|
CURRENT (Electrical)
EVENTS
The
electrical systems in many older homes are dated and cannot properly
accommodate present day living
standards. Home
builders and electricians in the 1940’s had no idea of the present
array of electrical appliances and equipment used on a daily basis.
So what’s the
difference?
Most importantly:
1. Newer
systems have more power. Most new homes have 150 or 200 amperes of
power available, while old homes
may have as
little as one-eighth this amount.
2.
Circuitry is distributed better in newer homes. Most homes built in the
60’s or later
have a separate circuit for the disposal, the dishwasher, the boiler and
other major appliances.
3. The
spacing of receptacles is more convenient. Many older systems have only
one dangling overhead light
and one
convenience receptacle. Convenience outlets
really live up to
their name when they are no more than 12 feet apart so there isn’t a
need for extension cords.
4. Newer
homes have safer and more protective receptacle devices. If a system
was installed after 1962, utilized polarized plugs with a ground hole
to accommodate grounded
appliance plugs
were used. Systems installed after 1978 are better still, incorporating
especially sensitive breakers
(known as
ground fault interrupt devices) to provide extra protection against
shock or electrocution.
Okay, so new systems are better. What should a homeowner do if he has an
older system in his house? Here’s
some
suggestions to cope with an out-of-date but still functioning system:
• Very
old “knob and tube” systems –
unfortunately, these should be replaced in their entirety. The existing
system has no provision for grounding and may have many poor
connections where additional branch circuitry has been spliced into the
original wiring. Best advice: find an electrician who is capable of
“fishing” wires. This could save money in labor costs.
•
Inadequate
power – This is a common problem, in
which the electrical needs or demands of a household have outgrown the
capacity of the entrance cable or the distribution panel. An upgrade to
bring in more power and allow for increased circuitry distribution is a
good solution here. A homeowner may also need to run additional
circuits to highvolume areas, such as the kitchen, air conditioners and
bathrooms.
•
Two hole
receptacles – These receptacles
were not designed to be grounded (though often the cover plate screw
is). Some older ones aren’t able to be polarized as well. Modern
systems, especially those serving electronic equipment, are usually
grounded and polarized. Three hole polarized receptacles can often be
adapted to the older two hole systems as long as a ground conductor
exists. This work should be done by a professional.
•
No
ground fault interrupts – If a system
was installed after 1978, it probably includes especially sensitive
circuit breakers that are in potential wet or damp locations, such as
the bathroom and garage. These breakers trip quickly whenever more than
five milliamps of leakage to the ground has been detected. A
professional electrician can retrofit individual devices if the system
predates 1978.
This
newsletter contains basic information
on the home and general topics of interest. Due to the variations in
homes, individual recommendations require a comprehensive evaluation.
To
reprint this article, please contact our office.
© 1996-2004. All
rights reserved. (ISND04)
|
