McCoty Electrical

11/02/2023

TREAT ALL CABLES AS LIVE.

We all have heard this phrase somehow. Usually from the power utility when they have switched you off due to a fault they are attending to. The phrase is isually followed by "....as power may be restored wìthout notice".
But why treat a circuit live when you can see that there is no power? The street lights, traffic lights are off. Let me try to explain this as simple as possible.

In electricity we have 3 cables, the live, neutral and protective earth.

THE LIVE
The live cable is the one that carries 'real' electricity. When you switch off lights or an appliance you are actually 'cutting' the live cable. This means that the area after the 'cut' portion is dead, ie has no power. BUT the area before can possibly be having power. The warning is therefore needed since we cant see electricity and and cant tell where it is coming from.

THE NEUTRAL
Some people take the name neutral to mean that it doesn't have current running through it, but that is not the case. The neutral wire is part of the live circuit, which means anytime it is plugged in, it will likely have electrical current going through it. It therefore should be treated equally as the live cable.

THE PROTECTIVE EARTH
This one is the most dangerous to me. Unlike the live and neutral, this one is usually treated as not having electricity. True, normally it shouldn't. As the name says, protective, it is there to protect either the user or an appliance from an electrical fault. Should there be a fault in the circuit the earth wire carries the residual current to earth thereby protecting the electricity user and the appliance from the fault. The earth wire can be carrying electricity even when we dont have a visible fault and therefore should be treated as live especially when there is a fault residual current may be running through it.

BOTTOM LINE
Treat all cables as live. Whenever you see a warning from the utility e it seriously. Should you wish to attend to a fault dont hesitate to call a qualified electrician to do that for you if you are not qualified to do so.

At the hospital, electricity gives life but can kill. At home, it gives heat but can kill. Useful everywhere, kills everywhere!

ZETDC

24/01/2023

Why do breakers flip?

What is a breaker?

It is an electrical device that is used to switch on or off a circuit or rather used to 'break ' a circuit. This allows the area or circuit downstream to be safe during repair or during a fault.
Breakers have a maximum current that is allowed to pass through them hence when that current is above the maximum the breaker breaks the circuit to protect either the equipment from damage or the user from danger.

What should you do if a breaker is repeatedly tripping in your breaker box?

This is a red flag. Get help.
Tripping repeatedly means there is a fault somewhere downstream. Inspect the circuit before switching back on.
If you dont identify the fault contact your electrician to do the inspection for you. The problem maybe concealed somewhere and may need special equipment or expertise to identify.

Why would a breaker continue to flip, even after you remove all of the items drawing power on that breaker?

As mentioned above, the fault may be concealed somewhere. Either the problem are the appliances in the circuit or the circuit itself. In this case its the circuit. Its means there there is a short circuit in your circuit. Either the cables are burnt or there is a connection that went loose and created another connection with other cables which it is not supposed to be in connection with.

Why Do Breakers Flip?
To protect the use from danger or the appliances from damage in case of a fault or during repair.

Advice:
Contact your electrician when such a problem arises in your premise.

Call McCoty Electrical for over the phone free tips and more.

02/11/2022

Electrical Safety this Rainy Season

1. Make sure all electrical equipment is protected from water ingress.

2. Switch off any equipment with signs of ingress.

3. Do not use appliances with wet hands.

4. Always wear rubber shoes to prevent shock.

5. In the event of electrical shock, contact your electrician.

6. Power lines will fall due to weak wet ground, TREAT THEM AS LIVE, do not touch them and report to your utility office ASAP.

7. If you see someone in contact with a power line, dead or alive, DO NOT TOUCH THE PERSON. If dead do not offer help, there isnt any afterall. If alive, get a dry log or plastic stick and cautiously remove the part in contact with the power line from contact. If not sure do not offer help, you could be the next victim.

8. The list is endless but....

9. Have all your Electrical installations done by a qualified electrician always, inspected atleast every 5 years for insulation integrity among other inspections.

Add more, ask for more tips in the comments section.

06/10/2022

12/05/2022

As at 11May 2022, Zimbabwe was producing 1200MW against a peak demand of 2200MW.

Me, and you have the responsibility to ease the pressure on our national grid.

Use alternative energy sources such as gas and solar. Install solar gysers, use gas stoves, switch of lights during the day(or ise daylight switches or timers to keep lights off during daytime), switch to energy saving appliances and bulbs.

Want to make this a reality, click that button and we will help you manage your energy needs.

ZPC ZETDC

23/04/2022

What are you doing?

Thats my big question for this year's . Let us share a few milestones we have achieved as McCoty Electrical...

1. Our staff has been trained on solar installation and maintenance in order to support our customer's will to reduce the carbon footprint.

2. We are also supporting and helping our customers in installing energy efficient equipment such as LED lights and appliances.

3. Rolled out a 75% off promotion to promote the uptake of solar energy by our customers.

4. Last but not least....posting this late. This is meany to remind everyone that earth didnt end yesterday but should be an everyday habit. Making every day earth day!

The question is What Are You Doing to make every day earth day?

