| |
TESTING
A SWITCH:
When electricity fails to reach an outlet or fixture, a switch may
be faulty or the defect may be with an outlet, fixture, appliance,
or lamp. To deter mine if a single-pole switch is causing a circuit
to fail, use the continuity tester to test the switch. If the switch
proves faulty, replace it. Do not try to repair a faulty switch.
- Turn
off the power to the switch by deactivating the appropriate fuse
or circuit breaker.
- Remove
the faceplate screws and the faceplate.
- Use
a voltmeter to make sure the power is off. Pull the switch out
of the switch box after removing the screws that hold it in the
box.
- Loosen
the terminal screws and remove the wire connections from the switch.
Do not do anything to any other wires present in the box.
Fasten
an alligator clip on, or touch a probe to, one wire of the tester
to either terminal screw and then touch the other probe or alligator
clip to the other terminal screw. Have a helper flip the toggle
switch. When the switch is in the ON position, the light will go
on in the tester. When the switch is in the OFF position, the tester
light will be off. This indicates that the switch is in good working
order and the trouble is in the light or appliance that the switch
controls.
ABOUT
OUTLETS (RECEPTACLES):
A receptacle is frequently called a wall receptacle. It is the point
of electrical service into which you insert the plug of a lamp,
appliance, clock, or other electricity-using equipment. There are
several varieties of receptacles. Some are designed for outdoor
use, some to handle the heavy-duty requirements of major appliances,
some are integrated into light fixtures, and some are combined with
switches. The most common home receptacle is the duplex receptacle
that is rated at 15 or 20 amperes and 120 volts. A duplex receptacle
has two outlets and accommodates two pieces of electrical equipment.
Although
many homes have two-hole outlets, three hole grounding outlets are
required in all new houses and should be used for all replacements
where a ground is available. Such outlets include one hot wire,
one neutral wire, and one ground wire. Most people recognize the
hole for the grounding prong, but many do not realize that the other
two slots are different sizes. The shorter slot is connected to
the hot wire and the longer slot to the neutral wire. This distinction
is important with the increased use of electronic equipment in the
home. Many of the plugs for this type of equipment are polarized,
meaning that one prong is wider than the other because internal
switches and other components must connect to the current in proper
sequence.
Grounding
Outlets-
Grounding outlets have a green grounding terminal. If the metal
box is mounted on the surface of the wall so that the projecting
metal tabs on the outlet make firm con tact with the box, no wires
need be connected to this grounding terminal. Otherwise, the terminal
should be wired to the ground wires entering the box. If there are
no ground wires entering the box, test for the presence of ground
before installing a three-pronged receptacle. Having confirmed the
presence of ground, attach a bare or green wire to the grounding
terminal and attach it to a grounding clip. Follow directions from
the grounding clip package. Alternately, you may secure ground wire
to a screw threaded into the back of the metal box. Older boxes
may have to be hole drilled and tapped so that machine screws can
be driven in to secure the grounding wire. Using sheet metal screws
is illegal. Don't install a grounding outlet that is not actually
grounded, unless you use a GFCI receptacle.
|
