How does a Home Electrical System Works?
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: October 22, 2021
Table of Contents
Introduction
How Does a Home Electrical System Work? The functioning of your home is largely dependent on electricity. Our homeās electrical system is the source of power we need, whether weāre watching TV, using the cooling and heating system, or charging a mobile phone.
Maintaining and keeping your electrical system in safe working condition is easy when you know how it is spread around the house:
An underground or outdoor power line connects to your home through a service head. The homeās lights and appliances are powered by 2 120-volt electrical wires plus 1 neutral wire attached to the service head.
Standard home appliances are powered by one phase of a 120-volt circuit. A 240-volt circuit, however, is required for certain bigger appliances, such as electric ranges, water heaters, or clothes dryers, which use 120-volt wires and a neutral wire.
How a Home Electrical System Works
Outside your home, where electricity enters, is where youāll find your electric meter. Electricity consumption in your home can be measured with this device. It is illegal and extremely dangerous to tamper with your electric meter, which is monitored and protected by law by your electrical company.
Electricity is delivered to switches, outlets, and appliances throughout the house through the electrical service panel. In the event of a full electrical system failure, the service panel, found near the electricity meter, contains breakers and fuses that will turn off power to the electrical circuits.
A grounded electrical system is connected to the earth through a wire. In the event of a short circuit or an overload, grounding adds important protection against electrocution and electric shocks. As a result of grounding, the Electrician, any appliances and equipment connected to the system, and the system itself will be protected.
For a visual overview of your homeās electrical system, watch the Home Electrical System Safety Video. You can also visit the Virtual Home to tour a basic electrical system and standard electrical devices in modern homes.
Electrical Service Panel
Electricity is distributed throughout a home by a panel that controls switches, outlets, and appliances. Basements, garages, and utility rooms are usually where you will find the service panel.
This is where you can restore power when a short or overload cuts power to a circuit. You will also shut off power to a circuit before starting a project or making repairs in this area.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The circuit breakers or fuses in each service panel protect the wires from overheating and catching fire. More modern systems rely on circuit breakers instead of fuses in older service panels.
Fuses and Circuit breakers are safety devices that prevent your homeās electrical system from overloading and prevent fires. A portion of your homeās electrical system can be shut off if the current exceeds the safe limits.
Fuses
Individual circuits are protected by fuses in service panels installed before 1965. Most early service panels had 30- and 60-amp fuses. New homes must have service panels with 100- to 200-amps of power to provide adequate protection.
Choosing the proper fuse can be confusing at first because there are several types. Fuse bases are identified with a code that tells which type of base they are and how much delay they have if any.
Fuses should be replaced as follows
It is necessary to unscrew and throw away a blown fuse. Here is what to do when replacing fuses:
Ensure that you always replace the fuse with one rated for the same amperage as the circuit.
Fuse replacements should never be made with ones that have higher amperage ratings. Fires are caused by this practice, which is highly dangerous.
Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers are installed in every new home. However, circuit breakers that have tripped can be mechanically reset to resume regular operation once the problem has been resolved instead of fuses that need to be replaced when they blow. Overloaded circuits often result in tripped breakers, so they need to be fixed immediately.
Tripped Breaker Reset Instructions
The roomās appliances should be unplugged or turned off.
Open the cover of your main breaker panel.
Locate the blown fuse or tripped breaker. When a circuit breaker trips, it will be in the off position or between the on and off positions.
Switching the breaker off and back on will reset it. Power may be restored to the room. However, if the problem continues, there may be more severe issues. You should consult a Company such as Maurice Electrical Supply Company to assist.
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
Electric service panels are now equipped with AFCIs in place of standard circuit breakers as protection. AFCIs provide enhanced fire protection against an additional fire hazard known as an arc fault. Arc faults are hazardous electrical problems caused by damaged, overheated, or stressed electrical wires and devices. A failure to install AFCIs could result in arc faults being hidden from plain view until itās too late.
In the USA Department of Housing and Urban Developmentās Healthy Homes Report, the lack of AFCIs was one of the primary causes of burns and fire-related injuries in the home.
Due to their effectiveness, they have been required to protect nearly every circuit in a home since 2008 by the National Electrical Code.
Wiring System for the Home
About one-third of U.S. homes, or more than 30 million, are at least 50 years old, and studies show that the number of fires in these houses is disproportionately high. Older homes have electrical systems and components that may pose a fire hazard and are no longer safe.
The aging process, improper installation or alteration, and misuse may cause electrical safety concerns. When dealing with hazardous situations, it is crucial to identify what type, color, and size of wire are required before they become critical.
Thank you for reading!
