By Insure.com - Last updated: Dec. 7, 2009

Proper maintenance is key.

Many homes built prior to 1950 have a type of electrical wiring known as "knob and tube." This wiring consists of porcelain insulating tubes that contain wires whereas modern wiring is usually run through plastic or PVC tubes. The porcelain tubes pass through beams, rafters, and walls, and porcelain knobs are used to carry the wire around corners.

At times, homeowners with this older wiring can find it difficult to obtain insurance on such homes because some insurance companies are skittish about taking on a house they perceive as risky.

Many insurers require an inspection to show that the coating on the wiring is in good condition. If it is, they may write you a policy. If the coating is cracked or deteriorating, or if a determination can't be made, the insurer may ask the homeowner to hire a qualified electrician for further evaluation and/or repairs.

Because older houses often have a lower capacity in their wiring systems, homeowners should make sure they don't have too many electrical gadgets plugged in, such as computers, stereos, and so forth. An electrical overload could easily result in a fire.

Knob and tube wiring may continue to be safe to use. Proper maintenance is the key. Where wire insulation is brittle or cracked, it should be replaced, according to Mark W. Earley, assistant vice president and chief electrical engineer for the National Fire Protection Association. Earley points out that proper maintenance is important with all electrical system components.

State Farm Insurance Co., for example, doesn't look favorably on houses with knob and tube wiring, says Phil Supple, a company spokesperson. Supple points to two concerns: First is the age of the house. "Because knob and tube was generally used so long ago, we are concerned about the deterioration of the electrical system as a whole," Supple explains.

Second, State Farm worries about the lack of a ground wire with this style of wiring. Knob and tube consists of two wires: a "hot" one that carries electricity to its destination and a "neutral" one that completes the circuit. Modern wiring systems reduce the chances for creating a fire hazard through the use of a grounding wire.

Having a circuit breaker can help lower the risk for a fire in a home with knob and tube wiring.

State Farm requires a certificate of inspection from a qualified electrician before it will insure an older home, and if the electrician gives a favorable assessment, the company may consider writing insurance for the house.

Mike Johnston, education coordinator for codes and standards for the International Association of Electrical Standards, agrees that the lack of a ground wire can be a problem, especially if the wiring is old and in shoddy shape.

Some insurers may also point to the lack of circuit breakers as a potential problem with knob and tube wiring. Having a circuit breaker can help lower the risk for a fire in a home with knob and tube wiring.

In the end, any homeowner with knob and tube wiring, or the potential buyer of such a house, should hire an electrician to give the system a complete check. If an inspection uncovers problems, you should make the necessary repairs for personal safety as well as insurance concerns.

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Insuring an old home that has knob and tube wiring

Do-it-yourself guide with professional techniques for a safe wiring job.

Plastic boxes and flexible nonmetallic cable (commonly called Romex) put electrical wiring projects within the skill range of every dedicated DIYer. In this article, well show you some house wiring basicshow to position outlet and switch boxes and run electrical cable between them. We wont cover many other house wiring details. For help with circuit design and making connections to your main electrical panel, we recommend you consult a licensed electrician.

Besides standard hand tools, youll need a special-purpose tool to cut and strip electric wire. We like the Klein No. 1412 ($18 at hardware stores and home centers). To drill a few holes, use a 3/4-in. spade bit in your electric drill. For larger jobs, rent a heavy-duty right angle drill ($25 per day) and equip it with a 3/4-in. x 6-in. auger bit ($7).

Electrical house wiring mistakes can be deadly, so make sure you obtain a permit from your local building department and have the work inspected when youre finished. Draw a sketch of your room that shows lighting, switch and outlet locations. Review your plan with the inspector and ask whether there are any special requirements.

Measure and mark the center of each box. Use letters and symbols to identify boxes. Add 24 blocks to position boxes away from wide window and door trim.

Position the box so its face will be flush with the wall covering material. Then nail the box to the framing. Double check that the face of the box is parallel with the framing member.

Adjustable depth boxes cost about $2.

First mark the box locations on the studs (Photo 1) using symbols to indicate outlets, switches and lights.

O// = Duplex receptacle; S = Single switch; S3 = Three-way switch;O+ = Light fixture.

