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

Posts Tagged ‘Circuit Panel Replacement MN’

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Your Electrical Panel Tells a Story

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

When our electricians make a service visit to your home they may ask to take a look at your electrical panel.  The reason for this is to gain more knowledge of your electrical system and wiring methods.  Obvious things we are initially looking for are tripped circuit breakers, blown fuses, signs of heat, corrosion, loose connections and other safety concerns.  But a knowledgeable residential electrician will take notice of more.

The model and make of your electrical panel (sometimes referred to as a circuit panel) is significant because it can signify if the panel is a Zinsco or Federal Pacific which are hazardous and should be replaced.  If it is a Push-o-matic or a Wadsworth panel our electricians may also recommend a circuit panel replacement, something required frequently in Minnesota homes.

Another reason the model of the electrical panel is important is because the removable circuit breakers installed inside your panel should be the same model and make as your specific electrical panel.  Many times different brands of circuit breakers are jammed into panels to which they don’t belong.  When our electricians see this they know that someone who didn’t know their stuff was performing work on your system.  When we see poor craftsmanship such as this it tells us to expect the unexpected.

If your electrical panel is in an unfinished area of your Minnesota home, our electricians are able to get a feel for the age of visible wiring and take note of obvious alterations to the original electrical system.  These observations combined with years of experience in residential electrical work allow us the information to make the best recommendations to you, our customer.

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Posted in Circuit Panel Repair, Electricial Panels MN, Minneapolis Electricians, Residential Electricians St Paul MN | No Comments »

Make Sure Your Electrical Service Can Handle Your New Addition

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

If this is the year you plan on adding an extra room to your home, or closing in a carport, then make sure your electrical service can handle it. Most additions fail to take into consideration that they cannot always just extend the current electrical supply into the next room. Circuits have a load capacity that needs to be spread out in order to avoid  problems in the future.

Many homeowners think that they can simply close in a few walls, jump one plug from the current living space into the new addition, and they have electricity. Unfortunately, once the walls are closed in, and the room is finished, you could find out that this plug works great until the dishwasher is turned on.

Adding additional plugs to any new room isn’t hard to do, but it does need to be done right. If there are not enough breaker spaces in the panel, adding a sub panel can easily be done to provide your addition with plenty of circuits to supply your electrical demands.

Sub panels are frequently used in additions, standby generators, hot tubs and pools. Even higher end electronics that have an unusual draw can be accommodated with the addition of a sub panel.

There is a reason why electricians are required to carry a license to perform their jobs, there is a lot to know about electricity, and not every homeowner will know how to handle it. It is great to have the skills to frame and close in a new addition to your home, but leave the electricity up to professionals. Edison Electric will work with you to come up with an easy, affordable plan to get your house just way you want it, without having to compromise the dishwasher in the process. 612-385-7864

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Posted in Minneapolis Electrical Remodeling and Additions, Residential Electricians St Paul MN | No Comments »

CFL’s Are The Most Energy Efficient Bulbs | Minnesota Electrical Services

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

CFL’s, technically known as Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs, are relatively new to the public, but have developed along the way to become one of the best and most energy efficient bulbs we have ever had available to us.

In the past, conserving energy meant using a bulb that had a filter, making the light output not nearly as bright. While it did cut costs, too many people had trouble with the poor lighting issues. They also took a long time to ‘warm up’. In today’s instant gratification society, people would never stand for that.

The CFL has found a way to offer the brightest light, instantly, and still lower their energy use as much as 75%.

 Studies completed by our governments Energy Star division in November 2010 shows that by making this one small change to our individual lives, Americans can greatly impact energy efficiency, and lower greenhouse emissions in one small step.

Lighting accounts for approximately 20% of the typical household energy bill. By switching to CFL’s, we can use up to 75% less electricity, increase the bulbs lifetime by ten-fold, and still get the same quality of lighting that we are accustomed to.

According to Energy Stars recent study, it is believed that if every home in America replaced just 1 of their light bulbs with a CFL, we would save the equivalent of enough energy to light up 3 million homes a year. It would also help minimize the release of greenhouse gasses equivalent to 800,000 cars; all that from just 1 bulb per household, across the country. Imagine what several bulbs per household will do.

Edison Electric serves the commercial & residential electrical Minneapolis needs of the Metro area, and we are very interested in making our city one of the best in the country when it comes to making good use of our resources. By calling us to find out more about how we can save you a substantial amount of money on your overall energy needs, you will come to see why we are one of Minneapolis’ leading electrical companies in the business today. Give us a call to find out more.  612-385-7864

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Posted in Minneapolis Commercial Electrical Services, Minneapolis Electricians, Residential Electricians St Paul MN | No Comments »

Performing Electrical Repairs in Minneapolis and St Paul Metro

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

If you are fairly handy, and want to tackle an electric repair in your own home, there are a few things to keep in mind before you start. While the law will not tell you what to do in your own home, you cannot work on anyone else’s home unless you are a licensed electrician.

