Breaker
-
A
switch-like device that connects/disconnects power to a
circuit.
Buss Bar
(also Bus Bar) -
Separate,
metallic strips that extend through the service panel.
Breakers slide onto the "hot" busses and neutral and ground
wires screw down in their respective busses.
Circuit
-
A
continuous loop of current (i.e. incoming "hot" wire,
through a device, and returned by "neutral" wire).
Circuit
Breaker -
The most
common type of "over current protection." A breaker trips
when a circuit becomes overloaded or shorts out.
Conduit
-
A
protective metal tube that wires run through.
Duplex
Receptacle -
The
commonly used receptacle (outlet). Called "duplex" because
it has two plug-in sockets.
Fixture
-
Any
permanently connected light or other electrical device that
consumes power.
Fuses -
Removable devices that link a circuit at the fuse box. Fuse
connections blow apart and break the circuit if an overload
or short occurs.
GFCI or
GFI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) -
A specific type of circuit protection (commonly required in
kitchens & bathrooms) that helps safeguard against shocks.
GFCI protection can come from an outlet or a breaker.
Ground
Fault -
Current
misdirected from the hot (or neutral) lead to a ground wire,
box, or conductor.
Junction
(Electrical) Box -
A square,
octagonal, or rectangular plastic or metal box that fastens
to framing and houses wires, and/or receptacles and/or
switches.
Romex -
A brand name of nonmetallic-sheathed cable made by General
Cable Corporation. Often mistakenly used as a collective
term for NM sheathed cable.
Service
Entrance (SE) -
The
location where the incoming electrical line enters the home.
Service/Supply Leads -
The
incoming electrical lines that supply power to the service
panel.
Service
Panel -
The main
circuit breaker panel (or fuse box) where all the circuits
tie into the incoming electrical supply line.
Short
Circuit -
When
current flows "short" of reaching a device. Caused by a hot
conductor accidentally contacting a neutral or ground. A
short circuit is an immediate fault to ground and should
always cause the breaker to trip or the fuse to blow. (also
see ground fault)
Troubleshooting -
Troubleshooting is to locate the cause for your electrical
problem and solve it as soon as possible; in many cases the
solution to the problem is easier than finding the problem.
Jobs like these take experience and knowledge of the
national electrical code to do an accurate trouble shoot.
UF
(Underground Feeder) cable -
Cable
designed and rated for underground, outdoor use. Cable wires
are molded into solid plastic.
Volt -
A unit that measures the amount of electrical pressure.
Watt -
A unit that measures the amount of electrical power.
