation:
   


Regular light housing

No thermal (fiberglass) insulation within 3"

'Thermal' light housing

Insulation can surround the fixture

Air-Tight Fixture Trim

Special trim for regular housings which prevents drafts. Requires smaller wattage bulbs.

Air-Tight housing

Fixture is completely enclosed in a metal box, thereby preventing drafts.

Most of our work is in rooms where the ceiling is already in place.  If there is a room (a bedroom, for example) above the ceiling, the work is more difficult than if there is an accessible attic.

Fortunately, we excel at adding recessed lights even if there is no access.  Usually, our work is invisible with no signs of how we got our wires into place.  Occasionally, not often, we have to make a small hole at the top of a wall to snake wires.  We only do that after checking with you first.  Any hole we make, we will patch so it's smooth again.  Even if you have wallpapered walls, we have ways to do our work 'invisibly'.  For some photographs of our lighting work, click here.


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Reverse polarity / reverse wiring

You may encounter talk about reversed wired outlets or lights. This could come during a home inspection, appliance repair, or after getting a shock from touching a lamp or appliance. Wiring is generally connected so that the 'hot' or 'live' wire is less likely to come in contact with other items. The live wire should not appear on the outside shell of a fixture or bulb, the fixture should not have power when it is turned off at the switch and appliances plugged into polarized and/or grounded outlets should have the power on the live portion. To ensure this, there is a wiring standard for appliances, lights, switches and outlets. If house wires, fixtures wires, etc. are connected incorrectly, you could have a shock hazard waiting to happen. The wiring problem may not even be at the outlet which is testing as faulty. The safest solution is to contact us. Most likely, we'll be scheduling a time to come out and correct the problem.

Helpful Hint: Hardware stores sell a simple plug-in tester that will tell you if the outlet is grounded and wired correctly.


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Service Changes and Service Upgrades

Three definitions:


When we get a call about a service change or service upgrade, our first question is: Why?
It's an expensive project and we want to be sure you're doing it for the right reason.  Although it can solve problems, by itself, it may not solve your basic issue.  If you're tripping circuit breakers or fuses, we need to discuss that and how that needs to be corrected.  That solution may involve the service change/upgrade as part of it.

There are two main reasons why you may need to replace your main electrical panel:

  1. The circuit breaker panel is corroded from water getting in.  This will also require replacing the outside cable since the cable has allowed water to get in.  As you will see from the prices below, you may want to upgrade, or increase, the size of your electrical service at the same time.

  2. The circuit breaker panel is too small for the power requirements of your house.  They didn't use as much electricity in years past as they do now.  We now have more appliances and more powerful devices than ever.  Microwave ovens, powerful hair dryers and vacuum cleaners, all demand more power and more circuits.  An upgrade allows for more electricity to flow and more circuits in the panel to serve more outlets, lights and appliances.  Note, however that a service upgrade alone does not mean you automatically have more circuits.  You simply have the room to add more circuit breakers in the panel where you can connect more wires to feed outlets, lights and appliances.  See our Helpful Hints section on Overloaded Circuits.

If you have to replace the panel, odds are you'll also have to replace the cable on the outside of the house feeding it, and the meter box as well.  And if the cable is in poor condition, it probably has been letting water in to corrode the meter box and circuit panel.  Occasionally, we are called to replace only the panel or cabling.  This is usually because the other part was done a few years earlier without doing the full job, and now the 2nd part needs to be done.

Helpful Hint:  When doing a service change or service upgrade, you should consider adding a surge suppressors at the panel to provide protection at the house.

Description

What's included

100 Amp Cable Replacement

Entire cable, meter box, ground rods, bonding, permit/inspection fees.

100 Amp Service Change

New circuit breaker panel, circuit breakers, entire cable, meter box, ground rods, bonding, permit/inspection fees.

150 Amp Service Upgrade

New larger circuit breaker panel, circuit breakers, larger cable, meter box, ground rods, bonding, permit/inspection fees.

200 Amp Service Upgrade

New circuit breaker panel, circuit breakers, entire cable, meter box, ground rods, bonding, permit/inspection fees.

 House/Panel Surge Suppressor

Surge suppression protection for power, add additionally for up to 4 telephone lines and cable TV


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Short Circuits
A short circuit is caused when the 'hot' wire comes in contact with a grounded wire or surface. This allows the electricity to take a 'short-cut'. The problem is that this short-cut will be taken by a extremely high amount of electricity thus overloading the wire. The heat and sparking is a fire hazard which the circuit breaker avoids by shutting itself off.

Helpful Hint: At first, you can't tell whether a breaker has tripped from an overloaded circuit or a short-circuit. Resetting a circuit breaker often has a trick to it that most people do not know.

