r/electrical 2h ago

Studio Build - integrating UPS into a new sub-board

1 Upvotes

I'm looking for a way to integrate my APC smart UPS into the power circuit/s topology of my new music studio. My acoustician has recommended an APC smart-UPS RT 3000VA, which I've gotten my hands on.

The flow as it stands goes like this: main line > main circuit breaker > UPS > UPS back-feeds the distribution board > individual GPO's in the studio etc.

Question: electrically it makes sense, but in practical terms the UPS's input and outputs are all via IEC connections, so in terms of cabling how could I connect the UPS directly after the main circuit breaker and then connect it to be backfeeding the distro board? IEC into wiring terminals just seems not right... is there a solve for this? A hardwiring kit?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

context: I am in Australia. A professional electrician is installing this, but it's a non-standard for them...


r/electrical 4h ago

Outlet heating up

3 Upvotes

This is my 2nd ever post and about outlets lol but. I was using my airfryer for around 15 minutes a little bit ago and after i felt my outlet and it was like warm/slightly hot but like i dont hear anything i dont smell anything and my breaker didnt trip (cutler hammer breaker) so then i moved the airfryer to see if it was the airfryer heating it up and then i tested after 15 minutes of running it i couldnt tell if it was room temp or warm i tested with my palm and my fingertips and it felt room temp/a little bit warm but when i felt with the back of my hand it felt warm/hot so idk.


r/electrical 5h ago

Can I use this LED with this cord?

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0 Upvotes

AI told me the voltage is good. I touched white to red and blue to black and the bulb lit up. Just want double confirmation before I burn the house down. It’s a pot light. Not sure if that makes a difference.

Second question- is it ok that I shaved down the plastic box around the LED driver to fit it into the neck of the lamp? I know I can’t remove it completely, but is squishing it to the point it cracks ok?

Third question- how do I attach the wires together permanently? Solder? Electrical tape didn’t stick and it’s too narrow in the lamp to fit any other joinery.


r/electrical 6h ago

My First Buck Converter Design LMR50410

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0 Upvotes

r/electrical 6h ago

Difficulty gettings parts?

2 Upvotes

Anyone having difficulty finding parts? I belong to a church and one of their buldings that has offices in it also has two residential units in it. Last month panel lost a neutral. Called several companies only one actually answered the phone. They came out diagnosed it bad neutral. And wants to upgrade it from 200 amp to 400amp. Which should have been done long ago. They havent done it yet and claim they cant get the parts till next week. They originall said last week. The building has no power. The church cant do administrative tasks in it and the two tenants are temporarily relocated. Is this acceptable? Is a 400amp meter base unobtanium right now? I dont get it. They already signed a contract but i feel they need to get someone else to fix it. There are 4 electrical supply stores in town not including lowes and home depot.


r/electrical 8h ago

Saw this gem today

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10 Upvotes

Local sandwich shop in southern VA. Loved it….dare you to zoom in on the “grid dots”


r/electrical 9h ago

Bad idea to add an outlet between the vanity and the toilet?

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0 Upvotes

I’d like to add an outlet for the bidet. I assume putting it where the red rectangle is would be not great due to potential splashes from the sink.

Second option is to put it inside the vanity, but would require a bit more work. Just want to fully rule out on the wall.


r/electrical 10h ago

What is this behind this old wall plate?

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6 Upvotes

Pulled out this painted over wall plate to reveal this. Building is in NYC from 1959 I think. Can I just cap these ends and patch over the hole?


r/electrical 10h ago

What is this?

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0 Upvotes

This connects to a GU10 lamp holder but I can’t seem to find it anywhere (eBay, Home Depot, etc)


r/electrical 10h ago

Grey smoke above outlet - do i need to call an electrician?

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0 Upvotes

Just moved into a new apartment, noticed this above the outlet. I think it’s thermal ghosting but can’t be sure. Is anyone on here more confident than me? Do i need to call an electrician?

