New homeowner here, newly built house in Southern California area, good video for someone like me who never had the opportunity or reason to know any of this. Thank you Terry, I'm in what seems to me to be an intimidating position having to learn everything about everything and your video makes things clear..after multiple viewings :) Subscribed and following along the best I can.
Terry,...your series of videos is necessary and important for homeowners like me. I want to thank you for sharing your professional ideas. - Greetings from NYC. (Muchas gracias..!)
Nanette, I'm clearing out my last batch of DVD's of "The Basics of Household Wiring". Would you be interested to distribute them to your students? I can send you a free digital download of the material for you to have a look at, and if you think it's something that would work for you, let me know. terry@electrical-online.com
Hi Terry. Ben here. Just stumbled across this video. From an electrical inspector's point of view, it looks like you know what you're talking about. ;)
Thanks for watching William! I hope that you gave it a 'like', and that you subscribed to my channel? And don't forget to click the notifications bell so you'll know when I release new content!
Wow, very instructive. I'm always looking to learn new things and your video helped me understand the basics of how power works, which is helpful not only to me as someone who lives in an average house but also as a filmmaker. You'd be surprised how much I need to know about power and electricity in this field (:
@@theinternetelectrician How short of a drop from my main panel can I put a 240v outlet for a welder? 50amp breaker, 6/2 romex. Is 3ft to close to the panel, it will be ran in between the walls.
I first thought you made a mistake about the panel inside the house. I thought it was a sub panel, but I re-watched the video and you said those lines where being fed from the meter directly to it, so yes this would be a main panel. If it where a sub panel the ground and neutral would have to be separate, which you also touched on. Good video.
Thank you, this is informative and simple. I do hope that you were recording and touching the panel while it was disconnected from the power source. You should always include safety, such as, don't remove the panel cover unless the power is disconnected.
Good input, but I do always stress the importance of safety, and de-energizing before working on electrical circuits. At the 2:55 mark, I explain that this is a panel that I use for demonstration purposes only.
terry, have a strange situation. losing power to one leg but no breakers are tripped. they said the meter base needs to be replaced but they havent looked as waiting for utility company to cut power. whats strange is, if a 220 circuit is active/being used, there is no cut out issue. any idea why this is? thanks!
Terry, does the regulation allow to to drill a thru hole in the main outdoor breaker box to my garage on the other side of the wall? I need to install Wi-Fi antenna for the monitoring system. Breaker box acts as a Faraday cage and I really don't want to drill holes outside panel leaving antenna exposed. So, I'm going to drill a hole thru metal case straight to my garage, just wanna check if I'm not violating any codes.
@@KitchenerLeslie2 I found a better option! The main breaker panel has a big distribution hole already which opens inside the wall in between the panel and garage and where all the wires from the breakers go. I will punch a hole in the drywall from inside garage and route current transformer wires from the panel inside to garage where Ill install my monitoring system. This way I'll eliminate Wi-fi signal issue as well as keep breaker box clean of additional equipment. How does that sound?
The panel you are showing is a sub panel, you have it wired as a main panel. The main panel isn't defined as the first breaker panel inside your house. A main panel (or service entrance panel) is simply a panelboard that contains the main service disconnect for a property. That panel is located outside your house as shown in this video.
Chris Mitchell thanks, and you are correct, only you missed that I explain that very point and the inside panel is set up to demonstrate how the connections are made c/w bonding the neutral in a main panel.
@@theinternetelectrician I did catch that but I though it necessary to point out that the panel is wired wrong as it is, it is demonstrating a main panel however it isn't a main panel. Do you follow what I'm getting at. Also it's not even just that the bonding screw was in for this example, the neutral bus bar has ground wires connected to it, which in the main panel is okay, but as this panel is not actually a main panel it is wired wrong and is in need of a rewire, at least a partial one.
The explanation of the electrical system is great! The only thing is putting your hands and fingers on the panels and their components. Thats is making me nervous. Do-it-yourselves may do the same thing not knowing that the boxes are energized. It would be better to use a wood pointer or a pen-pointer. Thanks for your time and effort to upload your Vds.
On the video, at the 2:20 mark, the large breaker alone at the top of the panel is the main breaker in this particular distribution system. That is what you would shut off in the event of and electrical fire. This would deenergize all circuits in the home.
This is a complex topic and sometimes hard to understand for sure. But the short answer is that the "grounding" or earthed conductor is the fault current path. The neutral, or "grounded" conductor is the intended path for current flow. Think of it as a floor drain in the basement of a house. The water you use in the home is intended to be captured by the sewer pipes and routed to a system that takes it back to be treated, and then returned to the water cycle. But if something goes wrong and a pipe bursts, either on the pressurized supply side of the water lines (hot wires), or on the sewer pipe somewhere (the neutral lines), that floor drain (ground wire) is there to take that water away to mitigate the damage until the problem is fixed! *(Hey, I've never used this analogy before, but it's brilliant if I do say so myself :-)
@@theinternetelectrician Excellent analogy! In the case of bonding neutral and ground, using that analogy, we are connecting the sewer drain and floor drain so when water is flowing down the sewer there will be a point where the water can choose either the sewer or floor drain. This is what I don't understand. Why we would give water (electricity) a choice of paths to take even when there is no pipe burst we will undoubtedly get some water to flow down the floor drain when the path should be all down the sewer drain.
