| By :
Autumn Lockwood
If you're to check out the electrical receptacles at your residence, it is likely that you will find numerous different kinds. Each different form of electrical receptacle offers a different purpose, therefore it is vital that you understand what that intended usage is so you don't make mistakes. It's really a good plan to understand the various types of receptacles, because even the voltage can vary from one to another one. Below is a list of the kinds of electrical receptacles you might find in your house, in conjunction with how they ought to be used. Most Common: Standard Receptacles The most prevalent receptacle that you will find at your residence is the standard receptacle. These receptacles are the ones that you will usually find in living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms, and they're used to power small appliances and common equipment. These outlets provide electricity for lamps, television sets, computers, and almost everything else. Should you have an older home you may commonly find two prong outlets, but in newer homes you are going to normally find grounded three prong outlets. These receptacles will provide 120 volts of electricity. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) Receptacles "GFCI" receptacles, that are ground fault circuit interrupter receptacles, are used in areas where water is likely to be present, and they are used for safety reasons. A few of the areas that these are utilized are kitchens, bathrooms, and outdoor outlet installations. These are identifiable in your home from the buttons on the receptacle, that will be put to use in testing or resetting the outlet. These receptacles have built-in circuit breakers, which may save your life if you should touch the receptacle or equipment which is attached to the receptacle while standing in water. These receptacles ought to be tested regularly to make sure that they are working. Electric Range Receptacle The electrical needs of your range, stove or oven are far greater than that of an average appliance. For this reason, they require their own unique special electric receptacle. This receptacle needs its very own circuit breaker for safety reasons. These receptacles need to be used only for an electric range, oven, or stove. An electric range receptacle looks completely different from a standard receptacle, and it is intended to accommodate the range's much larger plug. Receptacle Made for an Electric Dryer If you utilize an electrical dryer for your laundry, then you'll need to have a specialized electrical receptacle to supply the energy. You'll be able to identify such a receptacle because it's bigger than the standard receptacle, and the plug prong configuration is distinct. If your house is older, your dryer receptacle might be a three pin receptacle. New building codes, however, require that these receptacles have four pins. These pins give you the necessary energy to the dryer in the form of a 120V line plus a 240V line. Electric Receptacle Guidelines In addition to looking different, you have to remember that different receptacles have different wiring needs. If you need to put in a new outlet, especially if it's one of the more specialized kinds, it is best to discuss with a licensed electrician in order to avoid installation and wiring mistakes. So now that you're more knowledgeable about the different types of electric receptacles, you'll be able to better identify situations where you need one so you can be sure to get the right one. So, whether you're doing it yourself or working with your local electrician, you'll be sure to have it done right.
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