RAMAPO HARDWARE
RAMAPO HARDWARE
Scroll below to see some of our electrical supplies!
But first, some safety tips:
*** #1 Rule when dealing with electricity ***
SAFETY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
Wiring something incorrectly can shock you or start a fire so please be careful and only do electrical jobs that you can safely handle.
BASIC SAFETY TIPS:
- DO NOT allow water to come in contact with electricity
- DO NOT stick metal into an outlet or a toaster
- DO NOT use water to extinguish an electric fire - Use a fire extinguisher
- DO NOT touch someone who is being electrocuted
- Unusually warm wires, extension cords, or outlets are generally a sign of something wrong with the wiring and should be inspected.
- Avoid overloading outlets.
- Avoid overloading light fixtures. Most fixtures have their wattage limit written somewhere on the lamp, usually near where the bulb screws in. Overloading can cause the lamp to overheat and is a fire hazard.
- Look closely at your wires to see if it is RIBBED (with lines) or SMOOTH (without lines).
RIBBED = NEUTRAL (White Wire) - Should be attached to silver colored terminals
SMOOTH = HOT (Black Wire) - Should be attached to gold colored terminals
- If you do not see RIBBED or SMOOTH lines, then one wire should be a solid color and the other wire should have lettering or striping on it.
LETTERING/STRIPING = NEUTRAL (Label it as a white wire unless other wire is white)
SOLID COLOR = HOT (Label it as a Black Wire unless the solid color is white)
There is one exception to this rule:
*REVERSE THAT if the Solid Color is a white color*
SOLID WHITE COLOR = NEUTRAL
LETTERING/STRIPING = HOT (Only when the other wire is a solid white color)
- Pull from the plug, not the cord.
- Keep wires away from heaters and toaster ovens.
- Learn the difference between STRANDED and SOLID wire before wiring anything.
STRANDED WIRE -Soft, extension cord type of wire which is perfect for any item that may move when plugged in. This wire is more durable and electricity carries over the surface area better but it costs more.
SOLID WIRE - Hard wire used in walls for items that do not move such as light fixtures and outlets. This wire is cheaper but more likely to break so this wire is generally not safe to make an extension cord out of.
- Avoid overloading an extension cord. Use the appropriate gauge wire for the item you are using it for. Putting a toaster oven or air conditioner on a light 16 AWG extension cord is a fire hazard. 14 AWG would be better and heavier.
AWG = American Wire Gauge
The lower the number is, the heavier the wire is.
- Do not run wires under carpeting or across doorways.
- Use Ground Fault Circuit Interruptor (GFCI) Outlets for any outlet near water such as near the kitchen or bathroom sink. These outlets automatically turn off when there is a problem.
- Breakers that constantly blow is a fire hazard and are generally a sign of an electrical problem and everything on that circuit should be inspected.
ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES
TIMERS
WOODS 24 HR PLUG-IN TIMER
Plugs into any outlet. Then the timer can control the power to anything you plug in.
$9.95
- Up to 24 On/Off Settings
- 30 Minute Intervals
- Convenient Override Switch
- CFL Compatible
WOODS 24 HR WALL TIMER
Replaces a light switch with a timer
$17.95
- Up to 24 On/Off Settings
- 30 Minute Intervals
- Designed for Single Pole, not 3-Way
- Convenient Override Switch
- CFL Compatible
* VERY IMPORTANT*
You need at least 3 wires coming out of
your box for this timer to work.
2 Wires for the switch (Usually black & red or 2 blacks)
1 Wire for the neutral (Usually White)
1 Wire for the Ground (Usually Green or bare wire)
THIS TIMER WILL NOT WORK FOR A 3-WAY SWITCH
Common Problem: Wires in box are not what you expect
Those instructions are designed for what SHOULD be coming out of your box. That is often not the case in older houses or when the wrong wiring was installed.
Some timers have a White, Black, Red, & Ground in the box (Normal)
Some timers have a White, 2 Black Wires, & a Ground wire in the box
I have even seen 3 black wires with no Ground before.
I have also opened up the old switch to see way too many wires and colors then what should be there and I just stop and call an electrician at that point.
If it is not too bad and you would like to try it yourself:
You need to find which wire is the "LINE" to continue.
Here are some basic wire definitions and their function:
LINE = (HOT) Power from fuse box - Usually black
* LINE (HOT) WIRES ARE LIVE ALL THE TIME *
That is why you have to turn off circuits or power to the whole house first before doing any normal wiring job unless you are wiring something that is controlled by a light switch.
LOAD = Wire connecting to an appliance (Such as a light) - Usually red/black
NEUTRAL = Carries current back from an appliance (Light) - Usually white
GROUND WIRE = Usually green or bare wire - Safely grounds your wiring.
Some companies actually write LINE or LOAD on your switch
or they write the letter L for LINE and the letter T for LOAD.
It is also common for the LINE to be the top terminal and
LOAD to be the bottom terminal.
What is a ground?
A ground prevents a light or an appliance from being energized if there is some sort of problem such as a short circuit. When a problem occurs, the ground wire takes the extra energy instead of it going to the appliance. When you are not using a ground wire, a short circuit can cause the appliance to become energized and shock anyone who touches it. If there is a serious problem, a ground wire will also usually trip the circuit breaker to alert you that something is wrong.
Light Duty things such as lamps, chargers, alarm clocks, etc. are usually not dangerous when they short circuit so a ground is not needed.
On heavier things such as an air conditioner or a computer needs a ground.
Under normal conditions a ground wire should not be energized at all.
How do I find my LINE wire?
We do give some tips on how to find which is the LINE (HOT) wire above in our general safety tip section. LINE wires are usually black, on the top terminal, smooth if other black wire is ribbed, a solid color if the other wire is striped or has lettering on it (unless that solid color is white then reverse it and line wire would be the striped or lettered wire). If none of these help you, then the best way to know for sure is to always test each wire with an electric tester.
PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL DOING THIS AND IF YOU DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE TRYING THIS THEN DO NOT RISK IT - CALL AN ELECTRICIAN
Step 1: Make sure the power is off.
Step 2: Then disconnect your black wires and separate them so that they are not touching each other and not touching anything else.
Step 3: Turn the power back on but be VERY careful not to touch any of those black wires with your hands, you only want to touch them with a tester. Again, do NOT try this if you do not feel comfortable because it can be very dangerous.
Step 4: IF YOU HAVE A METAL BOX:
Touch one wire of the tester to the metal box and the other to one of the black wires. If the tester lights up then that black wire is a hot wire. If it the tester does not light up then it is not and try the same thing on a different wire.
Step 4: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A METAL BOX:
Touch one wire of the tester to a black (or red) wire and the other to the ground wire or white (neutral) wire. If the tester lights up then that black wire is hot.
You can also use a non-contact tester which is safer
since you do not need to touch the wires but it can be less accurate:
It can beep if a wire NEAR the wire you are testing is live and give a false reading or sometimes it will beep if there is a ground issue and give a false reading.
When installing a timer - Once you found your hot wire, LABEL IT AS HOT with a piece of tape or a sticker. Now you can hook the Red & Black wires of the timer to the hot wire and other black wire from your box. Then connect the white wire to the white wire in your box and the ground wire (green) to the green or bare wire from your box and everything should work normally.
WOODS 7 DAY DIGITAL TIMER
Replaces a light switch with a timer
$34.95
- Multiple On/Off Settings repeat weekly
- Single Push Button Settings
- Designed for Single Pole, not 3-Way
- CFL Compatible
WIRE STRIPPERS
Homeowner Quality - $4.95
Contractor Quality - $9.95
- Cuts and strips wire from 10 - 26 gauge
- Adjustable slide stop and hole for bending and looping wire
- Rust-Resistant Finish
- Comfortable Vinyl Grip
EXTENSION CORDS
LIGHT DUTY
16 AWG (16 Gauge)
6' - $2.95
9' - $3.55
12' - $3.95
15' - $5.55
20' - $7.55
25' Outdoor - $12.95
50' Outdoor - $20.95
HEAVY DUTY
14 AWG (14 Gauge)
3' - $5.95
6' - $7.95
9' - $10.95
12' - $12.95
15' - $15.95
25' Outdoor - $18.95
50' Outdoor - $31.95
100' Outdoor - $55.95
POWER STRIPS & SURGE PROTECTORS
6 Plug Power Strip - $5.95
Single Surge Protector - $8.55
750 Joules Protector- $11.95
1000 Joules Protector- $14.95
1250 Joules Protector- $19.95
1500 Joules Protector - $23.95
Why are surge protectors important?
A power surge can occasionally enter your home and damage or destroy certain electronic devices that are plugged in. An inexpensive lamp does not need a surge protector but anything expensive like a computer or TV should use one.
These Power Surges (Voltage Spikes) can occur due to various events such as a lightning storm, power outage, short circuit, tripped breaker, power company malfunctions, or even power changes in large equipment on the same line.
The higher the Joule Rating = The higher the surge protection
ELECTRIC PLUGS
2 PRONG MALE PLUG
$1.95
- Used for small appliances
- Wires connect directly to screws on the inside of the plug
- Maximum Cord Diameter = .375"
- Takes up to 14 AWG Wire
2 PRONG MALE PLUG w/CLAMP
$2.55
- Used for small appliances
- Wires connect directly to screws on the inside of the plug
- Maximum Cord Diameter = .437"
- Cord Clamp for extra grip on wire
- Takes up to 14 AWG Wire
3 PRONG MALE PLUG w/CLAMP
$2.95
- Used for heavier appliances
- Grounded for extra protection
- Wires connect directly to screws on the inside of the plug
- Maximum Cord Diameter = .437"
- Cord Clamp for extra grip on wire
- Takes up to 14 AWG Wire
FEMALE 2 PRONG PLUG w/CLAMP
$2.95
- Used for small appliances
- Wires connect directly to screws on the inside of the plug
- Maximum Cord Diameter = .437"
- Cord Clamp for extra grip on wire
- Takes up to 14 AWG Wire
FEMALE 3 PRONG PLUG w/CLAMP
$3.95
- Used for heavier appliances
- Grounded for extra protection
- Wires connect directly to screws on the inside of the plug
- Designed for 16 & 18 AWG Wire
- Cord Clamp for extra grip on wire
U.S. ---> EUROPE ADAPTERS
$4.95
-Designed for duel electric appliances. Check to see if your appliance says 110/220v, 110/230v, 110/240v, or 110/250v to see if it is duel electric. If it just says one number (110v, 220v, 230v, 240v, or 250v) then you will also need a voltage adapter to prevent frying your device!
- American appliances are designed for 110 volts. Many other countries' appliances are designed for 220, 230, 240, or 250 volts.
LIGHT FIXTURES
PORCELAIN FIXTURES
Regular Fixture - $1.95
Pull-Chain Fixture - $3.55
Pull-Chain w/Outlet - $3.95
PLUG-IN CLAMP FIXTURES
5 1/2" (up to 60w) - $9.95
8" (up to 150w) - $10.95
Keep in mind that those 60w & 150w limits are if you use regular bulbs!
If you use an energy saving bulb, then your limit
is the amount of watts the bulb uses, not gives off!
OUTDOOR FLOODLIGHT HOLDER
$8.95
- Can be screwed to a wall or spiked into the ground
- Holds up to 150w Exterior Floodlights
(More Coming Soon!)