Electrical Guides From the Field
Marc Reeves · July 15, 2026
I have pulled more melted extension cords out of crawlspaces and behind furniture than I can count, and almost every single one shares the same three mistakes. Extension cords are rated for temporary use—typically 90 days or less—not as permanent wiring, and the gap between how people actually use them and what the cord is … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 15, 2026
Every time I get a call about connecting a portable generator to a house, the same question comes up: do I need a transfer switch, or is an interlock kit good enough? Both do the same core job of preventing backfeed into the utility lines—which is the thing that kills lineworkers—but they get there differently, … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 14, 2026
Last fall, I got a call from a homeowner in Ohio named Greg. He’d just found out his utility was killing net metering in his county — and he wanted to know if his planned solar installation was still worth it. I’ll be honest — when Greg first asked me that question, I didn’t have … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 13, 2026
How I Check a Warm Outlet Before Opening It Up A warm outlet could be nothing, or it could be a fire waiting to happen — and you need to know which before you even think about opening the cover plate. That’s where a non-contact voltage tester becomes your first line of defense, eliminating guesswork … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 12, 2026
Last fall, I installed a home energy monitor on my own panel and the home energy monitor panel results genuinely surprised me. I’ve been a licensed electrician for 12 years. I thought I had a solid picture of where my electricity was going. I was wrong — by a significant margin. Within 48 hours of … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 11, 2026
Last year, a homeowner called me out to troubleshoot a tripped breaker in her newly renovated bathroom. When I opened the panel, I immediately saw the problem — her contractor had installed a standard AFCI breaker where a GFCI outlet was required. It’s one of the most common mix-ups I see on the job. If … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 9, 2026
Last fall, a homeowner called me in a panic. His electrician had just quoted him $4,200 for a full panel upgrade before installing a Level 2 EV charger. He wanted a second opinion. After running a proper panel upgrade for EV charger load calculation, I told him the honest truth: he didn’t need a new … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 8, 2026
I’ve been asked the power station vs gas generator runtime question more times than I can count. Usually it comes right after a storm knocks out power and someone’s standing in their garage holding a flashlight. Here’s the honest answer most review sites won’t give you: runtime depends almost entirely on your load, and most … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 7, 2026
Why Federal Pacific and Zinsco Panels Are a Hard No In my years as an electrician, I’ve walked into hundreds of homes and opened the electrical panel expecting a routine inspection. More often than I’d like, I find myself staring at Federal Pacific or Zinsco equipment — and my first instinct is always the same: … Read more
Marc Reeves · July 6, 2026
The portable vs standby generator debate comes up in nearly every conversation I have with homeowners after a bad storm season. And honestly, most people come in with the wrong assumptions before we even start talking. They think standby is always better, or that portable means “good enough for camping.” Neither of those things is … Read more