Second, make sure you turn off the breaker to the circuit that you are working on. Use an electrical voltage tester to make sure there is no current coming to your work area, making sure all power is off. If you do not have an electrical voltage tester, try plugging something into the outlet, or turning on the switch to see if there is any electricity coming to it. Although this is not standard procedure, you need to know if there is any power to what you are working on.

If you find that the problem is beyond your expertise, it might now be a wise move to put it back together and forget about it, electrical problems are serious business, and should be corrected by a  professional licensed electrician. Many older homes were never properly grounded, so taking that extra step to protect your self and your property is always a wise thing to do.

Keeping appliances away from running or standing water is simple procedure that is often overlooked. Making sure you are using the right wattage with your light fixtures is another way to avoid damage to your electrical system. Of course, whenever you are using an electrical cord, make sure it is properly insulated, with no scars, nicks, or cuts.

Check to see when the last electrical inspection was performed on your home. You will find this date on the inside of the electric panel door. If it has been more than 5 years, it is a good idea to call Edison Electric, and have us perform one of our routine inspections. We will be able to make sure that the electrical load on each circuit is appropriate, and that your circuits are all in good working order. It is a small price to pay should we find anything wrong.

Performing electrical work yourself can be tricky business, so if you have any doubts, give us a call and let Minneapolis’ premier electricians give you a professional job, and guarantee to boot. Call us anytime with your electrical repairs, 24-hours a day. 612-385-7864

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Posted in Electricial Panels MN, Electricians St Paul MN, Emergency Electric Services Minneapolis, Minneapolis Electrical Remodeling and Additions | No Comments »

Older Homes Need Newer Electric Panels | Edison Electric Serving Brooklyn Center

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

Before you start any upgrades to your older home make sure you have had a skilled electrician check your electric panel first, to see if it can handle it. Many older homes had only 60-amp service, with the screw in type fuses. In some cases there were 2 to 6 fuses per box, and this was all that was needed to run the home. As primitive as that sounds, that was the way life way 40+ years ago.

At that time, most homes did not automatically come with washers and dryers, large TV’s all over the hosue, or even air conditioning. There was one simple light per room, 1 TV for the whole house, and maybe a few plugs for a radio- and that was a modern home.

Computers, hair dryers, multiple lighting in each room, microwaves, washers and dryers, high-energy refrigerators and freezers have brought with them a huge demand for electricity that older homes simply cannot provide without some upgrades.

The typical home today is equipped with  a 200 amp electrical service with a distribution panel handling up to a total of 20 or 30 15 & 20 amp general lightning and receptacle circuits serving the electrical requirements of one home.

Many of today’s air conditioning units will use as much electricity as an entire home did 30 years ago.

If your home is still using fuses instead of breakers, you may want to consider contacting Edison Electric to have an upgrade. Those fuses are generally considered outdated these days, as many of those fuse panels have been in service for forty plus years. Fuses panels are just not designed to handle the amounts of current that they typical American uses these days. Like all things in a home, they eventually need repair. Upgrading your electric panel is something that you will never regret, and many times homeowners insurance policies will not be valid unless the home is equipped with UL listed electric panel.

If your current electrical service to your home is less than 100 amps, and/or if it has a distribution panel that uses screw in style fuses, you should consider replacing it as a top priority in any major renovation project. Give Edison Electric Minneapolis Contractors a call to learn more about how we can help correct this situation, and help finance the operations at the same time. You will be glad you did. 612-385-7864

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Posted in Electricial Panels MN, Emergency Electrical Services, Minneapolis Electrical Remodeling and Additions | No Comments »

Fire hazards found in Federal Pacific Electric Stab-lok circuit breakers and service panels, in Bloomington MN

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

The recent repairs that took place at Girard Park West were to protect residents from fire and shock hazards coming from the Federal Pacific Stab-lok circuit breakers and the surrounding panels. These were a good idea when they first came out, allowing manufacturers to keep costs down, but time has shown that the panels are not a good design, and definitely not safe. There is a reason products become ‘old-school’, it is because they don’t work, and fade out of the market.

This electrical job in Girard Park West took approximately 1 month to complete, and we replaced all the defective panels and their breakers within 60 condo units outside Bloomington, MN. The main reason they needed to be replaced is that these breakers will fail to trip when overloaded. They would continue to allow current to flow causing heat to build up and eventually start a fire. Even with the circuit breaker handle  in the off position, the internal breaker may still actually be on. These are unbelievably dangerous conditions, and as any electrician will tell you, hard to believe.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, the Federal Pacific electric panel is also known to cause panel-bus fires and arcing failures in several instances. The failure to trip rate among this brand is up to 60%, posing a significant threat to those in the building. Unfortunately, there is no real legal recourse, other than a very limited class action lawsuit in the State of New Jersey. This company is no longer in business, but the real issue is safety. These panels and breakers were very popular in their day and found everywhere, it is vital to make sure yours is not one of these. Contact your local Bloomington, MN electrical contractor and make sure your electric panel is not a Federal Pacific, because the risk is just not worth it. 612-385-7864

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Posted in Electricial Panels MN, Emergency Electric Services Minneapolis | No Comments »

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