Electrical advice from our master electricians on our blog
Electrical advice from our master electricians on our blog
Minneapolis 612-385-7864
Saint Paul 651-587-5512
Lic. EA005137

Archive for the ‘Wiring Services Minneapolis MN’ Category

Sump Pump GFCI

Monday, May 20th, 2013

Sometimes the National Electrical Code provides some unusual challenges for us electricians. Many times the electrical code can be difficult to explain to our customers, especially when they have been misinformed prior to our arrival and their expectations about the ease with which a project can be completed are all but untrue.

This brings us to sump pump wiring. If the new wiring for your sump pump receptacle outlet is to be installed in a crawl space or in an unfinished area of your basement the receptacle must be ground fault protected. You may ask, “What’s the big deal?” GFCI’s save lives but there is an inconvenience with ground fault protecting your sump pump. If your GFCI outlet trips, it will not allow power to your pump motor when it is called into duty and your basement could flood. It is the same reason we don’t protect your kitchen refrigerator with a GFCI; if it trips while you are on vacation your food will go rotten.

Answers to common questions:

  • No, we cannot just put a standard outlet there. If the pump needs a 120 volt receptacle outlet in a GFCI required location, we must follow the code.
  • No, we cannot cut the plug off of the cord to bypass the need for a receptacle by hardwiring it. This violates the code and also violates the manufacturers warranty on the pump.

If the ground fault outlet for your sump pump is tripping it is probably a problem with your motor and could be saving you from a shock. If you are thinking of having a sump pump installed in your home please consider the wiring, there are alternatives if you wish to not have your pump GFCI protected. Ask your supplier for a pump which can be hardwired for either 120 or 240 volts. Give us a call if you wish to discuss sump pump wiring at 651-587-5512.

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Be Smart About Doing It Yourself With Electricity

Monday, May 13th, 2013

Electricity has given us all the phenomenal advantages of modern technology. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and electrical innovation must go hand-in-hand with safety precautions in order to ensure the protection of your family and your home.

When it comes to handling electrical problems in your home, most people don’t even know where to start. Just looking at the jumble of wires involved makes the daunting task of DIY seem impossible. And while we certainly applaud gumption, working with electricity isn’t safe if you don’t know what you’re doing.

If you do-it-yourself, make sure you know Minnesota State and national safety code and protect yourself from complications caused by faulty, low-grade hardware. However, it’s best to plug into safety by calling a professional to take care of your residential electrical needs.

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A Few Ways To Lower Your Electric Bill- Part II

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

When people are concerned about the higher costs of energy in today’s world, there are several things that can be done to help make these efforts effective. Below is a list of just a few items that will help lower your energy bill, and make your home safe and sound for years to come.

1. Purchase Energy Star Appliances. This is not just a cute, catchy name for one particular brand. To get an Energy Star rating, manufacturers need to adhere to strict guidelines that make their products energy efficient. Not everyone gets this rating, only those who have proven that their product is truly energy efficient will be endorsed by Energy Star.

2. Seal up your home. Check for leaks around windows, doors, electric sockets and switches. Anything on an exterior wall has the potential for temperature exchange with the outside, and anything on the interior walls has the potential for heating and cooling the dead space between walls; neither is acceptable. Call us your local Minneapolis electrical contractor will be able to help close these gaps with ease.

3. Use common sense. If it is a particularly hot day, don’t cook a hot meal. This will only make the air conditioner work harder, and run your bill higher. Appliances like the stove, oven, dishwasher and the clothes dryer can be down after sundown when it is not quite so hot.

4. Exchange incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents. This alone can save so much more than people imagine. Not only do CFLs use less energy than conventional bulbs, but they also generate less heat.

5. Close the blinds. This will also greatly reduce the amount of overall heat in the home. Thermal curtains are even better when it comes to controlling temperatures, and they are very affordable and easy to install for anyone who wants them.

6. Installing ceiling fans is the perfect way to reduce body heat, and keep the cool air circulating within your home. Few homes are without ceiling fans these days,
learning how to use them effectively is a great way to help reduce energy costs,
too.

With a little common sense, and help from your local Minneapolis electrician, you will be able to bring your homes expenses under control, and enjoy the summer all season without being concerned for the next months electric bill. Give us a call to find out more- 612-385-7864

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Low Voltage Wiring Services, Telephone Wires, Fiber Optic Cable Installation Minneapolis MN

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Most telephone wires in larger cities are about 100 years old. The wires used to the regular old phone service go to a switch where the analog voice signal is digitized and most probably sent on through to a fiber optic cable. If your Minneapolis phone service wiring  is like most others, then it is made of copper, a material that has a very small bandwidth, about 3,000 Hz which was the standard for voice transmission years ago. However, with the advent of fiber optics, this is just too archaic today. Fiber optic can offer 1,000 times or more bandwidth, with distances of 100 times farther for often less cost. While copper offers about 24 voice channels over its lines, fiber optic can provide 32,000 and more when compared to the same amount, with less interference, too. The cost differences are about 1/100th of the cost of copper per voice channel; all this at a fraction of the size and weight of copper cables.

Fiber optics works great in rural areas as copper wire is more expensive to purchase, and will require repeaters every X-number of feet. This same fiber optic wire will not only travel longer distances, but it can be used to bring voice, bi-directional data, and CATV all in one line. There are few reasons other than cost that would influence the decisions to install fiber optics. It is certainly being used in new construction all the time, but those who are using older applications need to decide when they will be ready to make the upgrade. Like the old adage, “If it’s working now; don’t fix it.” This is certainly true in most cases, but when the time does come to upgrade to fiber optic cabling, make sure you contact Minneapolis’ premier electrical contractors to get the job done right. We have the experience it takes to make sure your wiring is superior in every regard. Give us a call to find out more if this sounds good to you. 612-385-7864

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