Mark the height from the floor to the center of the boxes (usually 48 in. for switches and 12 in. for outlets) or line them up with existing boxes. Then nail up the boxes so the face of the box will be flush with the face of the future wall covering (Photo 2). Most boxes have nibs or marks to help you align the box for use with standard 1/2-in. thick drywall. If youre not sure how thick the final wall material will be, use a special adjustable depth box. Paddle fans require a special box assembly that is rated to support the weight and stress of a spinning fan (see Special Boxes, at the end of this story).

The electrical code limits how many wires you can safely put in an electrical box. To figure the minimum box size required by the National Electrical Code, add:

1 for each hot and neutral wire entering the box1 for all the ground wires combined1 for all the cable clamps combined (if any)2 for each device (switch or outlet-but not light fixtures)

Multiply the total by 2 for 14-gauge wire and 2.25 for 12-gauge wire to get the minimum box size required in cubic inches. Plastic boxes have their volume stamped inside. Steel box capacities are listed in the electrical code.

Bore 3/4-in. holes through the framing members about 8 in. above the boxes. Center the bit on the stud, brace the drill and apply pressure with your thigh for easier drilling of wall studs.

Angle the bit into tight spots. Eyeball the angle to make sure theres at least 1-1/4 in. between the back face of the stud and the cable (Fig. A). Then cover the face of the stud with a metal nail plate to protect the cable where the hole is closer than 1-1/4 in. to the face of the stud (Photo 6).

Rough-in wiring detail.

3/4 x 6 auger bit

With the boxes nailed up, youre ready to drill holes and pull cable. The holes and the cable running through them must be at least 1-1/4 in. from both faces of the stud to prevent nails and screws from hitting the cable (Photo 3).

This means drilling dead center on 24 walls. If you have to drill closer to the face of the stud, protect the area with a nail plate (Photo 6). When you drill floor or ceiling joists, drill toward the end rather than the middle of the span, and keep the holes centered on the width of the joist. You can easily pull two 14-2 or 12-2 cables or one 14-3 or 12-3 cable through a 3/4-in. hole. Drill more holes for additional cables.

When you drill through wall plates (the horizontal framing members on the top and bottom of the wall), keep the hole a few inches from the stud to avoid hitting nails.

Straighten about 12 ft. of cable and thread it through the holes from one box to the next. When you reach each new box, follow the stripping procedure shown in Photo 7, push the conductors and about 1/4 in. of sheathed cable into the box, and staple the cable (Photo 8). Then cut the end still connected to the coil and repeat the process at the other box.

Fish the cable around corners by bending a sharp hook in it. Then stick your little finger into the hole to feel for the cable and guide it through as you apply pressure with the other hand.

Grab the cable at the point you estimate it will enter the box. Cut the cable about 12 in. beyond this spot and strip off all but about 1 in. of sheathing.

Stripping tool, Klein NO. 1412

When youre done drilling holes, pull the cable between the boxes and to the service panel to complete the circuit. Start by pulling about eight loops from the center of the coil and tossing them away from you. Then pull the 12-ft. length of cable back between your thumb and forefinger to remove the twist and straighten it out. The whole process takes only a few seconds and keeps the cable from twisting and kinking as you pull it through the holes (Photo 5).

Once youve pulled the cable through the holes, push it back a little to leave a small amount of slack. This is handy insurance in case you cut the cable a little short and need extra length, and it also allows other tradespeople a little slack to push your wire out of the way.

Photo 6 shows one method of getting the cable around a corner. But keep in mind that its often faster and easier to drill up through the double top plate of the wall and route the cable up over the corner and down the other side.

Remove about 12 in. of the white outer plastic sheathing from the cable before you push it into the box (Photo 7). Use a stripping tool like ours for 12-2 and 14-2 cable, or an inexpensive ($2.50) sheathing stripper that works on all cables. You can also use a sharp knife to slit the sheath, but if you nick the insulation on the electric wire, cut the cable off at that point and try again.

Push the cable into the box so that at least 1/4 in. of sheathing is visible inside the box. The National Electrical Code requires that at least 3 in. of wire protrude beyond the face of the box, but we recommend at least 6 in.

Position outlets so that no point in any wall space is more than 6 ft. from an outlet without crossing a doorway. Install an outlet in every wall section thats 2 ft. wide or wider.

Heres what electrical cable looks like inside.

Punch a hole (or two for two cables) through the knockout area of the box with a screwdriver or the point on your stripping tool. Push the conductors and about 1/4 in. of sheathed cable into the box and staple the cable within 8 in. of the box. The cable must be at least 1-1/4 in. from the face of the framing. Push the first cable aside while you staple the second cable.