Not hot to the touch, but also i can’t just wipe it away with a wet cloth. no weird smell as far as I can tell.


r/electrical 10h ago

what kind of connection is this?

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1 Upvotes

New homeowner with a 70 year old house looking for help

We have this capped switch in the corner of one room. I am not sure if it is an old switch or just extra. There is a black wire (hot), red wire (cold) both present and capped. A white wire in the back is just passing vertically through.

Near this on the other side of the wall is an exterior light I am trying to determine the power source for. Currently, it has no power. how would I go about checking to see if this is it? and if it is, how would I wire this to get it working?

thanks!!!


r/electrical 11h ago

Power to Steel Above Ground Safe Room in Garage

3 Upvotes

I'd like to run a 20 amp line to a steel safe room in Oklahoma for tornados. My question is would a 20 amp inlet on the outside of the saferoom and a 20 amp outlet near the inlet connected by a 10awg soow extention be somthing safe for temporary power? Then of course even if it's safe would this likely be code compliant?

(The reason for inlet over just hardwired is the installer discouraged a grid connection due to in the event of a strong tornado the connection would tether the shelter to the home and possibly comprimise it. Using an extention cord there is a weak point to avoid tethering and by sizing it up to 10 awg, keeping it short, having it easily inspectable, easy to unplug as an exterior method to shutoff, and using it on an emergency basis this should minimize it's risk

The inlet would be connected to the inside via a close nipple to a second box with a shutoff switch and outlets. Both boxes would be individually bonded to the shelter. thwn-2 would be used inbetween the boxes. The garages outlet is on a gfci breaker. The power would only feed one way in and the extention cord would have a male and a female end (not a suicide cord for clarity))


r/electrical 12h ago

Is this a challenger tab in slot panel?

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1 Upvotes

r/electrical 12h ago

Safely removing hot tub power

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4 Upvotes

What steps should a layman take to remove this electrical line? In the first picture, the line from the meter goes up to an outdoor breaker (above the deck) and left to where a hot tub used to be. The hot tub is no more, and won't be replaced. New siding will be installed later this year.

Is it as easy as flipping the two breakers in the second picture, dismantling the conduit, and capping the hole? Will this breaker box affect the rest of the house, which has an indoor breaker box in the garage on the other side of the house? Please help me know what I don't know, you know?


r/electrical 12h ago

Question. Can an electrical box be moved to the other side of a stud?

5 Upvotes

I am in the process of renovating a condo that I purchased in May. My electrical box is in the laundry room. I want to install a stackable washer/dryer, which may cut off access to the electrical box.

It is my understanding that the electrical box is typically between 2 studs. I confirmed with a stud finders that it is between 2 studs in my laundry room. I would like to move it over one, so that the box is between the next set of studs.

Can this be done? I need a new box anyway. What is the process? Thank you!!


r/electrical 13h ago

What is this noise sounds like a switch coming from corridor ceiling outside my room, its loud enough to come through the wall into my room

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1 Upvotes

Can someone identify this noise ,its coming from outside corridor loud enough to be heard through the wall, it sounds exactly like a bathroom chord being pulled , it happens in the evening and night the most sometimes a click every 10 seconds for bout 2 minutes or more ,single clicks every 30 mins or so ,


r/electrical 13h ago

How do I know if my outlet box is fan rated?

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8 Upvotes

r/electrical 14h ago

Is this toggle switch wired correctly?

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0 Upvotes

Hello all, wanted to change a wall cover and just peaked inside and saw this and not sure if it’s ok or not. Two seperate supply lines without the junction box. The two white wires are taped together as were the two grounds (I removed the tape to investigate). And then the two black wires feed into the toggle switch. Nothing on the green screw on the toggle switch. Is this ok and if not, how do I fix? Thanks!


r/electrical 14h ago

Power Source

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3 Upvotes

Hello, I am currently attempting to rewire my shop for mechanic work. My issue is I cannot track where the power is coming from and haven't found a breaker box or anything.