@@sonyyoung1036 But the floor drain is only there in case of emergency. It should never be flowing that way unless there is a problem, and if that happens if we go back to electricity, the path for current flow is so large that the breaker trips, stopping the flow. Then we correct the problem. With the plumbing analogy, you would have to have some kind of circuit breaker (which they do make now) that recognizes un-controlled flow, and shuts off the main! If you didn't have that alternative path, you have a problem, you flood the house! All about mitigating risk to property and people.
@@theinternetelectrician I think you are saying that, at the main panel, a circuit will return via neutral because it is easier than taking the path via ground. Thanks for the responses!
Thanks I never realized that why we had to have high voltage wires until you explained it . amps are low when voltage is high . So when voltage is low amps are higher.
Neutral is the intended path for current flow (the ungrounded conductor) The ground is the fault path for current flow and should never have conduct current except in a fault condition (the grounded conductor). It reduces the risk of you becoming the path for the fault current.
@@theinternetelectrician half my home is without power. Found out it's all connected with each other. It's a HUD home. I can't afford to pay electrician. I checked all plugs. Bought new ones and replaced them. Still nothing. I was told maybe circuit. I bought a new circuit and changed it and still no power. Living room plugs are connected to upstairs bathroom plug and fan and also half bed room and light and plug in loundry room. Smh. Trying to figure out what to do.
@@paintingwithtastefromcanva7165 It's very likely a problem with the main breaker, in the meter socket, or the feed from the supply authority. Start with the main breaker. Push it fully to the off position, then back on. If that doesn't do it you will have to call an electrician to determine if it's the main breaker that has failed on one leg, or if the feed to the main breaker is the issue. If it's a failed main breaker in your main panel, then it's your issue and you pay to repair. The electrician will need the power company to pull the meter to do this. You can also call the power company to come check if it is a problem on their connections as they don't charge for that.They will also check the meter base to see if that's where the issue is.
Novice here......why did I see white wires going to both the neutral and the ground bus bars at point 7:11 when I thought you said they must be separated?
I don't install any breaker box with a back fed main breaker. It can lead to a disaster. I only use panels in which the main breaker is solidly bolted onto the busses such as the Siemens and square D panels. Over time the tension of the clips in the main breaker loosens causing a point of resistance. Thus they heat up and burn the bus tabs onto which the main breaker is plugged.
Hey Terry. Really like your Videos. Thank you very much. I think this should be the first video in a general overview of the whole house and looking at your channel you have already made all videos. I had to stop UA-cams' Autoplay from taking me to another channel. I don't know if you have any control here. But a thought out playlist, and or a link to said playlist would be appreciated and I think get you would get views from people who are genuinely interested in the subject.
sorry, i feel a little confused about the terminology. you've called the panel in your video the Main panel. is this not the subpanel? since the combination panel outside is the Main as the meter feeds it directly and has the main shut off there? i feel confused because subpanels don't have the neutrals and grounds connected like shown in your video. I'm a new student studying Home Inspection with zero experience in electrical, so i'm trying to get supplementary info from youtube videos. I'm also from Canada, so I'm wondering if terminology might be different? any help would be very much appreciated.
As I explained in the video, I show you the main panel at the beginning, but I move inside for a more controlled studio atmosphere and yes, that panel is technically a sub-panel, and is connected as such, but for the video I have made it to appear to be the main panel just for the demonstration, and I indicate that in the video script.
Does anybody know why when I check my wall sockets with a multi meter I get 120 V then I checked the ground and I get .2 V on some outlets some outlets I even get a few volts. Can anybody chime in please thank you
Why would you bond your ground & Neutral in a sub panel? The bonding is to occur at the first means of disconnect. Additionally, that trunk cable fed into the sub panel should be coming from the exterior distribution panel (where the bonding is to occur.
You are correct. You don't bond in the sub panel. I explain that in the video that this panel is on my demonstration wall, and that it is only to demonstrate how you do bond if it was a main panel.
so wjhen are amps added? I assume amps are added by means of resistance correct? does the transformer have resistance or the home circuit panel.. Sorry if dumb question in my 2nd week of 101
I replaced our clothes dryer because the heat stopped working. New dryer wasn’t getting warm. THEN noticed the breaker was tripped. Replaced breaker. And IT trips. This all happened after the water heater had sprung a leak, just on the other side of the wall. I’ve decided the outlet is to blame do to moisture, causing ground fault or whatever, Is this possible ?
I live in Indiana. I have a main breaker outside next to the meter. But nothing else. The lines come in and feed a breaker box. Is the box inside considered a sub panel since the main breaker is outside?
correct me if im wrong, so the voltage/current that is inside our house is DC? because he said from generator(AC) the current goes to TRU(AC change to DC step down), then go inside the box in our house?
Zaid, no, the transformer does not convert to DC. It stays as AC, just lowers the voltage. When we change AC to DC, that is called a converter or rectifier. When we change DC to AC, that is an inverter.
Terry Peterman thx man for replying!!! so in our house is AC? but i thought AC is vary(meaning positive, then goes to 0 then goes to negative). If it is AC how come my light bulb in my house acting as if it receive DC?
The alternating current happens so fast that the human eye is incapable of seeing the fluctuations. We're talking about 50 (EU) or 60 (Americas) cycles per second where a voltage of 120Vac goes from 0 to 170v + back to 0v, and then to 170v - in a sinusoidal wave (sine wave) The RMS value is 120V. It's a bit complicated, and that's why electricians have to spend time in tech school learning this "behind the scenes" information that really proves to be quite useless in the real world!
