Every so that often some important electrical switch or outlet needs to be changed If you are remodeling your home or just making a repair, you'll need to understand the basics of home electrical wiring tips. Modern homes have many more electrical outlets and light switches also homes built only a decade ago. Before starting an electrical electric outlet or switch home repair, you should have a solid grasping of the three wires that make everything creation.

Most appliances need three wires providing 120-volts AC, and one of them is a security ground wire. In the most basic of terms, the other two wires divide the task of bringing electricity from the outlet to the appliance and in other words returning it from the appliance to the electric outlet. Basically, electricity flows into your home from the electrical grid, is partially used, or consumed there by all the appliances, TVs, computers, water heaters, lights, and every other gadget and the remainder is returned to the grid.

Shortly after electricity became the standard for household lighting; it became obvious that wiring had to be standardized in order to prevent mishaps, electrocution and fires. Finally, electrical wires are color-coded due to the installer and the repair person will on one hand mistake which wire is delivering the electricity and which is returning it. Electricity is conducted on the hot, or black wire, while the return wire is white.

Really the copper ground wire, the black and white wires make up the entire wiring system in most homes. The ground wire is an accompanying solid copper wire that connects each electrical outlet and electrical box together to form a single continuous connection to ground. Electrically speaking, "ground" means that everything is connected to the earth by an 8-foot rod located adjacent to the utility meter.

The ground wire serves as a path of least resistance for any buildup of an electrical charge, thereby serving as a security path if necessary. Like water, electricity will always seek the path of least resistance, and the safety, or ground wire conveniently escorts any errant electricity to earth where it can do no harm.

When installing a new or replacement outlet, light switch, or lighting fixture, it is important to observe which wire goes where. On an outlet, there are two screws on either side for attaching the wires. On one side, the screws are brass, while on the other side they appear a lighter white. The conventional rule-of-thumb for making a wiring connection to an outlet is "White-to-White" and Black-to-Brass". That only leaves the copper ground wire which is attached to the ground lug at the bottom of the electric outlet.

No special tools are necessary for most home electrical repairs. A pair of needle nosed pliers, a roll of electrician's plastic tape, pair of lineman's pliers, and a multipurpose wire stripper and crimper make up the basic electrician's tool box. Other test equipment you could use are a basic circuit tester and a voltage checker.

A voltage tester can be a organic device that lights up when plugged into or connected to an electrical outlet or a wire. More sophisticated devices include Volt-Ohm-Meters, Multimeters, and inductive probes that chirp whenever repositioned near a wire that is hot, or live with electricity. These devices serve as a warning that electricity is present and should be turned off before going any furthermore with your occupation.

When installing ceiling fans, Ground Fault Interrupters, or two-way switches, it is important to follow the manufacturer's directions supplied with the device. You are likely to encounter red or blue wires with the device and these have to be connected appropriately in order for the device to employment as designed.

Equipped with this familiarity, you should now have a veracious grasping of household positive, negative and ground wires. If you are unsure about how to suitably wire a device or make an electrical repair, you should consult with a licensed electrician. As a final word of precaution, never, ever attempt to repair an electrical wire in a damp, wet, or confined space until you have taken every possible electrical security measure.