iFixit - Answers With Device "Electrical"

Tesla Powerwall 3: Why do my electrical outlets crackle or buzz?

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:00:03 -0700

Why do some outlets make a crackling or buzzing sound?

⟐ Answered March 18, 2026 at 10:00 MST

Electrical: How to wire a doorbell

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:55:16 -0700

Installing a new doorbell and I need a device to send a 'tone' through the low voltage wiring to identify where the wire lands.

⟐ Answered December 02, 2025 at 16:55 MST

Tesla Powerwall 3: Powerwall shuts down from overheating

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 22:44:44 -0700

Does anyone know how I can get access to the Powerwall data? I suspect it should be by an app and wireless data transfer. I have asked Tesla for access to MY data but have not received an answer yet

Electrical: Water damaged double socket

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 08:59:48 -0700

I had water leaking into my garage and water has gone inside the socket unit, which was tripping my lights in the house, I shut down the fuse box and the lights in the house came back on, having investigated it I found the socket to be wet damp and I'm drying it out, will the unit work when dried out or will it need replaced. Thank you.

⟐ Answer accepted October 14, 2024 at 8:59 MST

Electrical USA: Replacement Timer for Intermatic Landscape Light Transformer

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 04:03:49 -0700

Would like to repair this unit rather than replace it. The timer mechanism has worn out and will not turn on the transformer when the tripper reaches the set time. It stalls at the set time and apparently slips when the tripper engages the switch. The part tag shows the timer as Intermatic PB115M2 but internet search shows no results. Any ideas? Thanks!

⟐ Commented July 26, 2024 at 4:03 MST

Electrical USA: The GFI keeps on trippin

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 01:17:28 -0700

The GFI in the kitchen won't reset?

⟐ Answer edited July 05, 2024 at 1:17 MST

Electrical: sprinker system irrigation valve box outside and located above ground

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 22:13:00 -0700

The valve box is full of water and some water is pooling on the ground outside of the valve box and it hasn't been used for over a year. I see wires inside is it an electrical hazard to touch? If the water inside box is not normal how do I repair? It hasn't rained that much.

⟐ Answered June 01, 2024 at 22:13 MST

Electrical: Why does my clothes dryer cause my power to go out at end of cycle?

Mon, 27 May 2024 21:44:54 -0700

I just purchased a new home (built in 1980) as well as a used washer dryer. I noticed the last two times I have done laundry that the washer dryer both run just fine, except when the cycle of the dryer ends. Right at the end where it would chime, the power in my whole home goes out for a second and then immediately comes back on. No circuit breakers are tripped. What could be the issue?

I know the outlet for the dryer is a 3 prong chord. Not sure if this is relevant.

Thank yoU!

⟐ Answered May 27, 2024 at 21:44 MST

Electric outlet cover: Light fixture cover removal

Sun, 05 May 2024 07:40:51 -0700

Hello there, how to remove the cover of this light fixture

It is on the ceiling and I need to change the bulb

⟐ Commented May 05, 2024 at 7:40 MST

Electrical: Electrical issue in screen

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 05:14:53 -0700

I have electrical problem

We connect a screen to power but we find the screen is flashing continuously ,due to find a solution

We off the light and the flashing desapere ,when turn on light botton the flashing back

While we check the panel for tighting and every thing is ok

We take the screen to a deffrent department and find the screen is ok

We think about the light in the problem department cause its led day light

We try to take the screen to other department with led light to make sure and we find the flashing same but more little than before due to this department have warm led light

⟐ Commented November 16, 2023 at 5:14 MST

Electrical USA: Only one side of a double switch box working?

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 06:59:33 -0700

We are replacing two single switches with two single smart switches. Once we’ve connected the two new switches, only the one on the right is operational.

We simply cannot get the left side to power up.

⟐ Commented July 05, 2023 at 6:59 MST

Electrical: Electric fan motor makes loud noise when turned on & jams

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 05:33:46 -0700

My electric fan will make a loud noise and the shaft will be hard to turn but will be easy to turn when its off

Its been lubricated, the cables are all connected too

⟐ Answered July 25, 2022 at 5:33 MST

Electrical: Issues Testing an Imperial Electric Permanent Magnet Motor

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 22:29:05 -0700

I've come under the possession of 3 Imperial Electric motors:

Model: P66LR006

Volts: 36 VDC

Amps: 100

HP: 1.3

RPM: 2100

Before selling them I've been trying to test their function. I have three 12 VDC batteries that I can wire in series to obtain the 36 VDC but want to make sure I'll be doing this correctly.