Run cable(s) from your completed circuits to the service panel. Leave 4 extra feet of cable for the electrician to work with. Label the cables with the location of the circuit. Then call in the electrician to connect the circuits.

Next staple the cable in place. Position the staples in the following locations:

Because cables must be kept at least 1-1/4 in. from the face of studs, you cant staple them side by side along a 24. The electrical code also prohibits you from placing more than one cable under standard 1/2-in. staples. Instead, weave the cables (Photo 8) or use special cable stackers.

For safe wire connections, cut all the wires to leave at least 6 in. protruding past the face of the box. Leave one bare copper ground wire an extra 6 in. long. Thread the long ground wire through the hole in the top of the special green wire connector and splice all the ground wires by holding them together and twisting the connector clockwise until its tight. Strip the ends of the white and black wires and one end of each 6-in.-long pigtail and splice them with wire connectors. Cover the unstripped end of the black (hot) pigtail with a wire connector for safety.

Group and label the wires in the switch boxes so youll know how to connect them after the drywall is complete.

Fold and pack the wires neatly into the box to conserve space and reduce pressure on connections. Label wires with scraps of cable sheathing.

Complete the rough-in phase of the wiring job by connecting the appropriate wires with wire connectors, adding short lengths of wire (pigtails) where theyre needed and folding all the wires neatly into the boxes.

Photos 11 and 12 illustrate a number of important concepts and handy tips for making up any box. In addition, follow these guidelines:

Protect the cable in 1-1/2 in. or thinner walls by running it through 1/2-in. metal conduit. Anchor a 4 x 4 x 1-1/2 in. metal junction box and attach a length of conduit to it with a conduit connector (youll need two conduits for two cables). Secure another conduit connector to the top of the conduit to protect the cable from the sharp edge of the pipe. Secure the conduit with a conduit strap. Attach the ground wire to the metal box with a ground screw driven into the threaded hole. Finally, cover the box with a plaster ring that matches the wall covering thickness.

Special box: Paddle fan box with bar hanger

Special box: Light fixture or paddle fan box

For an average-size room, youll be able to buy all the electrical rough-in supplies youll need at hardware stores or home centers for less than $100. Heres what to buy:

Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you startyoull save time and frustration.

Link:
How to Rough-In Electrical Wiring | The Family Handyman

Homes typically have several kinds of home wiring, including Electrical wiring for lighting and power distribution, permanently installed and portable appliances, telephone, heating or ventilation system control, and increasingly for home theatre and computer networks. [1]

Safety regulations for wiring installation vary widely around the world, with national, regional, and municipal rules sometimes in effect. Some places allow the homeowner to install some or all of the wiring in a home; other jurisdictions require electrical wiring to be installed by licensed electricians only.

In new home construction, wiring for all electrical services can be easily installed before the walls are finished. In existing buildings, installation of a new system, such as a security system or home theatre, may require additional effort to install concealed wiring. Multiple unit dwellings such as condominiums and apartment houses may have additional installation complexity in distributing services within a house.

Services commonly found include:

High-end features might include:

Power and telecommunication services generally require entry points into the home and a location for connection equipment. For electric power supply, a cable is run either overhead or underground into a distribution board in the home. A distribution board, or circuit breaker panel, is typically a metal box mounted on a wall of the home. In many new homes the location of the electrical switchboard is on the outside of the external wall of the garage.

How services are connected will vary depending on the service provider and location of the home.

The following home services are supported by discrete wiring systems[2]

Power points (receptacles, plugs, wallsockets) need to be installed throughout the house in locations where power will be required. In many areas the installation must be done in compliance with standards and by a licensed or qualified electrician. Power points are typically located where there will be an appliance installed such as, telephone, computers, television, home theater, security system, CCTV system.

The number of light fitting does depend on the type of light fitting and the lighting requirements in each room. The incandescent bulb made household lighting practical, but modern homes use a wide variety of light sources to provide desired light levels with higher energy efficiency than incandescent lamps. A lighting designer can provide specific recommendations for lighting in a home. Layout of lighting in the home must consider control of lighting since this affects the wiring. For example, multiway switching is useful for corridors and stairwells so that a light can be turned on and off from two locations. Outdoor yard lighting, and lighting for outbuildings such as garages may use switches inside the home.

