Tag: AFCI Protection

Dear Mr. Electrician:  What are some holiday safety tips?  I want to ensure my home is safe from fire and electrical shock for the holidays.  My family wants to set up elaborate decorations, but we don't have any outside electrical receptacle outlets to plug our extension cords in. Answer:  Extension cords are usually used to deliver power where it is needed temporarily, but they must be used correctly. NOTE: Some text links below go to applicable products on Amazon.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  Using my links helps to keep this website FREE. Finding a source of temporary electrical power and laying extension cords down in a safe manner can be tricky.  I have seen a variety of methods to get power to outside holiday decorations, and many of them were unsafe. Sometimes, the cords are run through windows or under doors and are plugged into indoor electrical receptacle outlets that are the most convenient but have no additional protection from the circuit breaker beyond a circuit overload or short circuit/ground fault condition. AFCI/GFCI circuit breakers do provide additional protection against fires, electrical shocks, and electrocution.  Talk to an electrical contractor about making your home safer by installing some. Table of Contents: TIPS TO PREVENT SHOCK AND ELECTROCUTION SAFETY TIPS TO PREVENT FIRE OTHER SAFETY TIPS Below is my ongoing list of holiday safety tips.  Many of which apply all year round. TIPS TO PREVENT SHOCK AND ELECTROCUTION Do not run an extension cord through a window or door.  Also, any cord for outdoor use should be plugged into a GFCI-protected electrical receptacle outlet. Going through door and window openings could damage an extension cord and possibly energize a metal frame.  A damaged cord can also cause arcing, which can lead to a fire. In a client's garage, I once saw how he had plugged an extension cord into a non-GFCI ceiling electrical receptacle outlet.  He stapled the cord across the ceiling to a side window where he had a power strip plugged into the cord end.  The outside Christmas light cords came through the window and plugged into the power strip.  It was not a safe installation! Extension cords should be properly sized for the load they will carry.  Cords should be 14 or 12 gauge (12 is larger than 14 and can carry more electrical current).  If using an extension cord outside, it should be rated for outdoor use. Outdoor extension cord wiring must be plugged into an electrical receptacle outlet that is GFCI-protected to help reduce shock hazards and electrocution.  Portable GFCI protection devices are available.  Do not use power strips outdoors unless they are rated for outdoor wet locations. To reduce nuisance tripping of the GFCI from outdoor decorations, elevate the plugged connections between extension cords, tree lights, and other decorations so they don't lay directly on the ground. Drape the plugged connections on top of a piece of wood or a log to keep them off the ground.  This will keep water from rain or snow directly entering the plugs.  It will also allow...