Chicago licensed electricians > FAQ's

FREQUENTLY ASKED ELECTRICAL QUESTIONS

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QUESTION: When I go to turn my dimmer off, it is very hot. Is this a fire hazard?

ANSWER: Dimmers are rated for how many watts they are designed to handle. If a dimmer has to operate at or close to it's full capacity, it will heat up. Some dimmers have metal fins on the front of them to enable proper heat dissipation. You can either reduce the wattage connected to the dimmer to alleviate the problem, or put in a larger-rated dimmer.


QUESTION: I put new bulbs in my recessed lights and they turn on, stay on for a while, and they go back out. After a while, they will come back on again. What's going on?

ANSWER: Recessed lights are supplied with a thermal overload. Because the fixture is inside your ceiling, it is important that excessive heat from the bulbs do not cause a fire. Because of this, the thermal overload acts as a thermometer i.e. when the heat reaches a preset temperature, it will disconnect the electric. When the fixture cools down, the electricity is reconnected. To avoid this problem, lower wattage lamps will generate less heat, try changing them. The recessed can should have a sticker on the inside of it listing the lamps which are compatible with it.


QUESTION: We still have the round fuses instead of circuit breakers. Is this a safety issue?

ANSWER: No, it is not a safety issue unless the fuse box is damaged or deteriorating. Fuses are actually more sensitive than circuit breakers; therefore they are safer than circuit breakers. The problem with circuit-breakers is twofold. 1. After a fuse protects your home from an overloaded circuit, you have to throw it away. Therefore you may go through many fuses. Secondly, the majority of insurance companies now require that fuse boxes be replaced with circuit breakers.


QUESTION: Are our 2-prong outlets still ok to use in our home?

ANSWER: Most appliances and electrical devices today come with 3-prong plugs. The third prong is for grounding purposes. For safety issues, it is advisable to have everything in your home properly grounded; therefore, you should change them.


QUESTION: What is a GFI?

ANSWER: A GFI is an abbreviation for a Ground Fault Interrupter. It is a specially designed outlet normally used in wet locations to protect an individual from electrical shock. A GFI measures the resistance on the "positive" and "negative" loads connected to it. If there is more resistance in either of the 2 loads, the GFI trips. The electrical code requires that GFI's be installed in all kitchens, baths, and laundry areas.