Telephone wiring is required between the telephone company's service entrance and locations throughout the home. Often a home will have telephone outlets in the kitchen, study, living room or bedrooms for convenience. Telephone company regulations may limit the total number of telephones that can be in use at one time. The telephone cabling typically uses two pair twisted cable terminated onto a telephone plug. The cabling is typically installed as a daisy chain starting from the point where the telephone company connects to the home or outlets may each be wired back to the entrance.

Data wiring has two components, these are:

The three most common ways data services are delivered to the home:

ADSL service

ADSL services are typically delivered using the telephone cabling. An ADSL modem needs a filter to segregate voice handsets from the ADSL modem.

Cable Modemcable modems are typically installed in location where there is an existing Pay TV service outlet. The installation requires the installation of a Pay TV outlet (F connector).

FiberFiber is the least common but it is growing in numbers. If the home has fiber to it then the fiber terminates on what is known as an Optical Network Termination unit (ONT) and it has a data port on it. Cabling from the street to the point where the ONT is installed is fiber and is typically installed by the service provider.

In all three cases the equipment supplied by the Internet provider will have a connection to the computers installed in the building. This is the data network cabling or LAN cabling.

If more than one computer or device (PC, printers, TV etc.) is to be connected in the home, LAN cabling will be required. The cabling used for data networking is similar to the phone cabling as it is twisted pair but of a much higher quality. The cable is known as Category (Cat) 5 or Cat 6. The cabling must be installed as a star wired configuration, that is the cabling runs from the point next to the modem, hub, or router uninterrupted up to the outlet next to the device that needs to be connected. Computer network wiring cannot be chained from one outlet to the next; each outlet is wired individually back to the hub or router next to the modem. If only one computer is required,it can be directly plugged into the modem. An alternative to a wired LAN especially useful for mobile devices is a wireless LAN, which can reduce or eliminate all the fixed wiring.

Cabling for free to air TV requires the following:

Antenna types vary depending on location; an urban area with nearby transmitters will require a smaller antenna than a rural site with distant stations. The antenna is often mounted outdoors on the roof or a tower. A coaxial or twinlead cable is run from the antenna to the location where the television is located. One common type of cable is designated RG-6 Tri-shield or quad-shield cable. The cable is terminated on a television outlets, typically an F connector mounted on a face plate. If there are multiple outlets, an RF splitter is used to divide the signal among them; outlets on the splitter are connected to television outlets at each location (living room, rec room, bedrooms, den, for example). RF splitters come with different types; some include amplifiers for multiple outlets.

Whilst most TV outlets use the F connector the Television or digital set top box usually come with a connector known as Belling Lee so the cable used to connect from the TV outlet to the television will need to have an F connector in one end and a Belling Lee connector at the other end.

The distribution of pay TV through the home uses the same type of cabling used for Free to Air TV with some variations. The variations are:

In most cases the pay TV company will supply and install the satellite dish or cable from the street and the cabling to the TV set. In many cases Pay TV services also require a telephone point to access movies on demand.

IPTV is television delivered to the home over the Internet. Any device for viewing IPTV must have an internet connection. This may be a wired connection, or wireless.

Home theater pre-wiring requires knowledge of the number of speakers to be installed.

Speaker cable is figure eight multi-strand copper cable. Cabling for the sub-woofer is typically a single shielded cable terminated on an RCA connector. A 7.1 channel system also needs cable for speakers that are installed between the front and back speakers.

The simplest layout for a home theater system is a single piece of furniture containing all one's AV equipment, which simplifies wiring. If, on the other hand, a front projection unit is to be employed, more thought must be given to the layout of the system. Several different cabling systems are commonly used for this application, including HDMI, DVI, and VGA.

Distributed audio provides music throughout the house, where the music sources are all centralized. Rooms are provided with speakers and controls to adjust volume or music source. A system may have central controls or allow for off-site control.

Security monitoring (burglar alarm) systems contain basic components of:

and may have additional components.

Cabling for traditional equipment

Code padThe code pad is typically found inside the front door or any other access door. The code pad is used to alarm the system on departure and disarm the system on entry. The cabling required is 6 core multi strand copper cable.

Siren and strobe lightThe siren and strobe light are typically installed outside the front of the house where it can be seen from the street and is protected from the weather. The cabling required is a 6 core multi strand copper cable.

