When testing new installations of electrical systems prior to putting into service, dead tests must be carried out first in order to ensure that any subsequent live testing is safe to carry out.

As a professional electrician, I've often encountered concerns from homeowners about electrical outlets sparking when plugging in devices. While a brief, small spark isn't always a cause for alarm, larger sparks and flashes can indicate a serious problem.

Electrical systems need a way of protecting the wiring from overload and short circuit problems. They achieve this through the use of overcurrent protective devices like fuses and trip switches. In every electrical installation, there should be a main fuse – the final thing to blow in the event of a fault.

Are outdoor sockets safe? Yes, absolutely so long as they are installed according to the National Electrical Code (USA) or the Safety Requirements for Electrical Installations (UK). Any electrical equipment installed outdoors, including outdoor outlets, is perfectly safe so long as the local electrical requirements have been met by the installer. What does this mean? Let’s have a look.

Knowing what uses the most electricity in your home is the first step toward reducing your energy consumption and lowering your electricity bill. As energy costs continue to rise in recent years, homeowners in the United States and the UK are increasingly looking for ways to minimize their electricity usage and carbon footprint, not to mention reducing the cost of energy bills!

Our mobile devices have become something that we rely on constantly. When a phone battery runs low, most of us instinctively reach for the nearest charger without a second thought. But as an electrical lecturer and electrician with many years of industry experience, I've witnessed first-hand the devastating damage that counterfeit chargers and fake phone chargers can cause.

Electrical wires are everywhere in our homes and great care should be taken whenever disturbances to the walls, floors or ceiling takes place. A nail through an electrical wire is INDEED very dangerous and should be repaired immediately by a qualified electrician.

Electrical wiring colours are vital safety aspect within any electrical system, ensuring the safe operation of circuits, appliances, and connections in homes, businesses, and industrial settings

A partial power outage affecting a single room of your home is actually one of the most common electrical problems homeowners face. The good thing is that many electrical issues can be resolved safely by following some basic troubleshooting steps.

As we can see from the diagram above, the wiring for the socket outlets begins at the consumer unit and loops into and out of each socket before continuing onwards around the ring. Finally, the cable leaves the last socket and returns to the consumer unit. Inside the consumer unit, there is a circuit breaker (a type of overcurrent protective device) that prevents overload and short circuits from occurring on the ring final circuit.