The Tiny house Blog

What Types of Electrical Power Points Are There For Tiny Homes?

By
Jason Francis
Designed and built over 100 custom tiny homes, lived on a sailboat for 9 months, and loves to live life to the fullest with his wife and their 4 kids.
Updated on:
June 9, 2023
Black GFCI outlet about sink

There are electrical power points in practically all contemporary homes, often known as generic or socket outlets. 

Each kind has distinctive qualities and advantages. Therefore, choosing the proper outlet may protect you from electrical risks and improve your home's energy efficiency. 

In this post, we'll look at a few of the electrical outlets and receptacles that often help homes and workplaces. 

Types Of Electrical Power Points

Metals like brass and nickel, as well as a range of colors and wood treatments, are available for electrical outlets and outlet covers. 

Electrical outlets come in various shapes and sizes to accommodate the needs of your appliances, power tools, and devices and bring down energy consumption at your home.

Keep reading to know the most important types— 

15A Power Points

For locations where there are appliances that require this kind of power, 15-amp power outlets are excellent. Since they are qualified and obligated by law to do so, electricians will be the ones to install the power points. 

Both 15 amp appliances and 10 amp plugs can fit in 15 amp outlets. However, the reverse is different from the other way around. Instead, through a hole in the wall, electrical lines are supplied to the spot where the 15 amp gets placed. 

A metal clamp holds the wires together with just enough protrusion to allow for an appropriate outlet connection. 

Remember, all power outlets, including 15 amp outlets, must be installed by licensed and fully certified by a local emergency electrician in Brisbane or other certified sparkies that can offer around-the-clock services.

GFCI

With the use of a ground fault circuit interrupter, electrocution can be prevented (GFCI). GFCIs are installed everywhere electrical circuits can accidentally come into contact with water.

An outdoor portable GFCI should be utilized with various electrical power tools (such as drills, mowers, and trimmers) and checked before each use. It may be difficult to stop a small amount of leakage current in several common circuits.

For instance, a few stationary motors, such as bathroom vent fans or fluorescent light bulbs, may create enough leakage to cause unintended tripping. A GFCI trips with just 5 mA (0.005 A) of leakage current from the hot wire to the ground as well.

AFCI

Arc fault circuit interrupters are made to stop fires from being started by electrical wire faults that arc. A continuous lighting discharge of electricity over an insulating material is known as an arc, typically accompanied by partial electrode volatilization. 

In rare circumstances, the first arc could start the ignition process before the AFCI interrupts the detecting gate. Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (ARCI) distinguish between desired and undesirable arcing circumstances using detecting circuitry. 

The AFCI's control circuitry trips the internal contacts when an undesirable condition is identified, de-energizing the circuit and lessening the likelihood that a fire will start. Therefore, the traditional circuit breaker is not required for the AFCI electronics to operate.

Tamper-Resistant Receptacle

A long-lasting remedy for infantile shock brought on by tampering with electrical outlets is the Thera-Tran receptacle (TRR). 

TRRs include built-in safety shutters that prevent the insertion of extraneous items into the receptacle. Only when a grounded or two-bladed plug is introduced, do the shutters open. Since 2008, the National Electrical Code has mandated their use.

You can feel the internal shutter system activating when you first plug into a TRR.

Carefully straighten the blades of a plug if they are twisted or spread. In any outlet, never use a pin with creases or cracks on the edges. GFCIs, AFCIs, and TRRs are necessary for every new and renovated home.

The Importance Of An Electrical Wiring

Many of your appliances are plugged into electrical outlets as their source of electricity. Most homes have a mix of 120-volt circuits rated at 15 and 20 amps. Wiring runs from a circuit breaker to each of your outlets.

A 4-prong cord is automatically provided when you buy a new appliance from The Home Depot without having it professionally installed. Because it "breaks" a circuit if the electric current is too strong, it is known as a circuit breaker. 

Electrical lines known as dedicated circuits transport electricity to a single outlet. To ensure they have sufficient electricity for operation, they are advised for important appliances.

You may also be interested in checking these electricians' jobs.

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