Motion detectorsThe motion detectors installed in locations throughout the house were any intrusion into the home can be detected. The best way to think of this is, which are the rooms that have direct access from the outside, where can I place a detector to pick up any intrusion. One solution is to place a motion sensor in each room, as this can be expensive an alternative is place one immediately outside in the common corridor to all rooms. The cabling required is a 6 core multi strand copper cable.

Main equipmentThe main equipment is typically installed in a location that is not easily accessible such as a cupboard or sub floor area where in the event of an intrusion the person(s) cannot easily find it and interfere with the unit. The main unit requires a power point installed next to it for main power. It also needs a connection to the telephone line servicing the home so in situations where a back to base service is required it can be connected to the phone line. For details on the telephone connection see the section titled "telephone" in this article. Note the connection of the security system to the phone line requires a wiring configuration that allows the security system to disconnect all phones in the home when it needs to connect to the monitoring center. This is critical, if the wiring is not correct the system may not communicate back to base when an intrusion is detected.

All cabling from the code pad, siren and strobe light and motion detectors need to be run out from the main equipment. It is also recommended that the cabling to each code pad, motion detector are individual runs from the main equipment to the device. By having each device individually connected to the main equipment is facilitates maintenance and allows for more effective monitoring.

Cabling for IP Based systems

Like the traditional equipment the IP based systems require as a minimum:

The difference here is the cabling to connect the main equipment is either Cat 5 or Cat 6 and it is installed as part of the data cabling of the home. See this article the section titled "Data network cabling"

This is becoming more sought after in private home as an additional level of security. The wiring required to install a CCTV system is Data cabling, refer to the section in this article titled "Data network cabling". What you need to determine is where do you want to install the CCTV cameras and wherever you want the camera you need to install a data outlet. The location where you install the cameras will vary from home to home but typically they are installed so you can see anyone approaching any of the entry areas of the home.

The advantage of an IP bases system is the flexibility to add devices at a later stage. That is you can cable to as many locations as you want and have it terminate on a data outlet near where you may be planning to add devices at a later stage. Adding the device is as simple as plugging it into the outlet and configuring the device.

Automation refers to the ability to be able to control a range of devices in the home ranging from lights to curtains. The most common example of automation are referred to as Lighting control systems. Lighting control system need to be installed by a qualified professional as the cabling is only one element but without the equipment and programming you cannot even turn a light on. The cabling required when installing an automation system can be divided into two parts:

ElectricalThis is cabling installed from the electrical switchboard to the light fitting or any other device that is to be controlled by the automation system. For example, if you have four down lights in a room and you wish to control each light individually, then each light will be wired back using electrical cabling back to the electrical switchboard. This means you will have four electrical cables installed from the electrical switchboard to the location where the light fittings will be installed. Each cable will be a three core active, neutral and earth cable.If in that room you also have a free standing lamp plugged into a power point and you also want to control this from your automation system, you will need to have that power point individually wired back to the electrical switchboard.So if you want to individually control every light fitting and every power point or power outlets then each one of these devices must be individually wired back to the electrical switchboard. As you can see this start to become quite a lot of electrical cabling so planning is essential.

Note, when you are using an automation system, there is no need to install any electrical cabling to the light switches. In a traditional electrical installation without automation the lights in a room would be wired back to the light switch which in turn would be wired back to the switchboard or some similar arrangement, so keep reading.

Data BusOnce you have installed the electrical cabling you need to install the data bus cable from the electrical switchboard to every location you want to have a light switch or control panel installed (control panel is like the code pad on a security system or touch screen that gives you access to various control functions). The most common cable used for this is a Category 5 cable. The cable can be installed in either a daisy chain or star wired configuration. The importance is to minimize the cable length to avoid an communications problem on the bus.

Energy management is a new and upcoming topic in particular at the home. Older systems tended to be cable however all new systems use one of a variety of wireless solutions. This enables them to be effectively retrofitted into existing homes with the minimum of disruption.

If a cabled system is selected cabling needs to be deployed to the major appliances in the home. The cabling is installed as part of the data cabling as per detailed in this article in the section titled "Data Network Cabling". In addition to a cable being installed to every major appliance you also need to install a data cable near the electricity meter.

The major appliances being considered at this stage are:

Should a wireless system be selected the need for such disruption is removed. Smart plugs or switches can be used to connected the major appliances to the electricity supply and the home energy management system will wirelessly control them.