I’m a diy er and was wondering if I can install a 30 or 50 amp 240 volt exterior outlet on the side of my house to connect a air compressor or does it have to be installed inside the house. Thanks
Ive seen you canadiens use the service loops before boxes. But is that legal in the u.s.? Nec says 8 or12" from the box right? Doesn't that count wire length?
i tested my breaker in the panel with a multimeter and got 121 volts then i tested the outlet and got121 volts but when i put a load on it the outlet stopped working but the breaker did not trip , whats your thought on that?
GmGarlo Not sure if you have managed to fix it yet. I'm educating to become a electrican in Sweden, so the Components are a bit diffreant from what I have in my country but the basics are still the same. Have you checked that the outlet still gets it's 121 volts when you add the load? Otherwise you could observe what the breaker does when you add the load to the outlet.
Thank you for the great video. I thought higher the voltage higher the amps? Can you explain please.. You said higher the voltage lower amps? Im trying to learn.. Thanks again
Joe Clark yes, if the load is constant the relationship is inversely proportional. So if you were using 100 amps at 240v, a high voltage transmission line would carry 1A at 24000 volts to the transformer (just as an example, not actual values used).
If the ground and neutral wires are connected in the box, aren't they connected throughout the home then? Why have a ground bar and a neutral bar in the box if they are connected anyway? Please and thank you!!
Yes, almost everywhere on the North American grid, single family dwellings are serviced with single-phase, 120/240V transformers. Two hots, a neutral, and a grounding / earthing system. In multi-family units like apartments or condominiums, they will bring in 3-phase at a higher voltage, then transform down to 120/208V and still only feed each unit with 2 hot conductors and just divide the load amongst the 3 hot conductors to the individual units. Thanks for watching!
Neutral wire provides the return path for the voltage back to the panel. The ground wire is connected to earth to provide a path to ground in case of a fault. Ground wire has lower resistance so it trips out the circuit breaker by allowing more current to flow through it.
Terry - I built my own dual-axis solar tracker energy system, utilizing a transfer switch to my main service panel (proper city permits and installation city approved). Sold that house & system, bought another. I want to avoid the complexity of a transfer switch and its complex wiring by going directly to the service panel this time. I will purchase and install an interlock switch that will lock out the 200A main when needed. I will insert a 240vac CB into the top slot of L1 and energize it with a source (generator, solar, battery bank, pure sine wave inverters - etc). My question is: will that ONE 240vac CB energize both L1 and L2? It seems it will, given that it touches both.If not, can I accomplish what I want by putting an additional 240vac CB at the top of L2 and energize both of those top CBs with my energy source (obviously, within the power output capability of that energy source). The point to this exercise is to provide energy to all CBs below the one or two I have energized. I do NOT intend to have them ALL turned on at the same time and will select only those needed for the function at hand...always within the ranges of my energy source(s). Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. John
I can only rationalize that you are referring to the bar that ties the neutral buss bars together on each side of the panel? This brand of loadcenter has a neutral buss on each side. At around the 5:00 minute mark, I explain about when you can and cannot bond the neutral to the ground. This being an example of a main panel, you bond the neutral and the ground together, and in this panel, it's the bonding jumper you see in the top right corner.
Finally a video that shows as a main panel the isolated ground has to be in the neutral bar,branch circuits grounds separated from neutral if you look closely you see he has separate bars for ground wires .
Thank you for the video but you didn’t explain the very basics of why are there four wires, red, black, white and green and the function of each. It would be nice to know.
The US system is 220-240v split phase with the centre tap neutral attached to earth. That give either 110-120v to neutral or a 220-240v live/live power system.
I always call the hot bus bar the backbone. My boss hates when I do that, scolds me everytime. But for the most part it really does function like a back bone. Its where the current is distributed, like nerves on a spine. If it is broken, everything below the break stops functioning, like a spine. It even looks like a spine. Customers also understand it better when I call it the backbone vs the hot bus, while explaining to them whats causing the problem, because the hot bus bar doesn't look like a bar. I hope some day I can ascend to the point where I can officially rename the hot bus, the backbone. That is my goal in life.
could not concur more, stuff is beyond simple to learn but just like a lot of subjects passed off as difficult the words are throw offs and makes it harder than it really is....simply the verbage and your half way home, jus sayin...
lol i kinda like it. I think if it as a highway. You gotta go down the road, to your destination (lets say youre getting food) and eventually youre gonna have to come back. Now add millions of cars per seconds and make the smaller than atoms themselves and youve got electricity.
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos I thought I would start the vids at the beginning and I am glad I did. great to learn about ground/earth and neutral bond together in upper distribution panel and separate lower half!!. why is that is the question?
quick question; will this be country specific? as in will this only be applicable to the US, or will it also be applicable to European countries and what not.
Nice video Terry. I'd like work as an electrician in USA or Canada with you. I'm Brazilian and I'm work here in a power plant with steel making at CSN ( Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional). I'm an Electronics technician here. I have a great knowledge in electric project too. In this moment I have a family, my wife and my baby Vitor. But my country doesn't have many opportunities for my professional growth. So, it's a dream to work out of here. I have passport too. Please, tell me how can I do it. What's the first step? Could you help me? Thanks a lot.
That looked like a main panel outside, so the panel inside should be a sub panel were all your neutrals and grounds are separated... What am I missing here?
