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Power
poles carry high-volt, low-amp electricity. This lets power company transmit electricity long-distance without heat loss caused by high amperage. Before entering house, electricity is converted to lower volts and higher amps at transformer. Homes with underground utilities have meter and meter box, but wires arrive in conduit pipe from underground. Transformers are inside ground-level boxes at edge of property. Notice 3 wires enter home <> 2 hot wires and 1 neutral wire <> the neutral is a ground that connects to ground wire at pole <> the two hot wires come from the high voltage lines |
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Three
wires drop down from weather head and enter meter box. There are 2 hot wires and 1 neutral wire. The 2 hot wires come from the transformer. The neutral is connected to ground wire at telephone pole. The meter 'stabs' into meter box using 4 prongs, similar to extension cord plugging into a wall socket. The meter completes the circuit and lets electricity flow to house. The 3 wires exit meter box and go to Main Breaker Box |
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Image shows meter and meter box: Pulling a meter requires a stout pull downward and then upward <> usually you pull downward on the top of meter and then push up, going up & down to loosen and remove meter > removing meter will turn off electricity to whole house including breaker box <> however meter box will still contain live electricity <> stand on dry boards when pulling meter <> turn off all circuit breakers in main breaker box before pulling or re-installing meter so there is no arc of electricity just as meter prongs makes contact with lugs |
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2
Hot wires and 1 neutral wire arrive from meter box. Here a blue color was added to 1 hot wire for illustrative purposes <> in a real breaker box, the 2 hot wires are black color The 2 hot wires connect to the Main Breaker <> a lug is tightened very tight to hold wire in place. The neutral is connect to neutral busbar. Each hot wire connects to a separate busbar through the main breaker > here the busbars are named A and B > the 'blue' hot wire provides power to the blue busbar <> remember the blue color was added for illustrative purposes only The hot busbars are 120 Volts each > they never touch each other > they never touch the metal box > they are suspended away from the main box by insulators |
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Breakers
are held in place at both ends <> one end locks into a
cleat -or- snaps onto a bar <> other end of breaker rotates to busbar and then 'stabs'
onto the busbar Push firmly to make sure breaker is stabbed all the way down When replacing a breaker, check busbar for damage or burning from previous breaker <> busbars are frequently damaged by aging breakers that arc and burn <> arcing will damage busbar so new breaker will no longer work in the same slot. Read steps 32-37: When lights flicker, check breaker immediately before sparking causes damage in breaker box. Check breaker and listen for fizzing or crackling sound. Check if the breaker screw is tight against wire. Flickering lights are usually a loose wire at a plug, but it pays to check breaker first to avoid busbar damage. Always put cover back on breaker box to prevent sparks from leaving breaker panel. Read how to replace circuit breaker |
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 For safety, always put cover over Breaker box <> circuit breakers can overheat from aged breakers or loose wires and cause sparks that ignite a fire |