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Home wiring - Wikipedia

Understanding home wiring basic diagrams are important on your remodeling project. If you are not an electrical contractor it might present additional challenges. Furthermore, you might end up with an erroneous electrical installation presenting safety hazards to buildings occupants. A house wiring diagram is usually part of a set of design blueprints and it shows the location of electrical outlets (receptacles, switches, light outlets, appliances). This article presents some wiring basics from the overhead wires to the interior of the home.

It is important to highlight that power coming from the service head to the electric meter, and then to the main service panel is always live. Before working on these areas the power company must shut the power off.

Home wiring basics require a few handy tools to perform the job. Below is a list of common tools needed to take care of electrical jobs, many of these tools can be found at hardware stores or electrical wholesalers.

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Understanding Home Wiring Basics - thebalancesmb.com

Do-it-yourself: Building ProjectsQuestions about home building, construction, renovation projects, and repairs? Browse through a variety of articles about vinyl siding, windows, cabinets, counter tops, garages, building calculation formulas, flooring, and sunrooms to get all your questions answered.Building and Construction Articles >> Plumbing Tips: Leak No MoreWhatever your plumbing needs, the plumbing section is the place for you. Check out our home related articles on plumbing projects and repairs on topics such as installing a faucet, unclogging and maintaining your pipes, and installing a shower. Read featured plumbing articles >>Do It Yourself Home Repair on a BudgetGet Rich Slowly offers lots of tips and advice on how to do home improvement on a budget, without sacrificing quality. The site also helps you save for that big project by listing the top cd rates and online savings accounts.

THIS ARTICLE IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' WITH NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. THE AUTHOR, THE SITE OWNER AND ITS AFFILIATES ASSUME NO LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS CONTAINED THEREIN OR FOR ANY USE OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. The article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice.

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Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement Tips and Advice

Easy-to-use home wiring plan software with pre-made symbols and templates. Help make accurate and quality wiring plan, home wiring plan, house wiring plan, basement wiring plan, and many other electrical wiring with the least effort.

Create Home Wiring Plan form Built-in Elements

Before wiring your home, a wiring diagram is necessary to plan out the locations of your outlets, switches and lights, and how you will connect them. As an all-inclusive floor plan software, Edraw contains a large range of electrical and lighting symbols, which make drawing a wiring plan a piece of cake. As the picture shows below, it's an easy wiring plan maker with the an intuitive interface. If you are not drawing professionals and don't need complicated drawing as CAD, this is your best choice.

Download Full Software Package and View More Examples for Free:

How to Create a Home Wiring Plan

Symbols Required for Home Wiring Plan

The built-in symbol library in the software contains the most often used symbols for wiring plan such as lightings, switches, sockets, and some special appliances such as ceiling fan, door bell, smoke detector, monitor, and alarm. A home wiring plan is usually created based on the basic floor plan structure, therefore, the basic floor plan symbols such as walls, furniture and appliances are also necessary.

You can discover more electrical symbols for circuit design.

How to Make a Home Wiring Plan

Creating a home wiring plan is easy with Edraw. To open a new drawing page: from the Available Templates, choose Floor Plan, and double click Electrical and Telecom template to start drawing.

Wiring Plan Examples

Below are some wiring plan examples which you can download and use as templates. When you download and open an example, the required symbol libraries such as lighting, electrical and telecom are already open. Therefore, it's even quicker if you start with these templates.

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Home Wiring Plan Software - Making Wiring Plans Easily

What it means: Your house's wiring has no way to safely conduct any stray current that escapes the confines of the wires.

Code violation? No; grandfathered in. (Today's code requires grounded circuits and receptacles.)

Danger level: Minimal, as long as you don't use an adapter to fit a three-prong plug into a two-prong receptacle. Doing so could destroy the device you're plugging in, and increase the chance of electrocution.

Solution: Replace two-prong receptacles with properly grounded three-prong ones, if wiring allows it (see . Also, test all existing three-prong receptacles with a GFCI circuit tester to make sure they're grounded. Rewire any that aren't.

10. Plug Falls Out of ReceptacleWhat it means: Worn contacts in receptacle no longer grip the prongs firmly.

Code violation? No.

Danger level: High. Loose contacts can cause arcing, which can ignite dry wood and dust.

