Wiring a House

by Cauldwell, Rex

• ISBN13: 9781561581139
• ISBN10: 1561581135
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1996-11-01
• Publisher: Taunton Pr

Summary

Master electrician Rex Cauldwell has been wiring houses for almost 30 years and has earned a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable, practical electricians in the country. Now, for the first time, Cauldwell offers the insights he's learned over time and on the job in one complete, no-nonsense reference. In these pages he demonstrates how to choose the best tools and materials for any job; avoid materials that will cause problems on the job site and future safety hazards; design electrical wiring for any room in the house; ensure job-site safety and the safety of the installation for many years to come; install main service panels and subpanels; ensure that a house is properly grounded; install receptacles, GFCIs and switches; install all kinds of fixtures, from simple wall lights to ceiling fans; install common household appliances; run wire in new construction and in existing walls and ceilings; and meet and beat the requirements of the 1996 NEC (National Electrical Code).

Author Biography

Master electrician Rex Cauldwell has been wiring houses for over 30 years

Table of Contents

Preface to the Revised Edition	p. viii
Introduction	p. 2
The Basics	p. 6
How Electricity Flows	p. 6
Anatomy of a Residential Electrical System	p. 11
Wire Gauges	p. 14
The Wire We Use	p. 19
Conduit Systems	p. 28
Tools of the Trade	p. 31
General Tools	p. 33
AC-Powered Tools	p. 38
Cordless Tools	p. 43
Specialized Tools	p. 45
Safety Equipment	p. 49
The Service Entrance	p. 50
Choosing a Buried or an Aerial Service	p. 50
Calculating Amperage and Choosing Cable	p. 52
Local Requirements	p. 56
Locating the Meter Base	p. 56
Buried Service Entrance	p. 60
Aerial Service Entrance	p. 61
Connecting the Meter Base to the Panel	p. 68
Panels and Subpanels	p. 74
Elements of the Main Panel	p. 74
Picking a Panel	p. 77
Mounting a Panel	p. 79
Cable Management	p. 84
Bringing Cables into the Panel	p. 86
Subpanels	p. 87
Balancing the Load	p. 93
The Art of Grounding	p. 95
Definition of a Grounding System	p. 95
Protection through Grounding	p. 98
Choosing the Proper Grounding Materials	p. 101
Installing a Low-Resistance Panel-to-Earth Grounding System	p. 103
What Needs Grounding	p. 107
Wiring Room by Room	p. 115
Stocking Up	p. 115
Design Considerations and Outlet Box Locations	p. 116
Pulling Cable in New Construction	p. 127
Routing Wires in Renovation Work	p. 136
Fuses and Circuit Breakers	p. 142
Fuses	p. 143
Circuit Breakers	p. 145
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters	p. 151
How a GFCI Works	p. 152
Types of GFCIs	p. 154
Where Ground-Fault Protection Is Required	p. 155
Wiring GFCI Receptacles	p. 156
Wiring GFCI Circuit Breakers	p. 157
Testing GFCIs	p. 158
Arc-Fault Circuit Breakers	p. 159
Wiring AFCIs	p. 160
Receptacles and Boxes	p. 162
Receptacle Boxes	p. 162
Receptacles	p. 169
Polarity	p. 172
Wiring and Installation	p. 175
Switches	p. 183
Switch Boxes	p. 183
Switch Grades	p. 187
Types of Switches	p. 188
Light Dimmers	p. 193
Fan Speed Controls	p. 195
Wiring Fixtures	p. 196
Choosing the Right Box	p. 196
Incandescent Lights	p. 199
Fluorescent Lights	p. 200
Ceiling Fans	p. 201
Smoke Detectors	p. 207
Track Lighting	p. 207
Outdoor Light Fixtures	p. 208
Recessed Lights	p. 211
Wiring Appliances	p. 213
Kitchen Appliances	p. 213
Baseboard Heaters	p. 217
Electric Wall Heaters	p. 220
Utility-Room Appliances	p. 220
Garage-Door Openers	p. 225
Submersible Pumps	p. 226
Whirlpool Tubs and Spas	p. 226
Lightning and Surge Protection	p. 227
Induced Voltage	p. 227
Direct Strikes	p. 228
Utility and In-House Surge Creators	p. 229
Adding Surge Protection	p. 229
Phone and Coaxial Cable Protection	p. 234
Protecting Pumps	p. 235
Standby Generators	p. 239
History of Incorrect Connections	p. 239
Picking a Generator	p. 241
Installing the Transfer Switch	p. 243
Index	p. 246
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