Tips for Safely Adding Circuits for New Appliances

November 6, 2019 2:39 am Published by Leave your thoughts

It might become necessary for you to add a new circuit to your home at some point, especially if you live in an older home built in a time when electrical needs were not nearly as extensive as they are today. Perhaps you brought home a new appliance that needs its own circuit, or maybe you simply want to add more outlets to a room (or multiple rooms). In any of these circumstances, it is important that you perform the job safely.

Here’s some information about how to safely install new circuit additions in North Scottsdale, AZ.

Know the various parts and systems

Before you actually try to connect a circuit, it’s important that you do some research into what you’re doing. If you’re at all uncomfortable, it’s best to contact an electrician to get the job done for you—plumbing and electricity are two things you should never mess with if you aren’t completely confident in your skills.

You’ll need to know all the parts of the breaker and electrical system, including the main breaker and cables, the main lugs, the individual breakers, the breaker bus, the neutral bus and the breaker space.

Work with the proper tools and equipment

Make sure you have all the necessary tools to get the job done, and that any parts you get are ones that will be safe and effective with your model of breaker box. If you can’t find the correct brand or model from your local home supply store, you’ll need to go to a special electrical contractor. The breaker must be approved for use in your box. It’s not enough that it fits in the box—it actually has to be a match with the technology to be safe.

Take extra precautions to ensure power is off

You should, of course, shut off the main breaker before you do any electrical work in your home. Before doing so, shut down all computers and other such devices safely. After that, switch off the main and remove the panel box cover. You’ll need to be absolutely certain the power is off, so touch a lead of a test light to the neutral bus and the other lead to the screw on each breaker to make sure the power is dead. There are also special tools that allow you to test wires to determine whether or not they are live.

Route the cable and install

After installing a cardboard safety shield and removing a knockout, feed in the cable and route it to where you need it to go. You can install the breaker by slipping the tab into the hook, then snap that breaker into place and force the slot onto the bus. Be sure to test the installation before you finish the process.

Please note that this is just a general overview of the processes you’ll need to follow to get the job done correctly. You’re always better off hiring a professional electrician for wiring work. For more information about how to proceed with circuit additions in North Scottsdale, AZ, contact Eavenson Electric Co. today.

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