At the big store where I work we use floor scrubbing machines-got 4 of them with onboard chargers. Each machine has 4 12v car batteries. Two 120v wall outlets have caught fire in the charging area-burns on the wall and melting the plastic and wiring. Any number of flammable things nearby. From what I've found out it was because two machines were plugged into the same outlet. The electrician came and replaced the two outlets. Now store management has put up a sign saying 'only one machine can be plugged into an outlet. I've had some electrical training and work experience. I don't understand this. How can you overload these outlets without tripping a breaker? How can this condition even exist legally? Shouldn't each outlet have it's own circuit to prevent this? These are common duplex 120v outlets but they must not be separated with separate circuits. Now they just put tape over one of the duplex outlets.
deric smith certain breakers out there don’t trip as they should FPE is one. We’ve replaced panels at entire condo complexes because of this. Also you’re supposed to cycle breakers and mains often to keep them moving freely. You could have a faulty breaker.
Or they could be over fused. Some knucklehead could have put a larger breaker on the line because the circuit used to trip when you guys were overloading the circuit.
That was the result of an improper and dangerous electrical setup. The wiring is likely only 14 gauge which can only handle 120 volts with a 15 amp circuit breaker. It's also likely that it's on a circuit with a 20, or even 30, amp breaker. And you've witnessed the results. The only other possibility is that they're using common receptacles that are rated for 15 amps that are on a 20 amp circuit that has 12 gauge wire. If that were the case the receptacles need to be upgraded to the heavy-duty 20 amp versions; that is, unless the circuit has 14 gauge wire which only rates to 15 amps. Regardless, it's not rocket science and it's clear whoever is in charge of the electrical service is ignoring the basics of the field.
A great teacher is someone who can take the complex and reduce it to its simplest form.
Thanks (I think?) Did I do that, or did I fail?
Agreed
New homeowner here, newly built house in Southern California area, good video for someone like me who never had the opportunity or reason to know any of this. Thank you Terry, I'm in what seems to me to be an intimidating position having to learn everything about everything and your video makes things clear..after multiple viewings :) Subscribed and following along the best I can.
Thanks! very informative. My left ear really enjoyed this video
It's in my right! Weird...
William Spencer yeah me too
flip your headphones around
lmfao
I was just about to comment the same lol
Terry,...your series of videos is necessary and important for homeowners like me. I want to thank you for sharing your professional ideas. - Greetings from NYC. (Muchas gracias..!)
Thank you Terry, I appreciate you taking the time to make these.
Hi
How are you doing
As an Apprentice I find your videos simple and informative. Give thanks
You still an apprenticeship
Terry that was the BEST !!! I really appreciate your very thorough yet concise presentation .. im going to continue with the rest of them
Great simplistic explanation! I’m definitely using this video to show to my DIY Shop students! Thank you, Terry!
Nanette, I'm clearing out my last batch of DVD's of "The Basics of Household Wiring". Would you be interested to distribute them to your students? I can send you a free digital download of the material for you to have a look at, and if you think it's something that would work for you, let me know. terry@electrical-online.com
Hi Terry. Ben here. Just stumbled across this video. From an electrical inspector's point of view, it looks like you know what you're talking about. ;)
I'm an apprentice electrician. Just found your channel and subscribed. Thanks for sharing, definitely going to check out all your videos !
My left ear now can fix eletrical issues. Thanks!
Yes, our mistake on the upload and the sound settings!
I thought my ear was clogged up until I saw your comment! Haha
Thanks great explanation of why we have high voltage wires and transformers I never thought about It makes sense
Thanks for watching William! I hope that you gave it a 'like', and that you subscribed to my channel? And don't forget to click the notifications bell so you'll know when I release new content!
You’re awesome. Great video, great teacher, super helpful. Thanks so much for your hard work making this 🙏
Wow, very instructive. I'm always looking to learn new things and your video helped me understand the basics of how power works, which is helpful not only to me as someone who lives in an average house but also as a filmmaker. You'd be surprised how much I need to know about power and electricity in this field (:
Lauren Pearce thanks for watching!
@@theinternetelectrician How short of a drop from my main panel can I put a 240v outlet for a welder? 50amp breaker, 6/2 romex. Is 3ft to close to the panel, it will be ran in between the walls.
I first thought you made a mistake about the panel inside the house. I thought it was a sub panel, but I re-watched the video and you said those lines where being fed from the meter directly to it, so yes this would be a main panel. If it where a sub panel the ground and neutral would have to be separate, which you also touched on. Good video.
Thanks Jared. Yes, I used my panel in my demonstration wall just to control the conditions and environment for shooting the video.
Thank you, this is informative and simple. I do hope that you were recording and touching the panel while it was disconnected from the power source. You should always include safety, such as, don't remove the panel cover unless the power is disconnected.
Good input, but I do always stress the importance of safety, and de-energizing before working on electrical circuits. At the 2:55 mark, I explain that this is a panel that I use for demonstration purposes only.
Fantastic. Had to filter thru so many videos to find this.
Glad it was helpful! Please like and subscribe as there's much more on my channel that you might find helpful
I really want to learn about this. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and show what you are talking about.
Question; what is the first breaker location in the panel that the power hits? The top left or the top right?
terry, have a strange situation. losing power to one leg but no breakers are tripped. they said the meter base needs to be replaced but they havent looked as waiting for utility company to cut power. whats strange is, if a 220 circuit is active/being used, there is no cut out issue. any idea why this is? thanks!