23/04/2022

Earth day 2022

Invest in Our Planet

This is the moment to change it all — the business climate, the political climate, and how we take action on climate. Now is the time for the unstoppable courage to preserve and protect our health, our families, our livelihoods… together, we must Invest In Our Planet.

Because a green future is a prosperous future.

We need to act (boldly), innovate (broadly), and implement (equitably). It’s going to take all of us. All in. Businesses, governments, and citizens — everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable. A partnership for the planet.

And while there is still time to solve the climate crisis, time to choose BOTH a prosperous and sustainable future, and time to restore nature and build a healthy planet for our children and their children, time is short.

Make every day earth day.



Copied....earthday.org

05/01/2022

Spotting Signs of Faulty and Dangerous Old Wiring

Admitted......we have all used a socket outlet as the one on the picture. But is it safe? Lets discuss.

Old homes have their own charms, but more often than not, they also have their own problems as well.
There is always a chance that either the electrical wiring is falling apart, or there were severe design flaws to begin with. If you’ve purchased an older property, or are letting one out to tenants, it’s important to be aware of the danger signs of faulty wiring, so you can take steps to avoid any chances of a fire hazard or electrocution risk.

Frequent Activations of the Circuit Breaker

Circuit breakers are both crucial and absolutely essential little devices that save us from electrical and/or potential fire hazards every time they are tripped. However, if your circuit breakers are getting tripped far too often, it’s a sign of overheating, which in itself is a sign of frequent overloading. Note that circuit breakers are activated when the solder melts and the connected spring immediately cuts off the circuit of current, switching off power. If the solder is melting frequently, it is a sign that you need to consult an electrician and get the wiring checked as soon as possible.

Buzzing/Flickering Lights

LED lights do not buzz as much as incandescent bulbs used to, but even CFLs and LEDs do flicker when the supply of electricity is not stable or sufficient. That may happen sometimes anyway, but it’s the frequency of such instances that matter here.

Dimming and Brightening Lights

This particular sign of faulty or damaged wiring also used to be the most evident with incandescent lights, but you still should be able to notice CFL and LED lights getting dimmer and brighter from time to time. If that’s a regular occurrence, do not accept it as part of the package because that is not a part or package you want to go unchecked as a landlord.
Contact a company such as for a comprehensive electrical inspection which will cover everything from the property’s wiring, right down the emergency lights. After making the repairs and changing out faulty wiring on as-need-basis.

Blackened, Charred, and Buzzing Outlets

A buzzing electrical outlet poses immediate danger to anyone who is trying to use it or is even near it. The most common cases involve damage to the connected electrical appliance, but sometimes, it’s the precursor to a short-circuit and consequent electrical fire. The worst part about the buzzing socket is that people often fail to hear the sound due to appliances and background noise.

Blackened, charred outlets are likely to be a result of overheating and calling an electrician is highly advised to get it checked. Also, do not use the socket until the check is completed and the issue is both identified and corrected. In some cases, plugging a high-powered device into a low-powered socket can also overheat and overload it, producing the charred, blackened effect.

Here’s an at-a-glance guide to the average power consumption rates to help you unwittingly overload power sockets:

Smartphone chargers – 12 W to even 65W

Fridges – 150W

Microwave ovens – 1500+W

Electric heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, toasters, hairdryers and vacuum cleaners – 2,000W – 2,200W

Electrical irons and kettles – 3,000W

When you notice the outlet buzzing, heating or going dead immediately upon plugging in your device, although it has the right BS rating, there might be something wrong with the appliance/electrical device itself, or the wires behind the socket.

Frayed, Damaged Cables/Wiring

Finally, this would be the most obvious sign of faulty or damaged wiring since you should be able to clearly see that. If the covering or in worst-case scenarios, the wires themselves look frayed and damaged, it’s a ticking time-bomb. Live wires should not be exposed under any circumstances, so damaged and exposed live wires are most certainly signs of an emergency situation, which requires immediate, professional attention.
Even if you do not notice any of the signs mentioned here right away, getting a routine check from a licensed professional service is still advised. If you’re letting your house, an electrical safety certificate can provide you with peace of mind and professional assurance regarding the electrical safety.

Want to implement these, contact us today.

Sorry for the long read🤭 keep safe from electrical hazard and covid too.

28/12/2021

What is the difference between a VSD and a Soft Start Starter?


We are frequently asked, what the difference is between a variable speed drive and a soft starter?

The difference is the speed that the motor can run when at full speed. With a soft start starter, the motor is reduced when voltage is started; and then when the motor is at full speed, or a timing circuit has timed out, a ‘running by-pass contractor pulls in and the motor continues to run at full base speed.

With a VSD (Variable Speed Drive) or VFD (Variable Frequency Drive), the motor will soft start, and you can vary the speed of the motor by varying the output frequency from the VSD or VFD. So, if you don’t need to vary the speed of the motor, once the motor is up to speed, then the correct solution is a soft start starter for that motor. If the process requires the motor speed to vary at any time, the correct solution is a VSD / VFD. The cost for a soft start starter is much less than a VSD or VFD.

06/10/2021

Did your know?

I didnt know number 1🤣🤣

Did You Know...

02/10/2021

Did You Know?