Solution:Replace the old receptacles as soon as possible. (A new one costs about $2.) Many homeowners feel comfortable doing this themselves. Electricians will charge about $8 or $10 per outlet, although there's likely to be a minimum charge for small jobs.

Old Wiring: Is It Safe?Today's standard household wiring is a plastic-sheathed, insulated three-wire cable, universally known by the trade name Romex. But the vintage copper wiring in many older houses works just as well as the new stuff, as long as it's in good condition and hasn't been altered in a way that violates code. Here are some wiring systems you'll find in older homes.

Knob and TubeThe earliest residential wiring system has a cloth-covered hot wire and a neutral wire, which run parallel about a foot apart. Ceramic knobs anchor the wires to the house framing; ceramic tubes are used where wires cross or penetrate framing.

Caveats: Cannot be grounded or spliced into a grounded circuit. Its soldered connections may melt if too much current flows through them. Rewire or disconnect any circuits covered with building insulation; it causes this wiring to overheat.

Armored Cable (Bx)The successor to knob and tube. A flexible steel sheath covers hot and neutral wires, which are insulated with cloth-covered rubber. The sheath provides a ground, so grounded receptacles are easy to retrofit.

Caveats: Sheath must be anchored securely to a metal outlet box. Check condition of insulation every five years or so; it degrades over time, as shown above, or if too much current is allowed to flow through the circuit.

Two-Wire Plastic-Sheathed CableAn early PVC-insulated (Romex) wire.

Caveats: Plastic is easily damaged. Grounded receptacles cannot be retrofitted to this wire.

Where to Find ItElectrician: Allen GallantGallant ElectricWaltham, MA781-862-4636

Aluminum-to-copper connector:Twister #65Ideal IndustriesSycamore, IL800-435-0705www.idealindustries.com

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10 Wiring Problems Solved | This Old House

At EZ Wiring, we strive to bring you the best harness for the best price. Our harnesses are universal and can fit just about any application. We use top quality gxl cross linked polyethylene jacketed wire to resist heat, oil and water. Every wire in each kit is labeled every 5 inches to make your installation as easy as possible. Our harnesses include an EZ to follow instruction manual as well as tech support which is available by phone or email.

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Be sure to check our line of Dash Panels made from polished billet aluminum. Many models are available with more being added constantly. If you do no see your model, give us a call. It may be available and just not made it onto the site yet. We hope to serve you in all current and future projects.

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Wire vs. Cable

While the terms wire and cable are often used interchangeably, technically wire is one electrical conductor and cable is a group of wires (or conductors), encased in sheathing.

The National Electrical Code (NEC) and local building codes regulate the types of wire and cable that can be used in specific electrical applications, as well as the manner of installation.

Check with your local building inspector before you start any electrical wiring and cable project and be sure to obtain required permits. When your work is complete, always have it inspected for compliance with local codes to ensure that it has been safely installed.

Label information printed on wire coverings provides the information necessary to help you choose the right wire for your home.

The information printed on the sides of wire indicates its THHN/THWN, material, max voltage rating and gauge.

THHN/THWN: These letters represent the most common types of individual wires used in residential applications. oT Thermoplastic insulation oH Heat resistance oH High heat resistance up to 194 degrees Fahrenheit oW Rated for wet locations oN Impervious damage from oil or gas

Material: Most wire will be marked CU for copper, the most common conductor of residential electricity. Because electricity travels on the outside of copper wire, wires are insulated to protect against fire and shock. Older wire could be aluminum or copper-clad aluminum.

Maximum voltage rating: This will be a number such as 600, which indicates the maximum voltage the wire can carry.

Gauge: This indicates wire size, as defined by the American Wire (AWG) system. The most common gauges are 10, 12 or 14. Larger numbers represent smaller sizes or gauges of wire.

It is recommended for safety purposes that you stay around 80% the max wattage your gauge is capable of carrying. This chart shows both the recommended 80% wattage load and the absolute maximum 100% wattage load for the most common wire and cable gauge sizes.

