Southampton Home Improvement | Home Improvement in Southampton | NY | Leo's Electric |

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120 and 220 Volt Circuits
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Southampton Home Improvement | Home Improvement in Southampton | NY | Leo's Electric |

An electrical circuit has three parts: the circuit breaker, the wire, and the load.  The circuit breaker is located in the service panel. If you don’t know what a wire is, give us a call immediately. The load is the appliance that is drawing the power through the wires. (refrigerator, spa, vacuum, etc.)

At startup, most appliances will use a surge of amperage and then use less when it is running. Some large appliances, such as ranges, use 240v to operate their main function, and 120v to run the clock on the stove and light. If your circuit breakers are tripping, then your load is heavier than the circuit can handle.

 

If you are tripping the circuit breakers, the good news is that you do not need to replace your appliances. All you need to do is upgrade or install the correct circuits to do the job. We are experienced at sizing a circuit by determining the load of each appliance.

The electricity is measured in amps. For example, a clothes dryer may use a 220-volt power that alternates 80 times per second and pulls it at 4 amps.

 

Sizing the circuits sounds like a complicated process because it is complicated. Only a licensed contractor is qualified to assess, upgrade, and install circuits within the home. At one time, you could be assured that any appliance you purchase will work with the wiring and circuitry that you have. With the wide range of refrigerators, washer dryers, and ranges, this is no longer the case. If the voltage and circuits are not adequate, you can damage the appliance as well.

Give us a call today!