PACKAGE SHOULD INDICATE YOU HAVE AN Al/Cu CONNECTOR -

IDEAL INDUSTRIES 1-800-435-0705 MANUFACTURES THE "TWISTER" WHICH HAS A DIELECTRIC PASTE INSIDE THAT STOPS CORROSION DUE TO THE TWO DISSIMILAR METALS.

CONNECTING COPPER WIRING - USE WIRE NUTS OR FOOLPROOF P-NUT (12- TO 18-GUAGE WIRE).  P-NUTS MANUFACTURED BY IMPROVEMENTS - 1-800-642-2112.

ADDING A GROUNDING WIRE TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM -

IS DIFFICULT AND BEST DONE BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN. GOOD ALTERNATIVE IS TO INSTALL A GFCI (GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER) RECEPTACLE. RECEPTACLE IS NOT GROUNDED BUT YOU’RE PROTECTED FROM ELECTRICAL SHOCKS AND YOU CAN USE 3-PRONG PLUGS. IF YOU INSTALL GFCI AT FIRST FIXTURE COMING FROM PANEL ON A CIRCUIT, THE REST OF THE CIRCUIT IS PROTECTED AND 3-PRONG RECEPTACLES CAN BE INSTALLED. MARK ALL RECEPTACLES ON SUCH A CIRCUIT WITH STICKER AVAILABLE FROM ELECTRICAL SUPPLY HOUSES MARKED "GFCI PROTECTED".

CHECK SAFETY OF ELECTRICAL OUTLETS WITH A RECEPTACLE TESTER / CIRCUIT ANALYZER. COST ABOUT $10.00. JUST PLUG TESTER IN AND MATCH LIGHT PATTERN TO PATTERNS SHOWN ON TESTER.

A.W. SPERRY (800) 645-5398. CAUTION - THIS UNIT DOES NOT INDICATE REVERSED GROUND & NEUTRAL.

TWO MOST COMMON PROBLEMS ARE REVERSED POLARITY AND AN OPEN GROUND.

REVERSED POLARITY - FIXTURES AND APPLIANCES WILL OPERATE PROPERLY WITH THIS CONDITION, BUT A PERSON COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IF A SHORT OCCURS. EXAMPLE, AN OLDER REFRIGERATOR HAS THE GROUND BONDED TO THE NEUTRAL CIRCUIT. IF THE POLARITY IS REVERSED SO THE NEUTRAL IS "HOT", THE ENTIRE REFRIGERATOR IS MADE "HOT". WASHERS AND STOVES HAVE THE SAME CIRCUITRY, I.E., THE GROUND IS BONDED TO THE NEUTRAL, BUT IN BOTH CASES THE "HOT" IS 220 VOLTS VS. 120 VOLTS AND THE APPLIANCE MAY IMPLODE!!!!

IF THE CIRCUIT ANALYZER INDICATES REVERSED POLARITY IN AN OUTLET, KILL POWER AT THE PANEL, THEN:

1. REMOVE THE COVER PLATE.
2. PULL THE OUTLET OUT OF THE BOX.
3. INSURE THE BLACK (HOT) WIRE IS ATTACHED TO SCREW OF THE SHORTER SLOT.
4. INSURE THE WHITE (NEUTRAL) WIRE IS ATTACHED TO THE LONGER SLOT SCREW.
5. REINSTALL AND RECHECK THE OUTLET. CAUTION - IF THE POLARITY PROBLEM PERSISTS, CONTACT A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN.

OPEN GROUND - FIXTURES AND APPLIANCES WILL OPERATE PROPERLY WITH THIS CONDITION, BUT A PERSON COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IF A SHORT TO GROUND OCCURS.

