Alan Speaks Fuses

Electricity can be very dangerous when handled improperly. Not only can a person die from an electrical shock, but also he can receive serious burns. Loss of property can be attributed to fire because of improper wiring or failure of electrical devices and equipment. Some simple electrical devices and equipment are: circuit breakers, fuses, switches, receptacles, lamp fixtures, small and large appliances, heating, wiring, and associated equipment.

Working with electricity can be safe. The key is to never work on an energized circuit. This, of course, is easier said than done for the fact that electricity cannot be seen, heard, smelled, or tasted. Sometimes, when only the conductor of current is touched, do we know electricity is present. This does not have to be this way.

The following electrical safety tips are written so that the person working on electrical equipment will become more aware of what they are doing so they may do it safely.

TIP: on how to repair a backhoe damaged underground section of rigid conduit without union fittings.

First remove all conductors.

Use reciprocating saw to remove damaged section of pipe. Clean the burrs off ends of existing conduits to be mated by reaming with a half-moon or round file depending on size of pipe. Clean off any rust or debris the entire length of at least an inch and a half or two inches from the end of the conduits.

If conduit section removed was bent as damage, the remaining ends cut to be mated should now be able to accommodate a new straight section of pipe or at the least a light bend or kick in the new section if needed.

Cut your section of pipe to install to size after you have made any necessary bends. Make the space tolerance between the existing pipe ends and new pipe ends as small as possible. This will insure the best fit for a properly positioned coupling. If the length of rigid pipe to install is less than 10 feet you will need two appropriate sized threadless compression couplings for rigid conduit.

Midway inside the threadless compression coupling is a “pipe stop” or ridge. You need to remove these on both couplings. This will allow the full length of the coupling to move freely on the conduit. A half-moon or round file works good to remove these stops. Remove the compression rings and nuts before you do any filing.

Slide both couplings on the pipe to be installed. Install new section of pipe by sliding the coupling into place on existing conduit end. Make sure that you center the couplings between the ends of pipe so that the compression rings on both ends of coupling will clinch the pipes completely. If you do not center the coupling properly you could have a compression ring clinching partially the conduit end and partially the dead space between the conduits. This would be a bad installation.

Tighten up all connections. As an added benefit to installation, install black vinyl 10 Mil tape over the coupling and the length of the pipe.

Install new conductors.

TIP for activating photocell for testing lamps controlled by photocell.
With power to the fixture turned on, place black electrical tape over the cell to simulate darkness or use a dark hat to cover the cell completely.

TIP: for connecting stranded wire with solid wire. Sizes #10, #12, #14 wire gauge.

If you have more than one stranded wire to be connected, strip the insulation of all wires and wrap the wire strands together. If connecting these with one solid wire, place all the wires parallel making sure that the end of the stranded wires do not fall below the end of the solid wire, i.e., the ends of all the wires should be even. Install wire connector. If connecting the stranded wires with more than one solid wire, first twist the solid wires together, then cut the tip of the solid wires diagonally, then place all the wires parallel. The ends of all the wires should be even. Install wire connector. Some electricians find it better not to twist the solid wires when using “wire nut” or “wing nut” type connectors; my experience has proven different. After installing the connector, with one hand hold the wires, with the other hand try to pull the connector straight off. It should not come off with mild pulling force. Try pulling the stranded wires separately. They too should not come off with mild pulling force.

If your connection box is full and it is difficult to insert the device (switch or receptacle), find out what kind of wire connectors, if any, are used. There is a type called “wing nuts.” If you have this kind, do the following.

After installing the wire connectors on the wires, cut the wings off the wing nut with diagonal cutters or linesmen pliers. Do this as close to the body of the connector as possible. You may be surprised how much easier it is to position the wires inside the box after the wings are cut off. If you have to remove the wing nut later, you can easily do this by grabbing on to the wing nut using linesmen pliers, then twist off.