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Electrical Light Socket Wiring Video
An
Electrical Light Socket Wiring Tip that Could Save Someone's Life
By Mark J. Donovan
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Mark Donovan of
HomeAdditionPlus.com shows how to properly and safely wire an electrical
light socket so that the threat of electrocution while installing a light
bulb into the socket is dramatically reduced. He specifically describes
what wire(s) attach to the brass screw and what wire(s) attach to the
silver screw when wiring up the light socket.
Warning: Before doing any work on an electrical outlet, switch, or fixture
make sure to first turn electricity off to the circuit at the main circuit
breaker panel, and then confirm that power is indeed off at the outlet or
switch using a light circuit tester.
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Digital Volt Meters from
Amazon.com
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When wiring up an electrical light socket it is important to make sure that
the correct electrical wire(s) are attached to the correct screws on the
back of the light socket or fixture. If you look at the back of any light
socket fixture you’ll see a brass screw and a silver screw. You may also
find a green screw. When wiring up the light socket always attach the hot
wire(s), which are normally black or red, to the brass screw, and the
neutral wire(s), which is normally the white wire, to the silver screw. The
bare copper wire coming from the wiring cable should be attached to the
green screw as this is the ground wire.
By wiring up the light socket in this manner, you’ll dramatically mitigate
the risk of electrical shock when screwing in a light bulb to a powered
light socket. The reason for this is that the brass screw, with the power
feeding it, is attached to the metal tab at the base of the electrical
socket where it is unlikely to be accidentally touched when screwing in a
light bulb. The silver screw, with the neutral white wire tied to it, has no
power riding on it, at least not until the light bulb has been fully screwed
in. Thus, in the event that someone accidentally touches the metal socket
while screwing in the light bulb they will not be electrically shocked.
So whether you’re wiring up a light socket, light fixture, chandelier or
even a ceiling fan make sure you connect the electrical wires to the fixture
in the manner described.
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