IF THE CIRCUIT ANALYZER INDICATES REVERSED POLARITY IN AN OUTLET, KILL POWER AT THE PANEL, THEN: 

1. REMOVE THE COVER PLATE.
2. PULL THE OUTLET OUT OF THE BOX.
3. CHECK THAT THE GROUND "PIGTAIL" (BARE OR GREEN SHEATHED COPPER WIRE) IS SECURELY ATTACHED TO THE RECEPTACLE’S GREEN GROUND SCREW AND TO THE GROUND CIRCUIT WIRES IN THE PLASTIC WIRE CONNECTOR.
4. REINSTALL AND RECHECK THE OUTLET. CAUTION - IF THE OPEN GROUND PROBLEM PERSISTS, CONTACT A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN.

MOST HOUSE CURRENT IS ON A 15 AMP CIRCUIT (14-GAUGE WIRE) OR A 20 AMP CIRCUIT (12-GAUGE WIRE). SINGLE APPLIANCE CIRCUITS LIKE A DRYER, ELECTRIC STOVE, OR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT HAVE LARGER WIRES SUPPLYING THEIR POWER AND ARE RATED FOR 30 OR 50 AMPS.

NEC REQUIRES KITCHENS TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO 20 AMP CIRCUITS TO HANDLE THE APPLIANCES THERE.  1. ELECTRIC RANGE / 2. DISHWASHER / 3. BUILT-IN MICROWAVE MUST HAVE DEDICATED CIRCUITS TO AVOID OVERLOADS DUE TO THE CURRENT THESE APPLIANCES DRAW. 

OVERCURRENT PROTECTION DEVICES ARE HEAT -SENSITIVE (FUSES)
     OR CURRENT-SENSITIVE (SOME CIRCUIT BREAKERS)
     OR HEAT / CURRENT-SENSITIVE (SOME CIRCUIT BREAKERS)

CAUTION: IF AN OVERLOAD IS SLIGHT (100% - 150%) A CIRCUIT BREAKER MAY NOT TRIP FOR A MINUTE OR TWO. IF IT TRIPS IMMEDIATELY, THERE’S A SERIOUS OVERLOAD CONDITION.

NOTE: FUSES ARE NOT INFERIOR TO CIRCUIT BREAKERS - THEY’RE ACTUALLY SAFER IN TERMS OF THE INCONVENIENCE OF A CIRCUIT THAT IS CONTINUALLY OVERLOADED AND NEEDS ATTENTION.

CAUTION: NEVER PUT A 20 AMP FUSE ON A 15 AMP CIRCUIT. THE WIRING RATED FOR 15 AMPS WILL BE OVERLOADED AND COULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A FIRE.

CENTRAL SURGE STOPPER - SIEMENS’ CIRCUIT BREAKER / SURGE ARRESTOR WIRES INTO A HOME CIRCUIT LIKE ANY OTHER CIRCUIT BREAKER AND PROTECTS EVERY ELECTRONIC FIXTURE ON THAT CIRCUIT FROM VOLTAGE SURGES. SHOULD BE INSTALLED BY A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN. 1-404-751-2000.

COMMON OVERLOAD CONDITIONS:

1. TOO MANY APPLIANCES ON A CIRCUIT.
2. CONTINUALLY RUNNING WINDOW AIR CONDITIONERS ON A MARGINAL ADEQUATE CIRCUIT THAT GRADUALLY HEAT UP WIRING.
3. STARTER MOTORS IN POWER TOOLS THAT DRAW MUCH MORE CURRENT THAN THE TOOL’S RATING.
4. POWER TOOL MOTOR BOGS DOWN UNDER AN EXTREME LOAD.

1. PLUG THE APPLIANCE THAT’S CAUSING THE PROBLEM ON ANOTHER CIRCUIT. CAUTION: THE NEC DOES NOT ALLOW EXTENSION CORDS UNLESS THE USE IS TEMPORARY, LIKE FOR A POWER TOOL.
2. RUN ANOTHER CIRCUIT FROM THE PANEL & INSTALL A RECEPTACLE TO SERVICE THE APPLIANCE (S) DRAWING THE MOST POWER.
3. LABEL YOUR PANEL SO YOU KNOW WHAT IS ON EACH CIRCUIT AND CAN SHIFT APPLIANCES AROUND TO BALANCE THE LOAD.

