Electrical wiring is an essential part of any building or home. It provides power to all appliances, lighting, switches, outlets, and other electrical devices.
Some wiring is low voltage for devices like doorbells, while others are higher for bigger loads such as water heaters, sub-panels, fans, etc.
A homeowner or diy that wishes to wire a house must have the basic electrical wiring tips up his sleeves.
He should be able to differentiate between hot, neutral and ground wires, and where each wire goes on a switch, circuit breaker or outlet.
But if you are new to electrical work and all the tricks involved, never worry because we are here for you.
What you stand to learn
- How electrical wiring transports electricity
- Wire colors and their meaning
- Hot
- Neutral
- Ground wire
- Wiring tips to help you succeed
- Safety tips
How electrical wires transport currents
Electrical cable usually comes with three copper or aluminum wires covered with a rubber insulator. These conductors, if wired correctly, convey electricity to all your home appliances and outlets.
The current flows from the power source to the appliances through the hot wire, and returns to the source through the neutral wire.
Color and function of a hot wire
Hot wires are always the source of power to the circuit. It carries currents from the feeder cable to the sockets and outlets.
Live wires should never be touched when energized to avoid electrocution. It is always advisable to turn off your circuit breaker before working on any electrical system.
Hot wires are always black in color, however, some country’s code use red, blue, or even yellow casing on hot wires.
Regardless, all live wires should be treated the same. Do not touch the hot wire unless it is dead.
Neutral wire
Once the hot wire carries current to the outlet and appliances, there must be another wire to return and complete the circuit. That is where the neutral comes in.
The neutral wire completes the circuit, allowing current to flow from the hot wire to the electrical devices and back to the power source.This creates a continuous flow of electrons, enabling the device to operate.
Without a neutral wire, the circuit will be incomplete, and the device would not receive the required current to function.
The neutral wire also brings the circuit to the ground busbar usually connected at the main breaker panel. This prevents excess currents from residing in your outlet.
The neutral wires always have a white or gray color casing, for easy identification.
Ground wire
The ground wire plays a protective role should there be a short circuit or power surge along the electrical system. The ground wire provides a path for the excessive current to flow safely to the ground.
This prevents the current from flowing through unintended paths, such as water, or appliances, where it will cause damage, ground faults and electric shock.
Ground wires always come with a green casing or bare copper wire.
Basic electrical wiring tips you must master
For you to be a successful electrician, there are a few tips and tricks you must always observe. They include:
Turn off the power source
Before you embark on any installation or home wiring, always turn off the circuit breaker and verify with your voltage tester to make sure that the circuit is dead.
Tape the circuit breaker in the off position, and warn everyone against turning on the switch.
Treat all wires as live
Touch no wire in an electrical system unless you are wearing your hand glove. Also, on no account should you touch electrical wire or appliance with a wet hand.
Use the right wire size
Make sure you use a normal size wire for every installation you do. The wrong wire size can lead to short circuits and electrical fire. Always follow the electrical code.
Read this article for more details on wire sizing.
Use the right tools and materials
Before you embark on any type of electrical work, make sure you have the right materials and tools required for the job.
Avoid using substandard materials or equipment for safety.
Use boxes and clamps
Never join wires together and leave them open without using a junction box. A junction box will always make your work safe and neat.
Don’t overload a circuit to avoid electrical fire.
To work safely on the electrical field without hazard, read our electrical safety guide.
Related articles
- How to Wire a 220v Plug with 4 Wires
- How to Wire a Light Switch.
- How to wire a single pole and 2-way light switch
- What is Electrical Earthing or Grounding?
- Electrical Testing Equipment for Your Home and Project Inspection
- How to wire a doorbell with diagrams
- How to wire a 4-way switch
- 3 way switch wiring guide
- What is a 4-Way Light Switch?