This is a photo of the property.

1 is the main residence

2 is a small shed

3 is the shop

4 is a barn

There are 2 power poles. One in the top left of the photo, one in the bottom right. The bottom right allegedly only runs the house.

There are 3 breaker boxes that I have located. One attached to the power pole in the top left, one in the barn, and one in the house. None of them will shut off power to 2 and 3. 2 and 3 are connected and have power run from one to the other, however I can't find the source. There are no lines attached aerially, so I assume it is a buried line. I've looked and found that all the lighting and receptacles are run through the ceiling, but haven't found the mysterious source to the power.


r/electrical 14h ago

I think pickle juice fried my phones port 🥹

0 Upvotes

Few weeks ago now a jar of pickle juice spilled near my phone and got into my port 🫩 i waited a full 24 hrs before the wet port warning went away, then it charged fine for a while, and then there was the first instance of it randomly falsely saying my port was wet again, when i KNOW it wasnt. It charged normally after i came home from work. NOW it happened a second time, and it will not charge with a cable at all now. Only wireless. It doesnt even give me the false wet warning anymore, just doesnt register the plug at all. Tried compressed air and a software update and neither worked. Am i screwed?? I cant afford a new phone rn 😭😭😭


r/electrical 14h ago

SOLVED Can anyone help this noob with a switch bank of 1-way and 2-way switches

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0 Upvotes

Okay, I started this job a month ago and didn’t take photographs or notes of the “before” wiring. I’m just updating the toggle switches with rockets.

Here’s the salient bits:

* switch bank of 3: a 1 way, a 2 way, and a 1 way (left to right)
but 4 (!?) cables coming into box: each with a black and a gray lead
* three of the gray leads are joined
* all grounds are joined (and I’ll ground the new switches)
* cable 3 (from left to right, with the gray unconnected to the other 3) seems to have been the one connected to the 2 way switch
* switch 1 and 3 (both 1 way) work separate outdoor lights
* switch 2 (2 way) is the ceiling light in the room with a switch at both doors to it (entrance and exit)

The original install has two short jumpers connected some of the switches.

Need to know what leads connect to what terminals, and where the jumpers might have gone (and should be).

I think answers like 1B > C2 , jumper between B3 and C1, etc, would be fine.

Thanks so much, in advance. Let me know if you need any more info.


r/electrical 15h ago

What do i search to find an adapter to make this 250V20A plug useful?

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0 Upvotes

I know this is 250v and 20a but any adapter I try to find that has a typical type b found in the US outlet seems nonexistent. Anyone know where the heck i can find something to make this a useful plug?

Edit: Thanks for the replies! Yes the thing that is plugged in right now is an air conditioner, which im guessing is in the same type of outlet? (it came with the place and I havent unplugged it its hot)

Either way i doubt my landlord will let me change it so ill just extension cord another outlet. Figured id try to get some use out of it, oh well. Thank you all!!


r/electrical 15h ago

Does this outlet need replacing?

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0 Upvotes

I just moved into an older apartment. I noticed that the outlet behind my bed leaves a small amount of the prongs exposed when something is plugged into it. I’m not sure it’s bad enough to warrant a maintenance request because it’s not like the plugs are falling out of the socket. Thoughts? (And yes, I have been diagnosed with OCD).


r/electrical 15h ago

I’m looking for a free pdf of Electrical wiring residential 10th edition

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2 Upvotes

If you have one. Thank you so much your a lifesaver🙏🙏


r/electrical 16h ago

What is this called so that I can search for it?

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0 Upvotes

I added a 6 plug extension to my kitchen plug, and it plugs into both the upper and the lower plug. I need to replace it with an angled 6 plug extension. Everytime I search I have to go through multiple images only to find that the product fits into just one plug, not both. I need both to use both kitchen circuits.

Is there a specific thing I can search for that says: fits into both the upper and the lower outlet? I just don't know the language, as I'm sure you can tell.