Terry, does the regulation allow to to drill a thru hole in the main outdoor breaker box to my garage on the other side of the wall? I need to install Wi-Fi antenna for the monitoring system. Breaker box acts as a Faraday cage and I really don't want to drill holes outside panel leaving antenna exposed. So, I'm going to drill a hole thru metal case straight to my garage, just wanna check if I'm not violating any codes.
Arthur Vin you’re not supposed to add any holes to a panel or meter pan.
@@KitchenerLeslie2 I found a better option! The main breaker panel has a big distribution hole already which opens inside the wall in between the panel and garage and where all the wires from the breakers go. I will punch a hole in the drywall from inside garage and route current transformer wires from the panel inside to garage where Ill install my monitoring system. This way I'll eliminate Wi-fi signal issue as well as keep breaker box clean of additional equipment. How does that sound?
If its a 3ph panel with 100A main breaker does it mean it can hold 100A each leg or 100A total in all phase?
each leg can supply 100A of current.
Terry Peterman awesome video thanks gor the reply
Jay Estores thanks for watching!
The panel you are showing is a sub panel, you have it wired as a main panel.
The main panel isn't defined as the first breaker panel inside your house. A main panel (or service entrance panel) is simply a panelboard that contains the main service disconnect for a property. That panel is located outside your house as shown in this video.
Chris Mitchell thanks, and you are correct, only you missed that I explain that very point and the inside panel is set up to demonstrate how the connections are made c/w bonding the neutral in a main panel.
@@theinternetelectrician I did catch that but I though it necessary to point out that the panel is wired wrong as it is, it is demonstrating a main panel however it isn't a main panel. Do you follow what I'm getting at.
Also it's not even just that the bonding screw was in for this example, the neutral bus bar has ground wires connected to it, which in the main panel is okay, but as this panel is not actually a main panel it is wired wrong and is in need of a rewire, at least a partial one.
The explanation of the electrical system is great! The only thing is putting your hands and fingers on the panels and their components. Thats is making me nervous. Do-it-yourselves may do the same thing not knowing that the boxes are energized. It would be better to use a wood pointer or a pen-pointer. Thanks for your time and effort to upload your Vds.
Thanks Terry. Where is the switch you turn off in case of an electrical fire?
On the video, at the 2:20 mark, the large breaker alone at the top of the panel is the main breaker in this particular distribution system. That is what you would shut off in the event of and electrical fire. This would deenergize all circuits in the home.
@@theinternetelectrician THANKS!
3:14 is it me or did the mic picked up interference every time he touched the box?
That's my magnetic personality! I'll check that out. First I've heard of that particular sound issue on this video, but it wouldn't surprise me.
good detailed information thanks for sharing your knowledge your videos help out a lot especially for the beginners in the electrical field
Thank-you Yoshu!
If one leg is dead or open can it cause feedback through the 240 volt breakers ? Thanks and enjoy and learn much from your videos .
Can you explain why neutral and ground are bonded? It will create 2 paths for electricity to return on a circuit. What am I missing? Thanks
This is a complex topic and sometimes hard to understand for sure. But the short answer is that the "grounding" or earthed conductor is the fault current path. The neutral, or "grounded" conductor is the intended path for current flow. Think of it as a floor drain in the basement of a house. The water you use in the home is intended to be captured by the sewer pipes and routed to a system that takes it back to be treated, and then returned to the water cycle. But if something goes wrong and a pipe bursts, either on the pressurized supply side of the water lines (hot wires), or on the sewer pipe somewhere (the neutral lines), that floor drain (ground wire) is there to take that water away to mitigate the damage until the problem is fixed! *(Hey, I've never used this analogy before, but it's brilliant if I do say so myself :-)
@@theinternetelectrician Excellent analogy! In the case of bonding neutral and ground, using that analogy, we are connecting the sewer drain and floor drain so when water is flowing down the sewer there will be a point where the water can choose either the sewer or floor drain. This is what I don't understand. Why we would give water (electricity) a choice of paths to take even when there is no pipe burst we will undoubtedly get some water to flow down the floor drain when the path should be all down the sewer drain.
@@sonyyoung1036 But the floor drain is only there in case of emergency. It should never be flowing that way unless there is a problem, and if that happens if we go back to electricity, the path for current flow is so large that the breaker trips, stopping the flow. Then we correct the problem. With the plumbing analogy, you would have to have some kind of circuit breaker (which they do make now) that recognizes un-controlled flow, and shuts off the main!
If you didn't have that alternative path, you have a problem, you flood the house! All about mitigating risk to property and people.
@@theinternetelectrician I think you are saying that, at the main panel, a circuit will return via neutral because it is easier than taking the path via ground. Thanks for the responses!
Experience of actual electrical work comes shining through here. Very impressive.
Thanks I never realized that why we had to have high voltage wires until you explained it . amps are low when voltage is high . So when voltage is low amps are higher.
great video, finally some one who can teach.. thanks a million ,keep the videos coming
Terry, what is the difference between a ground and a neutral. Why both?
Neutral is the intended path for current flow (the ungrounded conductor) The ground is the fault path for current flow and should never have conduct current except in a fault condition (the grounded conductor). It reduces the risk of you becoming the path for the fault current.
At 5:00 you say “neutral bus bar,” but I think it should be “ground bus bar,” even though the two are connected.
