What r/askanelectrician keeps coming back to
Complaints raised here by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
37 recurring problems · 192 threads read · read since September 2026 · Reddit
Raised more than once here
Most people first.
- 20Electrician installed an outlet instead of a generator inlet box“Not 100% sure what’s going on here…”
- 17How to get a contractor to fix damage they caused“I’m doing some remodeling and asked the electrician to add an outlet for a mounted TV. I assumed he’d pull the outlet and fish the line through, but he made this cut just above the lower outlet.”
- 12Why doesn't my replacement part fit or match the wiring?“I now have to connect the corresponding live and neutral wires from the plug to this connector. Only it seems that the letters on the black plastic base of the connector are telling me to connect my black to white, and my white to the black.”
- 8Can I drive with a melted diagnostic port wire?“the cable connected to the light bulb was cut off somehow and i js wanna see if I can get that fixed somehow.”
- 7Why does running multiple appliances trip the circuit breaker?“we blow a breaker maybe once a month/month and a half.”
- 7Thermostat showing low voltage and no power“two circuits on separate circuit breakers have been losing power (everything connected to the line) sporadically, sometimes for hours at a time, without their circuit breakers tripping.”
- 6How to replace two-prong outlets with three-prong without rewiring“1950s home with two prong outlets. Can I add a new 3 prong and ground it to the receptacle box? I believe the ultimate fix is to rewire the home but I would prefer not to do that if possible.”
- 6How to replace a sparking or melted light switch safely“I turned me light on to my bathroom and the lights started flickering and I could hear popping from behind the plate going to the switch.”
- 6How to tell if an electrical issue is dangerous or normal“i keep telling myself it is old wiring personality. then i remember personality does not usually smell faintly warm near the panel after laundry day”
- 6Why are all my house lights flickering?“Lately, we've taken to running around like musical chairs hitting all the switches until one finally works OR having to sit there at one switch and press it on & off over and over until it clicks just right and it turns on.”
- 6How to remove a stuck light fixture globe“According to this diagram which wires would I connect to black and which to white? And what to do with the extra red?!”
- 5Why are service fees so expensive for tiny repairs?“I’m fully expecting to get raked over the coals and get a $500 bill for a ten minute job and two screws…”
- 4How to swap the order of wall light switches“My brain tells me that the exterior light should be all the way to the right since it’s closest to the door. But I’m not sure if I can fix this myself or not.”
- 4What gear and supplies do you need to buy for a new job?“I'm in my first year of electrical education and looking for an internship/apprenticeship Anyway I'm looking for tools to use in the Future (looking to invest in the best tools I can)”
- 3Is a melted electrical socket safe to leave until morning?“when I checked behind the sofa the extension plug pin was completely melted and the adaptor was burnt.”
- 3Lights flickering when the AC turns on“I've noticed that the AC unit draws more and more power as the year has gone by. My main light and fan that's constantly going will dim for for a second or two and then pick up pace again”
- 3What wall outlet does this plug go into?“This is the plug to a bottling machine I'm trying to get working. What outlet would this plug into?”
- 3How do I actually start becoming an electrician with no experience?“Hey everyone, I’m between jobs right now and trying to get into a trade. I’m really interested in becoming an electrician, but I honestly have no clue where to begin.”
- 3How to safely remove a stuck or broken lightbulb“I’ve had apartment maintenance out twice to remove what I am confident is a broken lightbulb.”
- 3How to get twists out of a coiled cable“The cable has no cuts, cracks, bulges, or other visible damage, but it has developed a lot of twist/torsion from being coiled. I want to straighten it out and make it look like the new cable in the second photo.”
What this forum worries about more than the rest
How much more often a topic shows up here than across every forum we read.
job entry70.8×diy wiring70.8×outlets and cords70.8×circuit overload70.8×