Electrical Basics 101

By Timothy Thiele, About.com Guide

Your homes’ electricity starts with the electrical service connection. This is where the electric company connects their wires to your homes’ feeder wires that attach to the meter on your home or power pole. This is the device that measures the amount of electricity your home uses and determines the amount of money the electric company charges you on a monthly basis.

From here your meter either feeds a disconnect switch or a main breaker or fuse panel. A typical home has a single phase service consisting of an “A” phase and a “B” phase, a neutral and a ground wire.

Previous

• Introduction
• Electrical Service Connection
• Disconnect Switch
• Main Breaker
• Branch Circuit Breakers
• Switches
• Outlets
• Wiring

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