When working on electrical parts and connections, always turn the power off at the circuit panel or fuse box. This section is designed to teach homeowners the basic parts description, and general knowledge of each item. It doesn’t cover all variables, so if your project is not a simple replacement of a specific part, please consult an qualified electrician. Before coming in contact with any live wires, always check (with a volt/ohm meter) to make sure your wires are dead even after or turn the power off at the panel box. Never change the size of a fuse or circuit breaker, always replace with the same size. If you’ve removed a 20 amp, replace it with a

20 amp. Here are some basic terms and their description Electricity: Electricity travels through wires in one direction only, the one way loop is called a circuit. From your service panel the current goes out through the black “hot” wire (sometimes red). The white “neutral” wire is how it travels back, to complete the circuit. Circuit box or fuse panel: This is your main panel. It is where your electricity comes into your house and is distributed throughout each room. Receptacles (plugs): These are easily tested and replaced. On the rear of the plug there are three different terminals. The brass side is for your black wire, which is your hot wire. The silver side is your neutral wire. The green screw is for your ground wire (green). Breaker or fuse: These two parts primarily do the same job, the difference is the fuse has to be replaced if it is blown, while the more modern of the two, the breaker, is designed to trip out of the on position. Once the problem is fixed the breaker can be reset and does not have to be replaced. The primary function of both the fuse and the breaker is to break the overheated circuit, thus rendering the circuit dead. If you hooked your wires straight to your fixture from your incoming power supply without one of these two items, and a problem arises, your wires would overheat and possibly start a fire. GFCI Receptacles ~ Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter: These receptacles are always required where water is present. Such as next to a sink. When current changes (like when your getting a shock) this type of receptacle turns itself off in a half of a second, therefore only giving you a very slight shock. Switch ~ Single pole: This typical switch controls one light, or possible more if in the same room. The connections on the back are both the same color, and it doesn’t matter which wire hooks up where, only because the switch in the loop between power and light. There is no neutral. Switch ~ Three Way: This switch is always one of a pair. The two switches located in different areas control one light, or a series of lights in the same room. In the back of this switch, you’ll find two connections that are the same color, and one different color, that is the common.

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