Also read the sections: "Overloaded circuits" and "GFI outlets"


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Smoke Detectors    for Carbon monoxide detectors, click here.
Important Information:  Smoke detector manufacturer  recommend replacing smoke detectors at least every 10 years.  Research shows 30% of detectors fail after 10 years, 50% after 15 years!  (Read about CO detector replacement (5-7 years) by clicking here.)  More information is available at NFPA (National Fire Prevention Assoc.) web site.    An excerpt:  "Section 8-3.5 of NFPA 72 now requires all single-station and multiple-station smoke alarms to be replaced every ten years."   Or read the FAQs at Kidde.
We're used to getting calls occasionally to replace defective smoke detectors, now we know why.  This should become a planned maintenance item.  How old is your house and your detectors?   Our units have a latching relay (to tell you which unit triggered the alarm) and a temporary hush feature. This what you can expect it to cost for us to replace your detectors:
And by the way, if you also have a (low voltage) burglar alarm/smoke detector system,  you still need the 120 volt interconnected detectors we're discussing here to satisfy fire code.  The reason is that a homeowner could easily choose to not use their alarm system and therefore not have a functioning smoke detector system in the home.

General Information
Enjoying life lately?  How about ensuring that you and your family are around to enjoy more?  Reports have shown that over half of the smoke detectors in homes are not functioning properly.  Often, it's as simple as a bad battery, or sometimes, people have even removed the battery!

There are 3 basic types of smoke detector installations:

  1. Battery only (9 volt) which are simply attached to the ceiling.  These are usually found in homes built before 1980 or so.

  2. 'Hard-wired' 120 volt smoke detectors.  Homes built after 1980.  These are wired similarly to lights, etc., but they are also interconnected so that if 1 detector senses smoke, all the detectors go off.  This is so you hear the alarm even if you're in another part of the house.  Almost all of these units now also have a volt battery back-up power.  In case of a power outage, when people may bring out candles, it's nice to know the detectors will still be functioning.

  3. 'Hard-wired' low voltage smoke detectors.  (Some homes with security systems.)  These are part of the household burglar alarm system.  The battery back-up of the alarm system provides power in case the electricity goes out.  These systems are best maintained by your alarm company. (Note that these alarms alone do not satisfy the residential fire code (see not above).

If you have 120 volt powered smoke detectors, now would be a good time to find out what circuit they are on and label it.  You don't want to try to figure out what breaker it is if you get a false alarm in the middle of the night.  Have someone watch the power LED while you flip breakers off until the LED goes out.

What do you do if your smoke detector system goes off?
First, check to be sure everyone is safe and there is no fire.  Sounds simple but you don't want to assume that it's a false alarm.  If it is a false alarm:


Helpful Hints:


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Sump pumps: stay dry


Don't take a dry basement for granted.  A flooded basement can be a nuisance or an expensive mess.  A sump pump is great as long as it works.  An investment now can mean big savings later. 
A reliable sump pump installation should have these features:

(A minimum cautionary step is a battery operated water alarm to alert you if the floor by the pump, water heater or furnace (a/c condensate) is wet.  We can mail you a sensor for $55 each.)

With all of the above in good order, what do you do if:

The solution to these problems is a back-up sump pump.  This is a secondary pump that is triggered if the water level gets above a certain point, indicating that the main pump is not working. 

Overview of some options to protect your basement.

Options/ideas

Price

Alerts you if the water level is high

Helps even if regular sump pump is defective

Works if there is no power

Works if you're not home

Notes / Other functions

Water sensor (sound only)

$20

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Use for water heater leaks, a/c condensate leaks

Battery back-up Sump Pump

$1200

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

 -

(City) Water powered sump pump $1200.00 No Yes Yes Yes Installed by plumber

Backup generator

$5000 (manual) - 
$10,000 (fully automatic

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Power for the heating system, refrigerator, lights, well pump, ejector pump...... you get the idea.

 

A different problem is if you have a finished basement with central a/c, or an a/c unit in the attic.  If the a/c condensation leaks, you have a problem.

Finished basement, and/or a/c air handler in attic.

$500

Yes

Not applicable

No, but system is already Off.

Yes

Shuts off the a/c if condensation backs up or starts to overflow.     Click here for more info.





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Surges: What are they?

Electronic components are a key element in many of today's appliances and devices. From complex computers and entertainment audio/video systems, to telephones and answering machines, electronics and micro-processors are the brains that drive many of our valuable possessions. Due to the electrically fragile nature of electronics, it is important to protect them from surges of unacceptably high voltages.

A power surge or 'spike' can occur virtually instantaneously, changing 120 volts to several hundred volts. It may last only a fraction of a second, but it can cause permanent damage to electronics around the home and office. Surges can occur from a nearby lightning strike, from power lines in the neighborhood, or even from someone turning a light switch on or off in the house. About 80% of surges come from within the building.
Important note:  Surges can also enter the home through telephone, cable and satellite lines.  The damage can affect not only these devices but others around the house also.  You should have surge protection for these communication lines as well as the power lines.  Look for surge suppressors which also have fittings for telephone and TV cables.
 

Surge suppressors are like car shock absorbers, absorbing the brunt of the surge coming down an electrical line.  The IEEE (Institute of Electrical Engineers) recommends 2 layers of protection.  You may want to consider the UPS we mention below.  No surge suppressor can withstand a direct lightning strike, which is highly unlikely.  However, it can help to minimize the effects of a lightning strike in the area.

