When 34.7% of electricity-related fire accidents in the US happen due to fixed wiring, it’s high time we got more careful about electric wiring in our homes. This doesn’t have to be difficult if you use our Tips for Easy Home Electric Wiring, have an understanding of electric and follow the right steps through the process.
The first thing to keep in mind are the four important components involved in the whole process of wiring: Power, load, conductor and the switch.
I. The first thing you need to do is uncoil the coiled wire and straighten it completely. This makes it easier to pull through the holes and studs in the wall.
II. When you’ve finished connecting and are putting the wires in the box, don’t stuff them in untidily. Leave the pigtail extended after gathering all the bare ground wires and neutral wires along with a long pigtail, connecting them and folding them into the back of the box. Leave the hot wire extra-long and fold it at the bottom of the box.
A part of the electric circuit is connected to the earth – this is called earthing/grounding – to define the electric potential of the conductor according to the Earth’s conductive surface.
III. When you have an underground feeder, you’ll find it has a tough plastic sheathing. This is there to help with the proper burying of the wire underground, but it may make it difficult to pull out. Make it easy to work with by separating the black and white wires from the bare copper and then start pulling them out. Remove the sheathing by pulling them apart and finally cut off the loose sheathing.
IV. Use a fish tape to get your wire to its right destination. Doing so, however, can lead to your losing the wire midway or the tape getting stuck somewhere. Avoid this by stripping an 8” length of the cable. Cut off all but one wire, band this wire around the loop on the fish tape’s end and wrap well with an electric tape. Pulling the wire is now simpler!
V. Identify the wires as you install them – you could use codes. Keeping the wires organized will help in identifying which wire goes where. Make sure you write down the codes.
VI. An important heads-up: Test the wires before using them. Use an external voltage detector to check each and every wire – better safe than sorry!
A GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interpreter) shuts off an electric circuit when it detects that current flowing through a path it’s not meant to flow through.
VII. Sometimes, problems occur with a GFCI – it may be a defective GFCI or a circuit with too much cable. Push the reset button of the device and test it with a GFCI tester. If the power trips, then it’s time to replace the GFCI. If it holds, then you’ll find a problem with a downstream outlet and need to look into it.
VIII. One hot wire for many switches is a recipe for disaster. To do away with extra connections, leave the hot wire extra-long instead of running a separate pigtail from the hot wire to each switch. Connect the switches by scoring the wire with a wire stripper. Push the insulation to expose about 3/4” of bare wire. About three-quarters of the bare wire around the screw terminal of the first switch must be wrapped. Repeat the process for the remaining switches.
IX. You might think your easiest approach after all the connections would be to push in all the rough cables through the knockouts of the box. Don’t do it at once. You’ll find it much easier to remove the sheathing before doing so. Make sure you have the cable in the right spot before marking it and removing the sheathing. Work with the most comfortable handlings and you’ll be able to do this easily. Just remember to leave 1/4th of the sheathing visible in the box for easy manipulation the next time.
Follow the simple rules and your DIY projects, however serious, can be done easily when you keep in mind a few rules of the trade. Try it out at home, and stay safe!
