I still remember the sheer joy of plugging in my electric grill for the first time without having to snake an extension cord through a window. It felt like living in the future. But then, a few years back, I was helping a buddy install some patio lights, and we ran into a snag. He … Read more
I remember the sheer panic. Water, electricity, and a dodgy-looking outlet in the bathroom of a fixer-upper I bought in ’08. My gut screamed, ‘This is a death trap!’ I spent a solid hour Googling furiously, convinced I was about to electrocute myself. The question burning in my mind was: are 1979 California houses required … Read more
I remember the first time I hooked up a mini-fridge in my old camper. I saw that familiar round hole with a little spring-loaded cover, just like the one in my dad’s old pickup truck, and figured, ‘Easy peasy.’ Plugged it in, and… nothing. Zilch. Nada. That’s when I started asking myself, are the 12 … Read more
You’re standing there, probably holding a brand-new appliance or a questionable extension cord, and the thought pops into your head: ‘am i at 120 volt outlets in ct?’ It’s a fair question. We’ve all been there, staring at a plug and a socket, wondering if they’re going to play nice. It’s not exactly rocket science, … Read more
I remember the first time I tried to plug my fancy new shop vac into the garage outlet at my rented apartment. It was a Tuesday, I had a mess of sawdust and drywall crumbs from a small project, and I just wanted to get it cleaned up before the landlord did his rounds. I … Read more
I remember the first time I nearly fried myself trying to swap out an old outlet for a shiny new one. Sparks flew, my hair stood on end (literally), and I decided then and there that maybe some DIY projects are best left to the pros. It got me thinking, though, about all the electrical … Read more
You’re standing in your backyard, thinking about plugging in that string of fairy lights or maybe a portable speaker for a barbecue. Then you glance at the nearest electrical outlet – the one that’s supposed to be ‘for outside use’. And a little voice in your head pipes up: ‘Are 115 volt outlets outside actually … Read more