Does it matter in 15 circuit and 20 circuit which side of breaker it goes on?
Short answer is no if I'm understanding the question, but can you give me some more detail of what it is you are asking?
@@theinternetelectrician half my home is without power. Found out it's all connected with each other. It's a HUD home. I can't afford to pay electrician. I checked all plugs. Bought new ones and replaced them. Still nothing. I was told maybe circuit. I bought a new circuit and changed it and still no power. Living room plugs are connected to upstairs bathroom plug and fan and also half bed room and light and plug in loundry room. Smh. Trying to figure out what to do.
@@paintingwithtastefromcanva7165 It's very likely a problem with the main breaker, in the meter socket, or the feed from the supply authority. Start with the main breaker. Push it fully to the off position, then back on. If that doesn't do it you will have to call an electrician to determine if it's the main breaker that has failed on one leg, or if the feed to the main breaker is the issue. If it's a failed main breaker in your main panel, then it's your issue and you pay to repair. The electrician will need the power company to pull the meter to do this. You can also call the power company to come check if it is a problem on their connections as they don't charge for that.They will also check the meter base to see if that's where the issue is.
Novice here......why did I see white wires going to both the neutral and the ground bus bars at point 7:11 when I thought you said
they must be separated?
can you put a brake 25 or 30 to a 10 cable electricity ?
I don't install any breaker box with a back fed main breaker. It can lead to a disaster. I only use panels in which the main breaker is solidly bolted onto the busses such as the Siemens and square D panels. Over time the tension of the clips in the main breaker loosens causing a point of resistance. Thus they heat up and burn the bus tabs onto which the main breaker is plugged.
Yes, I’ve seen some fails like that as well, but far more due to poorly done terminations to the lugs.
@@theinternetelectrician Yes that's also true.
Thank you for the informative video
Thanks for watching!
Very nicely done, I do have a question but it is late tonight. I will send it tomorrow. Thanks...
Curiosity nice
And tomorrow never came.
Hey Terry. Really like your Videos. Thank you very much. I think this should be the first video in a general overview of the whole house and looking at your channel you have already made all videos. I had to stop UA-cams' Autoplay from taking me to another channel. I don't know if you have any control here. But a thought out playlist, and or a link to said playlist would be appreciated and I think get you would get views from people who are genuinely interested in the subject.
sorry, i feel a little confused about the terminology. you've called the panel in your video the Main panel. is this not the subpanel? since the combination panel outside is the Main as the meter feeds it directly and has the main shut off there? i feel confused because subpanels don't have the neutrals and grounds connected like shown in your video.
I'm a new student studying Home Inspection with zero experience in electrical, so i'm trying to get supplementary info from youtube videos. I'm also from Canada, so I'm wondering if terminology might be different? any help would be very much appreciated.
As I explained in the video, I show you the main panel at the beginning, but I move inside for a more controlled studio atmosphere and yes, that panel is technically a sub-panel, and is connected as such, but for the video I have made it to appear to be the main panel just for the demonstration, and I indicate that in the video script.
Does anybody know why when I check my wall sockets with a multi meter I get 120 V then I checked the ground and I get .2 V on some outlets some outlets I even get a few volts. Can anybody chime in please thank you
One room has lights working, but open neutral,I only charge all outlets still the same, don't know how to go upline to the box to check.
Why would you bond your ground & Neutral in a sub panel? The bonding is to occur at the first means of disconnect. Additionally, that trunk cable fed into the sub panel should be coming from the exterior distribution panel (where the bonding is to occur.
You are correct. You don't bond in the sub panel. I explain that in the video that this panel is on my demonstration wall, and that it is only to demonstrate how you do bond if it was a main panel.
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting!
so wjhen are amps added? I assume amps are added by means of resistance correct? does the transformer have resistance or the home circuit panel.. Sorry if dumb question in my 2nd week of 101
How to check the circuit panel box itself has a power leaked and had power.
I replaced our clothes dryer because the heat stopped working. New dryer wasn’t getting warm. THEN noticed the breaker was tripped. Replaced breaker. And IT trips. This all happened after the water heater had sprung a leak, just on the other side of the wall. I’ve decided the outlet is to blame do to moisture, causing ground fault or whatever, Is this possible ?
I live in Indiana. I have a main breaker outside next to the meter. But nothing else. The lines come in and feed a breaker box. Is the box inside considered a sub panel since the main breaker is outside?
Technically yes it is. The meter and breaker outside is considered a distribution panel.
@@rcrai3 So regarding ground and neutral in the box on the inside ...They would be separate with no bar connecting them?
Is the neutral conductor hot and or cold? (Can it be both?) Or is it simply called neutral.
Is there a way to get electricity directly from the telephone pole or the wire that heads to your panel without it going through the meter
Climb up to your weather head and connect some wires. I'd reccomend having a professional do the work.
correct me if im wrong,
so the voltage/current that is inside our house is DC? because he said from generator(AC) the current goes to TRU(AC change to DC step down), then go inside the box in our house?
sry my english is bad, and im not electrical base student.
Zaid, no, the transformer does not convert to DC. It stays as AC, just lowers the voltage. When we change AC to DC, that is called a converter or rectifier. When we change DC to AC, that is an inverter.
Terry Peterman thx man for replying!!! so in our house is AC? but i thought AC is vary(meaning positive, then goes to 0 then goes to negative). If it is AC how come my light bulb in my house acting as if it receive DC?
