Wiring a garage can be a difficult task. There are many common mistakes that people make, while attempting to wire their garage. What mistakes do people generally make? Below, I have created a list of what to avoid and how you can fix these issues.
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1) Having a light fixture without a connection box.
I’m sure you have seen pictures of light fixtures that don’t have any sort of electrical box attached to it. This is a common mistake and a very dangerous one too. If you see something like this around your home, disconnect the light. Install a box and reconnect the fixture. The reason it so dangerous, there is an indefinite potential for heat or fire. If it overheats, there is no way for the power to be contained. A fire will definitely erupt. If you see this in the area, please fix it.
2) Are your wires cut a little too short?
Wires need to be at least 3 inches out of the box. This way you can work with them in a proper fashion. If you wish to add some connectors, that is a possibility. If you do, make sure the screws are on tight.
3) Look at your plastic-sheathed cable. Is it unprotected in any way?
Sheathed cable needs to be protected at all times, especially in vulnerable areas. Are your cables bundled with bailing wires? This is also a bad idea. There are many dangerous situations that come from this. Ideally, you need to replace the whole cable. If that can’t be done right now, then at least replace the bundling with zip ties. This will make the situation somewhat better.
4) Are any of your boxes recessed behind the wall area?
This is also not a good thing. If you are having the room remodeled, it should have an intact box. You also need to check on what outlets will meet code for your garage. Certain ones will not meet code. By putting in the wrong box, it will make it very susceptible to fires. If you notice that the wrong box is in there, please have it replaced.
HELPFUL: When using ground devices and metal boxes, please make sure all of the wires have the correct ground screw in them. This will avoid any future complications and hazards.
5) DO you have a tendency to over-fill electrical boxes?
This is a common mistake. Everyone makes it. If you do have an over-abundance of wires, you have two options. Either take out a few of the wires, or get a bigger box that will meet the code.
Putting in too many wires can cause the box to overheat. It can also cause electrical fires and things of that nature. You don’t want that. Go through the whole room and be sure that your boxes are not over-filled.
6) Another mistake that people tend to make is with their hot and neutral wires.
Some people end up reversing them. This is a big no-no. Most of the time, the boxes of today are color-coded. This helps out those customers who don’t really know much about wire placement. Now if you do reverse certain colors, it will still work, but you might get some electrical shocks. Just reverse the wires altogether.
7) Wiring a GFCI backwards.
This is when a person mixes the line and load connections. It will still work, but you won’t have a trip if there is a ground fault. If you are not sure how to handle this, call an electrician for some advice or go online and research it.
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