1. FLIP A BREAKER OFF OR LOOSEN A FUSE.
2. GO THROUGH THE HOUSE WITH A UTILITY LIGHT OR RADIO, PLUGGING IT IN EACH RECEPTACLE & TURNING ON LIGHT SWITCHES AS YOU GO.
3. IF THE LIGHT / RADIO DOESN’T COME ON, OR THE SWITCH DOESN’T WORK, YOU KNOW THE SWITCH OR RECEPTACLE IS ON THE DEAD CIRCUIT.
4. LABEL YOUR PANEL AND PUT THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION ON A SKETCH OF THE FLOOR PLAN OF YOUR HOME.
5. SHIFT APPLIANCES AROUND TO BALANCE THE LOAD ON EACH CIRCUIT.

NOTE: IF THE PANEL ISN’T LABELED AND YOU NEED TO FIND WHICH FUSE / CIRCUIT BREAKER SHUTS OFF AN OUTLET, PLUG IN A DRILL OR JIGSAW WITHOUT THE BLADE, PRESS THE HOLD BUTTON THAT KEEPS IT RUNNING, THEN GO TO THE PANEL AND KILL CIRCUITS UNTIL THE NOISE STOPS.

1. SCREW-IN RECEPTACLES - LIGHT SOCKETS ARE USUALLY RATED FOR 6 AMPS, A LOT LESS THAN A REGULAR PLUG-IN RECEPTACLE’S 15 AMP CAPACITY. THE POINT IS, THE CIRCUIT THE LIGHT FIXTURE IS ON CAN HANDLE AT LEAST A 15 AMP CAPACITY BEFORE THE SAFETY LIMIT IS EXCEEDED & THE FUSE / BREAKER CUT THE CURRENT FLOW. IF A 10 AMP GIZMO IS PLUGGED INTO THE LIGHT SOCKET RECEPTACLE, OVERHEATING WILL MELT WIRE INSULATION & SET UP IDEAL CONDITIONS FOR A FIRE.
2. TAPS / "OCTOPUS PLUGS" / MULTIPLE PLUG ADAPTERS - THESE LITTLE DEVICES FROM HELL MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO PLUG SEVERAL ITEMS INTO A SINGLE RECEPTACLE. FIRST, THE CIRCUIT CAPACITY CAN EASILY BE OVERLOADED WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE FUSE / BREAKER CUTTING OFF POWER. WHEN THIS HAPPENS REPEATEDLY, THE CIRCUIT CAN BE DAMAGED. SECOND, "OCTOPUS PLUGS" WEAR OUT AND POOR CONNECTIONS RESULT. WORN CONNECTIONS CAUSE HEAT. EXCESSIVE HEAT IN AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT TRAUMATIZES INSULATION. DAMAGED INSULATION RESULTS IN FIRES.
3. ADAPTER PLUGS - THESE INSTRUMENTS OF INIQUITY ALLOW A THREE-PRONG PLUG TO GET POWER FROM A TWO-PRONG RECEPTACLE WHICH BYPASSES THE GROUNDING FEATURE THAT PROTECTS YOU FROM A POTENTIALLY FATAL SHOCK. DON’T TRY TO GROUND THE TWO-PRONG RECEPTACLE.  INSTALL A GFCI RECEPTACLE IN PLACE OF THE TWO-PRONG RECEPTACLE.
4. RECEPTACLES LOOSE / MOUNTED TOO DEEP - WITH NON-FLAMMABLE WALL, EX. DRYWALL, PLASTER, THE EDGE OF THE RECEPTACLE MUST NOT BE MORE THAN 1/4" BEHIND WALL SURFACE.  WITH FLAMMABLE WALL, EX. WOOD, HARDBOARD, THE EDGE OF THE RECEPTACLE MUST BE FLUSH WITH THE WALL SURFACE.  RECEPTACLE NO MORE THAN 1/4" OUT OF ADJUSTMENT SPACE OUT WITH NO. 6 STEEL WASHERS.  RECEPTACLE MORE THAN 1/4" OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, INSTALL AN EXTENSION RING.