  1. Primary protection at the main electrical panel.  This surge protector installs on or in the panel.  Indicator lights tell you whether the unit is providing protection or whether it has been damaged/worn out while protected your home.  Better quality surge units also connect to and protect telephone and cable/satellite lines.

  2. A plug-in surge suppressor or a surge suppressor power strip at your computer, stereo, etc. These can also filter out line noise that can affect TV pictures and audio in speakers.

  3. A dedicated circuit for your most valuable equipment can help isolate it from other circuits that may cause a problem.  For computers, a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is an even better idea.

Helpful Hints:


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Timers
A handy way to turn lights on and off automatically is with timers.  Some can handle large electrical circuits like pumps and motors, others are for lights.  There are several types:



Round dial type:

Programming:  (click here to go to MS Word document)
or the web page document

  1. Slide the control lever to the left to Off-Clear for at least 5 seconds.  The red indicator light will go off and any program settings will be lost.

  2. Move the lever to the right to On.  Red indicator light will start flashing.

  3. Rotate the clock dial (at least 1 click) to the 1/2 hour closet to the present time.  Be aware of AM and PM.  Be sure not to accidentally press the button while rotating it.

  4. Press the button in once to enter (set) the current time.  The Red indicator will go Off.

  5. Rotate the clock dial until the desired ON time.  (Red light blinks once for each click.)

  6. Press push button to enter the ON time.  The controlled light will turn on.

  7. Rotate dial to the desired OFF time.

  8. Press dial to enter the OFF time.  The controlled light will now be off.

  9. Repeat steps 5-8 if you wish to set another automatic time, for example an early morning setting.

  10. Continue to rotate the dial for at least 24 hours (2 full turns) from the first ON time to complete the programming.  The Red indicator light will come on and stay on.


Note that the dial will not turn automatically to indicate the current time of day.  The clock indications are only for programming purposes.

You can go to the manufacturer's web site has instructions but they may be hard to decipher.
 

Digital type:

Intermatic S7 (with removable clear window to access programming buttons)

Programming

            or the webpage document<>

            or the web page document view.

Intermatic ST01  (with panel door covering the programming buttons and battery compartment.)

This timer automatically adjusts for daylight savings time and changing sunset/sunrise times so you don't have to reprogram during the year.

        Programming:     Click here to review programming instructions. 

Intermatic EJ500 (with panel door which opens to access programming buttons)

This timer automatically adjusts for daylight savings time and changing sunset/sunrise times so you don't have to reprogram during the year.

        Programming:     Click here to view the manufacturer's instructions (pdf file on our web site)



Aube LCD digital timer (with panel door which opens to access programming buttons)

This timer automatically adjusts for daylight savings time and changing sunset/sunrise times so you don't have to reprogram during the year. Press button to manually to turn on and off. If you press and hold the button, it will change modes from "Auto" to "Manual", to "Manual-Random" to "Program".

        Programming:     Click here to view the manufacturer's list of instructions by model (pdf file).

T1032          Digital timer without calendar option.  (40-500 watt capacity)

T1033          Digital timer without calendar feature (requires neutral wire) for heavier loads (up to 2400 watts) or fluorescent lights (can be less than 40 watts).

T1034-3W   Digital timer with calendar feature to keep track of sunset. (40 watt minimum, 500 watt maximum)

T1035         Digital timer (requires neutral wire) with calendar feature.




Mechanical timers
Due to their large size and unsightly appearance, they are usually located in the basement or garage.
Manual by-pass is harder to do, or separate switch must be added.
Able to handle large loads like pumps, 240 volt situations and more.
Able to interact with photo-cells and other options.
Easily set and changed but has no power failure memory backup.



X-10 / Leviton Remote Control Timer
These X-10 transmitter units send signals on the household wires to wherever there is a X-10 remote receiver switch.
Click here for programming instructions.


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Water and electrical panels

Rain and ice

During ice and rains storms, sometimes people find water dripping from their electrical panel.  Don’t panic.   Usually, it’s not an immediate hazard but it does need to be checked out.  (If you hear ‘sizzling’, etc. in the panel, or your lights started flickering, it’s more serious.)  

Over time, it can cause corrosion in the panel that can become a safety issue.  It’s better to address it before it becomes serious.
When caught early, it may simply be stopping the water from entering.  If it’s been going on for a while, the panel and main wiring may need to be replaced.

Flooding:

If your basement has been flooded, the problem is water can get into the outlets, wiring and most serious, the electrical panel.  The circuit breaker box is responsible for keeping everything save.  To do so, it needs good electrical connections and to be in good mechanical working order.  The water corrodes parts and the wires.  Replacement is the only answer.  You can try to let things dry, but the water gets deep into parts and cables and the corrosion is not reversible.  

And if that's not enough of a problem, depending on how deep the water was, it can affect furnaces, hot water heaters, washers and dryers, freezers.  This is not good news, but knowing the danger is better than ignorance.

 


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