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How Electric Motors Work
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Video showing and describing how typical electric motors work. Such motors are seen every day in everything from vacuum cleaners to commuter trains.
Ground or Earth Wires
A ground wire is a wire that is actually connected to the earth. This wire acts as a backup in case a neutral wire fails to function. Without a ground wire, the risk of an electrical shock becomes a possibility. Ground wires are usually green or yellow in colour in order to differentiate between neutral wires and hot wires.
Every electrical circuit inside a home has two types of wires – hot and neutral. Hot wires carry electrical currents to a device while neutral wires carry electrical currents away from a device.
When a neutral wire is broken, current is no longer carried away from a device, and neutralisation is not possible without the aid of a ground wire. In most cases, a ground wire is connected to a circuit breaker. When a neutral wire is no longer working, the ground wire will trip the corresponding circuit breaker. Whenever a circuit breaker has been tripped, any electrical current is immediately stopped.
Appliances will usually operate normally without the aid of ground wires. In fact, if a grounded wire is broken or missing, most people will not be able to notice any difference. However if a large amount of high voltage has come in contact with the appliance, a person using that appliance may get an electrical shock. Therefore, it is important that all appliances include a properly grounded wire.
Ground wires are essentially a kind of insurance. When a neutral wire does not function, a grounded wire will ensure that a device does not give off a potentially dangerous electrical shock. In addition to ground wires, all premises should included proper circuit breakers. Circuit breakers and ground wires are easily comparable, as both devices are there to prevent hazardous shocks.
Your Whangarei Electrician is qualified to test and repair any earthing concerns you may have.
Electricians Who Became Famous
From the world of music, Elvis Presley was employed as an electricians helper before he made it big, and the Beetle George Harrison was an apprentice electrician for some time before becoming a professional musician.
Lech Walesa was a tradesman electrician before he was elected President of the Republic of Poland in December 1990 in a general election.
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers and US President was an electrical inventor.
Bobby Charlton was an electrician before he earned fame as an English footballer.
Emanuel Steward who had some success as a boxer himself, he was probably more famous for training Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya, Mark Breland, Milton McCrory, Jimmy Paul, Duane Thomas and Tony Tucker, among others. He also was a master electrician.
Sir Joseph W. Swan, an English chemist who invented rayon in 1910 was also a skilled electrician.
Electrical For Kids
It is important to remember these electrical tips:
* Never put your finger or anything else (except an electrical plug) into a power point.
* Pull by the plug not the cord when unplugging an appliance.
* Do not use an electrical appliance when you are wet, have wet hands or you are standing in water.
* Limit the number of appliances plugged into each outlet.
* Look out for damaged plugs and cords. Do not touch them! Tell an adult.
* Do not place electric cords so that they run through doorways or under carpets.
* Watch out for other kids and make sure they are careful too.
Electrical Safety Checklist
If you answer no to any of the following questions, either repair the problem or contact your electrician immediately.
- Do you have enough power points in your premises, eliminating any need for overloaded multi-plugs?
- Are your power points all in good condition? No damage or excessive wear?
- Are all power points securely attached to the wall?
- Are all your plugs in good condition?
- Are all the cords and connections to the plug in good condition?
- Are all the power points in the kitchen placed in so that you don’t have to reach over toasters, kettles or ovens?
- Are all your electrical appliances in good order?
Take no risks. An electrician is cheaper than a funeral!
Residual Current Devices
An RCD is an electrical safety device which provides protection by instantly disconnecting the electricity supply in situations where someone could otherwise receive an electric shock, possibly with fatal consequences.
Using an RCD could save your life, or the life of your family members. RCDs are to electrical applications what seat belts are to the motoring world. When using electricity outdoors, you should always use a RCD or an isolating transformer, to protect users against electric shock.
It is a legal requirement for new houses to be fitted with RCD’s, as well as any extensions to existing dwellings. RCDs can easily be fitted to existing homes to provide family safety. They offer very worthwhile protection in damp areas of your home and when working with equipment outdoors.
For the home without installed RCD’s the pictured portable version is an easily obtainable alternative.
Dangerous travel plug adaptor banned
Energy Safety has banned the import, sale, distribution and any use of a type of travel plug adaptor, known as a Universal Adapter or all-in-one adapter.
These adaptors are unsafe in that they do not offer proper protection from contact with live parts, which exposes users to live 230 volt parts can easily be touched.
The adaptors have been sold through tourist shops and pharmacies and on online auction sites including Trade Me. One supplier, Melric International Ltd, has already begun a voluntary recall. The adaptors first appeared in late 2007.
Plug adaptors are meant for use by people traveling overseas with low power personal appliances such as a mobile phone chargers, laptop computers, or battery chargers for camera equipment.
Only the adaptors meeting the description given in the Prohibition Notice issued by Energy Safety are banned.
Check with a Whangarei electrician or view the ban here.
Save electricity spend on hot water
Whatever hot water system you have, there are some easy ways to reduce your electrical energy use without impacting on your lifestyle.
- Wrap the hot water cylinder and pipes. Keep the heat in by wrapping your electric hot water cylinder and insulating your hot water pipes. Cylinder wraps cost from around $60 and pipe insulation is about $5 a metre from hardware shops. For older (pre-1987) cylinders and pipes, you could save as much as $80 each year.
- Fix dripping hot taps. These can waste as much as 200 litres of water every day, and lots of dollars of electricity every year. Replace the washer or fitting – a new washer costs very little.
- Check the shower flow rate. About 80% of domestic hot water is used in showers. If your shower fills a 10 litre bucket in less than a minute at normal showering temperatures, install a more efficient shower head – you’ll still get a good shower and it could save you heaps. Get a shower head with a flow of 9 litres per minute or better – the shop should be able to give advice.
- Check your hot water temperature setting. It should not be more than 55° Celsius at the tap for safety, and it should be 60° Celsius at the cylinder to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria. Don’t have the thermostat on your hot water system higher than necessary.
The Ultimate Electrician
Certificate of Compliance
Certificate of Compliance is a formal certificate issued by a registered Electrician as your assurance that the electrical work has been done in full compliance with NZ’s Electrical & Safety Standards.
This is required for any new work done and the Electrician must provide you an original copy of the CoC. A carbon copy will also be sent to the Electrical Workers Registration Board.
It is important to keep the CoC in a safe place! You may need it for an insurance claim or when you’re selling your house.
The CoC also provides a standard procedure so that another electrician can know how the original job was completed if they make repairs or do installations at a later date.
(A CoC is not required to be issued for maintenance work such as replacing sockets & light fittings.)
