in summer when turning AC on lights go off. Someone told me that I have low voltage wiring, but I had an electrician come over this friday and he said that my voltage wiring is pretty good. So I don’t know what the real problem is. He said that I needed to check on the AC, that it might be somenthing wrong with it. I don’t know, what’s also funny that when lights go off, that MAIN cuircuit braker goes off instead of the actual cuircuit braker where the AC in conected too.
Can someone help me or refer me to someone that is really good to check if posible both Electrical and Force Air person? You know sometimes there are people that can do both things? I am in Chicago, IL.
Thanks

Technorati Tags: braker, conected, electrician, low voltage wiring

Our house was built in 1941. When we had our inspection, the porch light worked just fine. Now it doesn’t work at all. Yes, we have tried new bulbs. The strange thing is that there is a switch outside our door, which may be for an outdoor outlet, and a switch inside our door. We’ve tried various methods of switching one off, the other one, both on…but there is also a motion sensor thingamabob (technical term) outside near the light. Could this be the source of our problem? Any suggestions, aside from a costly electrician? Easy fixes we can do.

Technorati Tags: 1941, bulbs, electrician, motion sensor, outdoor outlet, porch light, strange thing

So Sunday morning I was taking a shower and just when I got out of the shower I heard a click and the lights went off, immediately my roommates boyfriend said sorry and click the lights went back on… When I got out of the bathroom he was standing infront of our breaker box looking at all the switches, I asked him what he was trying to do and he said the power went out in the kitchen while I was in the shower and he was trying to fix it. So I flipped the breaker that was labeled Kitchen and the living room power went off. Thats when we realized that they were improperly labeled. Well, the power came back in the kitchen shortly after, all but the three outlets… So the lights and fridge and stove all work, but the outlets do not. So I pressed the Reset and Test buttons on them and it still did not work. We proceeded to flip all the breakers because we were not sure which one was the kitchen. Still it did not work. I called out electric company and they sent someone out to Flip the main breaker, and that still did not work, that man instructed me to press the test and reset buttons once more and if that and flipping the indoor breakers did not work either than it could possibly be a tripped fuse… How do I fix this issue? I’m definately no electrician and we live in a Condo association (we purchased the condo). It is one large building with 12 other units in it. I am going to go home and see if maybe the outdoor plug in for the parking space (we live in alaska and plug in our cars in the winter) was wet or something or maybe try any other GCFI outlets that there may be in the condo. I honestly don’t know what to do. Last summer we lost power and it broke our 12 year old fridge, so there have been issues with the power in the kitchen. If its faulty wiring, who do we talk to for that. Is there any way we can get them to pay to fix it if that is the case?

Technorati Tags: alaska, breakers, cars, condo association, electrician, faulty wiring, fridge, fuse, living room, parking space, reset buttons, roommates, sunday morning, switches, taking a shower, test buttons

I am an electrician.Sometimes I am tasked with putting a dimmer on an existing low voltage (with a ballast).There are dimmers for electronic ballasts, and there are dimmers for magnetic ballasts.In order to "get" the right type of dimmer I need to know how I would go about telling an electronic ballast from a magnetic ballast.

How would I go about telling one from the other?

Technorati Tags: dimmers, electrician, electronic ballast, electronic ballasts, low voltage, magnetic ballast, magnetic ballasts

We’ve had several issues…they may be unrelated, but I’m doubting it so I’m listing them all.

Our lights downstairs used to go in and out (now only one of 8 comes on and it’s not bad bulbs – it’s been suggested the ballasts are bad). We had AT&T U-verse TV for several months with no issues and for the past 5 months we’ve had nothing but trouble…having to reset our modem and all systems repeating resulting in 6 in-home services visits.

Our wireless network is dropping in and out and is very unreliable. The two hard-wired to the internet have no issues, but anything on wireless is very up and down.

Now our garage door opener only works using the remotes to open the door. The remotes will not open the door at all (neither will our outside keypad) and the pad by our door will not work to close it unless we hold it down until the door is completely closed. There is nothing obbstructing the door’s path.

Also, recently, anytime we try to use electrical outlets outside they work only for a few moments and then the reset buttons kick off. This has never been an issue before using the exact same equipment.

Our landscaping lights are not working outside now either.

What could be causing this? Is this electrical? Should we be contacting an electrician? I just don’t know where to begin!

An AT&T rep told me our compact fluorescent bulbs could be causing the problems. Could this really be when we’ve had those lights for more than two years and are only recently experiencing these issues?

Technorati Tags: 5 months, amp, ballasts, compact fluorescent bulbs, electrical outlets, electrician, few moments, garage door opener, modem, nothing but trouble, remotes, reset buttons, u verse tv

I have a floodlight at the front of my house that I need to have removed and installed at a location in the back of my house. In order for the floodlight to be installed in the backyard, a new light switch will need to be installed along with the installation of the light itself. Obviously electrical cables will need to be run too.

I’m not sure who to start calling. Do I call a general contractor, or can an electrician do all of the work involved?

Technorati Tags: electrical cables, electrician, floodlight, general contractor, light switch

In our kitchen soffit, there are 3 different bulbs/sockets. Each burns out very quickly, sometimes in one day. We have tried different wattage bulbs, does not make a difference. The socket uses flood light type bulbs, flat on the bottom. We’re going broke buying these. Without calling an Electrician, any ideas?

Technorati Tags: burns, electrician, flood light, kitchen soffit, sockets, wattage bulbs

I’m having an 8×10 shed put in in a few days. Roughly, what would a typical electrician charge if I wanted to add a basic set of outdoor flood lights (w/ a switch as well), 1 outside outlet and 1 inside outlet?

Shed will be about 80-100 feet from the circuit box… if that makes any difference.
The shed will mainly be used for storage. Outlets are for a stereo (inside) and the outside one will be used for basic lights and toys, etc. No big power tools. Breaker is 220.

Nothing controlled from the house – everything to be controlled from the shed.

Technorati Tags: electrician, few days, outdoor flood lights, power tools, storage, toys

Help! I have an electrician installing the recessed lighting, but I’m afraid it’s going to be the wrong type.

I want to use 4" lights, but what type of bulb should I go for? I don’t want it sticking out, and energy efficient is a plus. My kitchen is pretty small.

Please be specific: halogen, florescent, etc… and bulb size: mr16, r20, etc..

Thanks in advance.

Technorati Tags: bulb size, electrician, halogen, lighting, thanks in advance

I have one switch that controls two independent flood lights on the corner of my house. When turning on the switch both lights come on. I added motion sensors on them both and now when turning on the switch both lights come on but only either one motion sensor works at a given time.

Is there a special way I have to wire these sensors so they both work independently?
Good question…I will have to check but I think I wired them the same. Black to black and Red to red.
Thank you Mr. Electrician…I will try that also and let you know.

Technorati Tags: electrician, flood lights, good question, motion sensor, motion sensors