My questions relate to the DC voltage mostly.

#1: Since I do not have the controller for this motor (came off a floor scrubber) would the best way to test this be applying a lower amount of VDC and slowly ramping it up to 36 VDC? What type of electrical device in series with the batteries would be able to do this?

#2 These motors ask specifically for lead acid batteries. I'm not very familiar with testing electric motors in this way. Would a car battery be a bad idea to utilize in the testing method? Do Crank Case Amps have any negative effect on a permanent magnet motor?

Obviously I need to learn more about DC voltage in relation to electric motors and any help here is much appreciated. Thank you.

⟐ Answer edited July 22, 2022 at 22:29 MST

Electrical USA: Bathroom fan/light switch stopped working when I put on a new switch

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 01:46:38 -0700

When I put on a new switch it didn'twork, it was onlytwo black wires, no gfci was tripped, I'm stumped

I am starting to think it is the splice, but I've also decided to get a double rocker to separate the fan and light function, this would seperate the splice as well, what do you guys think..?

⟐ Edited March 18, 2023 at 1:46 MST

Electrical USA: Double wall switch miswired?

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 01:47:31 -0700

I have a double wall switch for my front exterior light and interior front hall light. I do not know if it is two separate one way switches or an actual double switch. However, my interior hall light must be on in order for my porch light to work. No inside light = no outside light. The inside light, obviously, works without the outside light being on.

Is this a miswired switch problem or a bad switch?

Photos:

Bare switches

Red wire tracks behind other switch…

Tracking…

…and is wrapped here with purple wire.

Generally in my house I've noticed through other fixture updates that the purple is my hot wire. I don't understand why the red would be wrapped with the purple if it's already got a purple on it.

⟐ Edited March 18, 2023 at 1:47 MST

Electrical: shed light switch not working

Sat, 01 May 2021 21:02:19 -0700

shed light switch suddenly stops working, have changed it twice. power to switch and lights work if bypassed. what is causing switch failure? Not used often

⟐ Commented May 01, 2021 at 21:02 MST

Electrical: What kind of bit could I use

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 15:56:18 -0700

Where can I find a proper bit for this kind of screw?

These screws on the bottom of the battery case

This power cord is produced by a Czech company Emos model HE1313 (E1313).

⟐ Commented April 22, 2021 at 15:56 MST

Electrical: Can I use a different AC wire for my charger?

Sun, 11 Apr 2021 20:42:41 -0700

Hi I am literally clueless regarding this. Please see the picture the one circled in red; I don’t have a socket in home for those 3 round pin plug however I have a lot of laptop charger that kind of look similar. Can I use that for my Lenovo docking station (https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/accessories...) It came with those round pins and I have checked everywhere simply cannot find one portable adapter for that?

Not sure if its relevant. But the laptop charger has 65 W written on it and the round pin (the one circled above) the charger is 90 W. Would that mean the wire would burn up ?

1- Plug has 3A/250V

2- This is the one that I can’t use - 16A/250V

3- 5A/250 V

Question why does the high WATT in this case 90 one has low input example 1.2 A? and the 65 WATT has higher 1.8A.

⟐ Edited April 11, 2021 at 20:42 MST

Electrical USA: Why is my double switch in bathroom not working properly?

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 01:44:31 -0700

I have a double switch in my bathroom which controls the vanity lights over the mirror and the ceiling light/fan in the room. Whether the top switch is in the closed or open setting the vanity light remains on but if it is closed the ceiling light is out along with most of the power in my basement. There must be a bypass issue somewhere or my wiring is incorrect. I’ve attempted replacing the switch several times but nothing seems to fix the issue. What should I do?

This is all I have to work with in terms of wiring. The only thing I can think of is that the game wiring is screwed up elsewhere in the house. I had a guy attempt to place a ceiling fan in our bedroom but he ended up not getting it to work. This was years ago and we’ve been dealing with the problems ever since.

⟐ Edited March 18, 2023 at 1:44 MST

Electrical: Door bell wiring new lighted plaque

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 06:35:50 -0700

connected a lighted address plaque to my door bell wires. Plaque lights but when I push doorbell button plaque goes out and chime does not work.

⟐ Answered December 08, 2019 at 6:35 MST