14-gauge

15 amps

1440 watts (120 volts)

1800 watts (120 volts)

Common residential wiring:Light fixturesHouseholdreceptacles

12-gauge

20 amps

1920 watts (120 volts)3840 watts (240 volts)

2400 watts (120 volts)4800 watts (240 volts)

Common residential wiring:Light fixturesHousehold receptaclesSmall appliances

10-gauge

30 amps

2880 watts (120 volts)5760 watts (240 volts)

3600 watts (120 volts)7200 watts (240 volts)

Large household appliances:Window a/c unitsClothes dryer

8-gauge

40 amps

7680 watts (240 volts)

9600 watts (240 volts)

Large household appliances:Electric rangesCentral a/c

6-gauge

55 amps

10560 watts (240 volts)

13200 watts (240 volts)

Large household appliances:Central a/cElectric furnace

Tip: Remember -- amps = the amount of current a wire can safely carry. Wattage = the rate of electrical energy used by an appliance. Amps x Voltage = Watts

A wires color indicates what it can safely carry.

White insulation: typically considered neutral, but can sometimes be used as a hot lead in certain situations, such as switch loops. Green insulation and bare copper: ground wireAll other insulation colors: hot wire that carries a current

Safety: If you have any confusion as to whether a white wire is used as neutral or hot in your particular project, check with a professional electrician before working.

NM-B, UF, AC, metal-clad, coaxial and category 5e cables each have specific purposes and applications.

NM-B cable

NM = non-metallic, which refers to the flexible, typically PVC sheathing surrounding the cable; B = a heat rating of 194 degrees F, ensuring that wires can operate at certain levels without overheating.Most common form of indoor residential electrical wiring.Inside the sheathing are at least two thermoplastic insulated wires of the same gauge, though different cables can have different gauges.For indoor use only, in spaces free from moisture and away from any heat sources. Do not bury or run outside of a wall. Best used behind walls and ceilings and inside floor cavities.

UF cable

UF = underground feeder; rated for in-ground and damp-area installation. Looks like NM-B cable, but the wires are embedded as a group in solid thermoplastic (rather than individually encased in flexible thermoplastic). Like NM cable, UF cable comes in a variety of gauges to meet all electrical code requirements and is labeled with the same information carried on NM cable plus the designation UF.

AC

AC = armored cable, also known as BX; consists of insulated hot and neutral wires and a bare bonding wire, all wrapped in paper.Wire enclosed in metal sheathing which acts as the grounding conductor. Relatively expensive and difficult to work with; often found in older homes but not used in new builds.For indoor use only.

Metal-clad cable

Similar to AC, but wires are wrapped in plastic instead of paper.Has green grounding wire because its metal sheathing cant be used as a ground.For indoor use only.Not often used in residential applications.

Coaxial cable

Usually called coax.Metallic cable often used to carry television signals and connect video equipment.Features central wire conductor covered with a dielectric or non-conducting insulator surrounded by mesh or a metal sheath and covered by a thin plastic layer for protection.

Category 5e cable

Usually called cat-5e, aka ethernet cableIndustry standard for unshielded twisted-pair cables (UTP) for connecting phone, computer, home automation and A/V networks.Copper cabling typically consists of 4 pairs of wire (8 total conductors) wrapped in a single jacket.

Tip: Both NM and AC cable require special cutting tools that cut the sheathing but not the wires, bushings inserted in the ends to prevent the sharp edges of the metal from damaging the wires, and special electrical boxes and connectors.

As with wire, all the information you need to know about NM-B or UF cable is printed on the sheathing.

Type: This label will most commonly read NM-B.Gauge: The gauge of the individual wires inside the cable, such as 14, 12, 10, etc.Number of wires: This number follows gauge. For example, 14/2 indicates that there are two 14-gauge wires (a ground wire, if part of the cable, is not included in this number) within the cable.Grounding: The word GROUND or the letter G indicates the presence of a ground wire.Voltage rating: The most common rating for residential use is 600 volts, though this can vary. The number indicates the maximum voltage the wire can safely carry.UL: Indicates that the cable is safety certified and approved for use by Underwriters Laboratories.

Read more:
Buying Guide: Wire and Cable at The Home Depot

10 Home Wiring Safety Tips - Self Help and More

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<>Home wiring is not a do-it-yourself task that should be undertaken unless you are confident you know what you are doing. No matter how often you may have carried out home wiring jobs, never forget the dangers of electricity and never be tempted to take risks by failing to take precautions or use the proper tools or protection. Preparation is key to safety. The following safety tips can guide you to make sure your home wiring project goes smoothly and safely.

If in doubt, consult a detailed reference book or get a specialist contractor in to do the work. A reputable electrician understands all aspects of home wiring and may be able to wire your home safely in less time than it takes you to learn!

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10 Home Wiring Safety Tips - Self Help and More