Some important electrical terms

Ampere (or amp)is the measure of the rate of flow of electricity comparable to flow of water through a hose. Branch circuits, fuses and circuit breakers are rated in amperes to indicate the amount of electricity they can carry safely.

Volt is a measure of electric force. The volt is the force behind the current, or amps, flowing through a wire. Just as the amp can be compared to the amount of water flowing through a hose, the volt can be compared to the amount of pressure that is pushing that water.

Watt is a unit of power that does work electrically. Mathematically, the watt is the product of amperes times volts.

Watt-hour is the measurement of electrical energy used -measured as one watt of electricity used for one hour.

Kilowatt-hour is 1,000 watt-hours, abbreviated "kwh." On electric bills, this indicates the amount of electric energy used. A 100-watt lamp operated for 10 hours (100 watts x 10 hours) uses 1,000 watt-hours or 1 kwh.

Circuit Breakers and Fuses are safety devices that automatically cut the flow of electricity when a circuit is overloaded. In the fuse, an element melts when overloaded, stopping the flow. In the circuit breaker, a switch is tripped when it is overloaded. Once the cause of the overload has been corrected, the fuse must be replaced. The circuit breaker can simply be reset after the cause of the overload has been corrected. Circuit breakers and fuses are preset to appropriate amperage ratings, and it is important for the safety of your home or business that the amperage ratings in the main service panel be observed.

Main Service Panel (still known as the "fuse box" in many homes) is a metal box that houses the circuit breakers or fuses. The main service panel serves as the point from which the electricity is distributed to branch circuits throughout your home for appliance, equipment and lighting outlets. Electric Service Entrance normally consists of wires enclosed in conduit, a proper ground, your electric meter base and the main service panel - in other words, essentially the entire apparatus that is necessary to safely take electricity into your home.

Why fuses blow, what to do and how to replace a blown fuse

• Fuses and circuit breakers are the safety valves of your electrical circuits and are located in your main service panel. The two most common causes that effect the blowout of fuse and circuit breaker trips are:
  
  Overload : Too many appliances, lights, fans may be on the circuit. This is the main reason of Overloading.It can be corrected by disconnecting one or more of the devices in use at the time of the interruption.
  
  Short Circuit : A short circuit is an electrical fault in your wiring or in a piece of equipment that is connected to it. Call your electrician to locate and correct the problem. Common causes of shorts are frayed cords or damaged plugs. Any time you spot a frayed cord or damaged plug, have it repaired/replaced immediately.
• 1)  Be sure no water is on the wall or floor near the service panel.  
  2)  Turn off the main switch or remove the main fuse, thus cutting off all the current to your home and assuring  your safety while you change other fuses.
  3)  Unscrew the burned-out fuse. The scorched or discoloured face of the fuse makes it easy to spot.
  4)  Screw in a new fuse of the proper size. DO NOT replace with a fuse of larger capacity.
  5)  Turn the main switch back on or replace the main fuse. That's all.

To restore a tripped circuit breaker

• Many homes and apartments today have miniature circuit breakers (MCB) instead of fuses. Instead of blowing out when trouble develops, a lever, which looks much like a light switch, trips from ON to, or toward, OFF, thus breaking the circuit.
• To restore service
• Be sure no water is on the wall or floor near the service panel.
• Move the lever all the way to OFF and then to ON, just as if you were moving a light switch.
• If the breaker immediately trips to OFF again, disconnect the appliances or lights that were on when service was interrupted. Usually this will eliminate the overload and help you isolate a faulty appliance, if there is one.
• Reset the lever again, and the job is finished.

How's your "housepower"?

The capacity of the wiring in your house is often called "housepower," or how much electrical power your house is equipped to use.

You have full housepower when the wiring is designed to carry sufficient electricity for all the lights, appliances, tools and other devices. Full housepower means that the house has enough circuits, switches, and outlets to handle the electric load, that they're all properly located and that the wiring meets all national and local standards.

Low housepower means the wiring is inadequate. Some indications of low housepower are:

• The TV picture shrinks noticeably when appliances are turned on.
• Fuses blow or circuit breakers trip frequently.
• Lamps go dim when appliances are turned on.
• Appliances operate slowly or at noticeably less than full power.
• Too few outlets are available where you need them.

Low housepower can be dangerous. Contact a qualified electrician to upgrade the wiring.