The alternating current happens so fast that the human eye is incapable of seeing the fluctuations. We're talking about 50 (EU) or 60 (Americas) cycles per second where a voltage of 120Vac goes from 0 to 170v + back to 0v, and then to 170v - in a sinusoidal wave (sine wave) The RMS value is 120V. It's a bit complicated, and that's why electricians have to spend time in tech school learning this "behind the scenes" information that really proves to be quite useless in the real world!
Terry Peterman thx sir for the explaination.
Excellent video. Very informative. Thanks.
Nice presentation
My 240 a/c appears to have power when my 240 breaker is off...any idea why?
Hi Terry, where can a person go to get a good education in this field
in the Phoenix area ? Any suggestions ?
Arizona builders alliance
Glad I found this channel, thank you.
I’m a diy er and was wondering if I can install a 30 or 50 amp 240 volt exterior outlet on the side of my house to connect a air compressor or does it have to be installed inside the house.
Thanks
If you do the installation to comply with code rules, no problem. Must use outdoor components, (conduit, cable, box, and cover plate).
Terry Peterman ok thank you for the information. 👍🏽
Ive seen you canadiens use the service loops before boxes. But is that legal in the u.s.? Nec says 8 or12" from the box right? Doesn't that count wire length?
I really enjoyed your video. Great job!
Terry according to NEC what is the height of the electrical panel from the floor to the top? residential
Ricardo Farfan 6ft 7in to center of operating handle. Usually the main breaker. No minimum height though.
i tested my breaker in the panel with a multimeter and got 121 volts then i tested the outlet and got121 volts but when i put a load on it the outlet stopped working but the breaker did not trip , whats your thought on that?
GmGarlo Not sure if you have managed to fix it yet. I'm educating to become a electrican in Sweden, so the Components are a bit diffreant from what I have in my country but the basics are still the same.
Have you checked that the outlet still gets it's 121 volts when you add the load? Otherwise you could observe what the breaker does when you add the load to the outlet.
Thank you for the great video. I thought higher the voltage higher the amps? Can you explain please.. You said higher the voltage lower amps? Im trying to learn.. Thanks again
Joe Clark yes, if the load is constant the relationship is inversely proportional. So if you were using 100 amps at 240v, a high voltage transmission line would carry 1A at 24000 volts to the transformer (just as an example, not actual values used).
Terry Peterman thank u
If the ground and neutral wires are connected in the box, aren't they connected throughout the home then? Why have a ground bar and a neutral bar in the box if they are connected anyway? Please and thank you!!
wow very nice information thank you
The electrical panel only has 2 hot wires, 1 neutral, and 1 ground? Aren't houses given 3 phase AC? How is it that there's only 2 hot wires?
Yes, almost everywhere on the North American grid, single family dwellings are serviced with single-phase, 120/240V transformers. Two hots, a neutral, and a grounding / earthing system.
In multi-family units like apartments or condominiums, they will bring in 3-phase at a higher voltage, then transform down to 120/208V and still only feed each unit with 2 hot conductors and just divide the load amongst the 3 hot conductors to the individual units. Thanks for watching!
thanks for wonderful video! but i had a question, what is the difference between a neutral and a ground wire?
Neutral wire provides the return path for the voltage back to the panel. The ground wire is connected to earth to provide a path to ground in case of a fault. Ground wire has lower resistance so it trips out the circuit breaker by allowing more current to flow through it.
Minnesota or Canada?
It's a thin line between the 2! I can't tell the Minnesota from the Canadian either. I have lots of friends from Minny, but I'm a Canuck!
Terry - I built my own dual-axis solar tracker energy system, utilizing a transfer switch to my main service panel (proper city permits and installation city approved). Sold that house & system, bought another. I want to avoid the complexity of a transfer switch and its complex wiring by going directly to the service panel this time. I will purchase and install an interlock switch that will lock out the 200A main when needed. I will insert a 240vac CB into the top slot of L1 and energize it with a source (generator, solar, battery bank, pure sine wave inverters - etc). My question is: will that ONE 240vac CB energize both L1 and L2? It seems it will, given that it touches both.If not, can I accomplish what I want by putting an additional 240vac CB at the top of L2 and energize both of those top CBs with my energy source (obviously, within the power output capability of that energy source). The point to this exercise is to provide energy to all CBs below the one or two I have energized. I do NOT intend to have them ALL turned on at the same time and will select only those needed for the function at hand...always within the ranges of my energy source(s). Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. John
Thank you,thank you men I have been searching for a good information like to this
how much would this setup cost
HI PETER A QUICK QUESTION. I HAVE SPLIT KITCHEN RECEPTICAL ON MY HOUSE. HOW CAN I GFI PROTECT. THANKS
Where is part 2 to this video
Is it safe to replace a circuit breaker (same type) with a different brand?
thank you for the video. I was worry why there are neutral and ground wires to my bus bar.. Now I know it is safe.
This panel does not have the grounds separated from the neutral bar. YOU MUST REMOVE THE NEUTRAL BAR THAT JOINS THE TWO BARS TOGETHER .
I can only rationalize that you are referring to the bar that ties the neutral buss bars together on each side of the panel? This brand of loadcenter has a neutral buss on each side. At around the 5:00 minute mark, I explain about when you can and cannot bond the neutral to the ground. This being an example of a main panel, you bond the neutral and the ground together, and in this panel, it's the bonding jumper you see in the top right corner.
