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What do I need to look for in an electrician and what type of fees are just associated with an inspection?
I know it will vary by region but a quick search tells me there are 700 electricians in my area and I'm not sure where to start.
A friend of mine told me that if I can actually hear them blowing this is very bad. One just blew downstairs and caused my office light to flicker for 10 seconds. This one and the one in the master bathroom blow like once a day and normally I'm not here to notice.
Worst case scenario what does a panel replacement or rebuild run?
I don't have anything overloaded, just one AC unit on and 2 computers, one light.
What do you mean you hear it?
Is it just dimming?
Is the lightbulb popping?
Is it the light socket plug in?
Have you looked at it, does it have any black soot around it?
We just had a light bulb explode and fire shoot out of it. Turned out the chandelier had a short in it that caused it, a tiny piece of metal fell from inside the "candle" holder and was in between the lightbulb and the screw in. Scary.
What I mean is the two GFCI outlets keep tripping one in kitchen and one in upstairs bathroom (not at the same time) and when they do, there is a fairly loud "crack" and then today my office light flickered because of it which is all the way upstairs. I don't see any damage around the sockets but it is a bit unnerving. I maybe jumping ahead as for all I know there is some type of external surging but it has been happening for a while now I'm just not usually here when it blows. Normally it will last about day if I reset and blow again.
I will look into getting the tester but someone fixing my water heater the other month noticed the main panel buzzing and said it wasn't normal and now I've heard a company on the radio advertising inspections for it. Newer house btw.
Is there any load on the circuits that the GFCI's are on?
If there isn't- it's probably something in the panel- like a loose neutral. Or the breaker itself, generally not a ground because GFCI's will work without a ground. Then again, maybe the GFCI receptacle has run it's course and it's time for a new one.
There is a fault present in the circuit of .005 amps or greater. The GFCI is to protect the occupant, and not the circuit wiring. The breaker in the panel protects the circuit. I would try removing all plugged in loads to the circuit and see if the fault still occurs. Then you'll know it's in the branch circuit. If it doesn't trip then something you have plugged in is the fault.
The sound is normal. You always hear GFCIs when they trip. That is not your problem.
What is causing them to trip - that is your problem.
When yo solve that problem, you may have to replace the GFCIs. IF they trip a lot, sometimes they break and cannot be re-set.
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