How An Electrician Might Diagnose & Repair A Smoking Outlet
ShareOverloading electrical outlets can easily be done when you are not aware of the number of amps in your electrical panel. If you are running a business out of an old building and have noticed that one of your outlets has been smoking, you need help from an electrician. There are a few things that an electrician might need to do in order to fix the problem and protect your building from catching on fire. In this article, you will learn how an electrician is likely to diagnose and make repairs when smoke comes out of an electrical outlet.
1. Test the Amount of Volts in the Outlet
One of the first things that an electrician will do is inspect the outlet that is in question. He or she will likely use a device that is able to detect the amount of volts that flows into the wires of the outlet. If the smoking stems from an unusual amount of volts flowing through the wires, a few things can be causing the problem. For example, the outlet might simply need to be rewired. However, if the electrician finds that other outlets are receiving a high amount of volts as well, the electrical panel might be the problem.
2. Make Sure the Wiring in Your Building is Good
It is possible that all of the wiring is in bad shape, especially being that your building is old. An electrician might ask you a few questions in order for him or her to make a diagnosis in regards to the wiring. For example, you might be asked if there is any flickering from lights in all of the rooms. He or she will also walk around the building to examine the outlet covers to see if they are discolored, as it points to bad wiring. The electrician might turn lights on and off to listen for popping sounds as well.
3. Upgrade Your Electrical Panel with More Amps
If it is determined that there are not enough amps in your electrical panel for the power demands of your business, an upgrade will be necessary. There are several ways that more amps can be achieved. For instance, the electrician might simply have to install a sub-panel to resolve the problem. However, you will likely need to get the electrical panel replaced altogether if it is old, such as if it has bad wiring and damaged circuit breakers. For more information, contact an electrical company like Sun Coast Electric & Networking Inc.