Finally a video that shows as a main panel the isolated ground has to be in the neutral bar,branch circuits grounds separated from neutral if you look closely you see he has separate bars for ground wires .
Very clear. Very helpful.
A bit overwhelming but very informative!
thank you for this
Wow that was so helpful! Always wanted to know this stuff - Genius!!
So helpful
Thank you for the video but you didn’t explain the very basics of why are there four wires, red, black, white and green and the function of each. It would be nice to know.
What's the penalty for breaking Ohms law?
Not nearly as severe as forgetting to wear your mask!
@@theinternetelectrician never leave home without your face diaper
thankyou its helpfull for me
how volts comes in to the house?
Chhaka Luoy through either overhead or underground wires provided by a local utility company
The US system is 220-240v split phase with the centre tap neutral attached to earth. That give either 110-120v to neutral or a 220-240v live/live power system.
MAGIC!!
WOW!, thanks for this informative and instructional video
Is this for the United States or Canada? Just want to make sure I'm watching what applies to my situation.
Jessy A Both! I live part time in the USA but am a Canadian electrician familiar with bot the NEC and the CEC. This video was shot in Arizona
He say's "in my home in AZ" around 1:20
he DOES. but i tell you what, he sure sounds like he's from Canada, EH!?
Bergus EH!!
Beautiful
Thanks Terry
I always call the hot bus bar the backbone. My boss hates when I do that, scolds me everytime. But for the most part it really does function like a back bone. Its where the current is distributed, like nerves on a spine. If it is broken, everything below the break stops functioning, like a spine. It even looks like a spine. Customers also understand it better when I call it the backbone vs the hot bus, while explaining to them whats causing the problem, because the hot bus bar doesn't look like a bar.
I hope some day I can ascend to the point where I can officially rename the hot bus, the backbone. That is my goal in life.
I like it! Makes perfect sense to me. I'll spread the word and help you achieve your goal!
could not concur more, stuff is beyond simple to learn but just like a lot of subjects passed off as difficult the words are throw offs and makes it harder than it really is....simply the verbage and your half way home, jus sayin...
exactly
lol i kinda like it. I think if it as a highway. You gotta go down the road, to your destination (lets say youre getting food) and eventually youre gonna have to come back. Now add millions of cars per seconds and make the smaller than atoms themselves and youve got electricity.
Thank you.
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos I thought I would start the vids at the beginning and I am glad I did. great to learn about ground/earth and neutral bond together in upper distribution panel and separate lower half!!. why is that is the question?
colincox1whichnet if you still care: my guess is so if you get an open neutral situation at least the bare grounds won’t become hot.
To make a connection to be able to use my dryer machine. I need a 4 wire cable is that what is called??
Gauge awg
The audio device on this video is not working.
Oh thank God. I thought my headphones were malfunctioning.
Gerald Avila yes its only pushing out my left earphone
Is this means we can use up to 200ax220v=44kw?
What is the maximum I can get from the transformer?
quick question; will this be country specific? as in will this only be applicable to the US, or will it also be applicable to European countries and what not.
Nice video Terry. I'd like work as an electrician in USA or Canada with you. I'm Brazilian and I'm work here in a power plant with steel making at CSN ( Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional). I'm an Electronics technician here. I have a great knowledge in electric project too. In this moment I have a family, my wife and my baby Vitor. But my country doesn't have many opportunities for my professional growth. So, it's a dream to work out of here. I have passport too. Please, tell me how can I do it. What's the first step? Could you help me? Thanks a lot.
That looked like a main panel outside, so the panel inside should be a sub panel were all your neutrals and grounds are separated... What am I missing here?
You are correct. Everything after the first disconnect should have isolated ground and neutral.
At the big store where I work we use floor scrubbing machines-got 4 of them with onboard chargers. Each machine has 4 12v car batteries. Two 120v wall outlets have caught fire in the charging area-burns on the wall and melting the plastic and wiring. Any number of flammable things nearby. From what I've found out it was because two machines were plugged into the same outlet. The electrician came and replaced the two outlets. Now store management has put up a sign saying 'only one machine can be plugged into an outlet. I've had some electrical training and work experience. I don't understand this. How can you overload these outlets without tripping a breaker? How can this condition even exist legally? Shouldn't each outlet have it's own circuit to prevent this? These are common duplex 120v outlets but they must not be separated with separate circuits. Now they just put tape over one of the duplex outlets.
deric smith certain breakers out there don’t trip as they should FPE is one. We’ve replaced panels at entire condo complexes because of this. Also you’re supposed to cycle breakers and mains often to keep them moving freely. You could have a faulty breaker.
Or they could be over fused. Some knucklehead could have put a larger breaker on the line because the circuit used to trip when you guys were overloading the circuit.
That was the result of an improper and dangerous electrical setup. The wiring is likely only 14 gauge which can only handle 120 volts with a 15 amp circuit breaker. It's also likely that it's on a circuit with a 20, or even 30, amp breaker. And you've witnessed the results.
The only other possibility is that they're using common receptacles that are rated for 15 amps that are on a 20 amp circuit that has 12 gauge wire. If that were the case the receptacles need to be upgraded to the heavy-duty 20 amp versions; that is, unless the circuit has 14 gauge wire which only rates to 15 amps.
Regardless, it's not rocket science and it's clear whoever is in charge of the electrical service is ignoring the basics of the field.