Your circuit breakers are some of the most important but least understood parts of your home's electrical system, keeping you safe from electrical fires. Let's take a look at how they work.

A friend who was buying an older house was concerned about electrical safety and asked for my opinion as an electrical engineer. All of the AC receptacles (also called outlets) in the house were the ...

Safety codes often require “ground fault circuit interrupter” inclusion for electrical power outlets. The operation of such a device depends on making a comparison of the current levels in two wires, ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Without circuit breakers, the electricity running through your walls could damage wiring and cause fires. There are several reasons why you ...

Ground loops are a common yet often overlooked issue in building electrical systems. While they may seem minor during design or construction, ground loops can significantly impact system performance ...

What is ground-fault protection? The answer depends on whether you are talking about ground-fault protection of equipment or ground-fault protection of people. Just because ground-fault protection is ...

The United States' National Electrical Code (NEC) recently expanded Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) requirements (see "Arc-Detecting Circuit Breakers Will See Wider Use" at ...