In this tutorial, we learn how to wire a three-way electrical switch. First, you will need to know the difference between the wires that you are using. Once you familiarize yourself with these different wires, you can start to wire your electrical switch. Now, go to your elect ...more
In this series of how-to videos, home improvement expert Amelia Tallman shows you step-by-step instructions on how to install a new power outlet in a wall of your home. She demonstrates how to strip the existing wires, drill holes and properly install a new box for a new outle ...more
Tim Carter, of Ask the Builder, demonstrates the installation of an outlet box and how to easily wire the switch box in your home. With a little help from some pliers and wire strippers, this DIY project will be a breeze.
Here's how to remember what wires go where when wiring a plug in the United Kingdom. UK plugs have two or three wires going into them: brown, blue and yellow-green. L in the blue tells you it goes on the left. The R on the brown tells you it goes on the right. If there's a yel ...more
This tutorial shows you how to create wire types in AutoCAD Electrical 2008.
The Type G plug is the standard plug in the United Kingdom, usually 230V and 50Hz, and is referred to as the BS1363 (British Standards 1363). It's most commonly referred to as the "13-amp plug" because it has a 13-amp fuse inside. The wires consist of a hot (or live) wire, neu ...more
The Solar Schoolhouse presents this video tutorial on how to use the Solar Cell Classroom Set. The purpose of this set is to give students hands on experience making electricity using sunlight. See what's inside the set, and then see how to wire three different types of electr ...more
Believe it or not, you don't need to hire an electrician to add a few electrical outlets in your home. The only thing you really need to worry about is being safe. This Old House walks you through the entire process of adding receptacles, from cutting the hole in the drywall t ...more
There's no need to pay for a pricey electrician for a light switch problem— you can try to fix it yourself. This video from This Old House explains how three-way switches work and shows tips for finding and replacing faulty three-way switches in your home. First, you need to u ...more
One of the biggest downsides to having so many gadgets is that you never seem to have enough outlets to power them all. Most of us have a power strip or two to solve this problem, but Instructables user dlewisa wanted something a little nicer looking, so he built this DIY desk ...more
Plug this baby into your FiOS-powered computer and simulate the real-time climate of any location in the country -- rain, lightning, fog, sunshine. Get creative -- got any new weather effects you've figured out how to add to your Personal Weather Machine? We'd love to hear ab ...more
If your old outlet has become so loose that a cord barely stays in place, it's time to change it. It's not just an annoyance—it's a hazard. Learn how to replace an electrical outlet with this instructional video from Howcast. You Will Need: * A flathead screwdriver * A digita ...more
Gary Clark shows you what it takes to hang a beautiful new chandelier in your home, and believe it or not, the installation is simple! No matter what kind of hanging light fixture you're installing in your ceiling, the process is generally the same, where you first need to cut ...more
Computer viruses are terrifying. They are undetectable, dangerous, and operate constantly right under your nose. For the average computer user, there are only a few repair options. You could buy expensive antivirus software that causes more problems than it fixes, you can wipe ...more
Every electrician knows you have to cut a screw every now and then to make it fit. But do they do it properly? Most will probably just use their linesman's or dikes, but using your wire strippers equipped with screw cutting is the proper way. Watch this video tutorial to see h ...more
In the past few weeks, you've already learned how to make your bike light up at night with some DIY rim lights and handlebar lights. But how about something a little more functional? Instead of using those tedious hand signals (which drivers don't even understand), spruce up y ...more
In this video clip series, our expert will demonstrate the basic knowledge you need before adding an outlet in your home. Which tools you will need, how and where to drill, safety instructions and box installation instructions are included. Additionally, you will learn how to ...more
Wall studs are both critical for maintaining the structure of your home and supporting items of weight and function on the interior walls (e.g. cabinets, shelves, plasma TVs, etc.). With wall studs playing such a critical role, consistently being able to find them is important ...more
Remember the arcades? Were you saddened when they closed up one by one, leaving no outlet to actually go out and socialize while you played video games? With all the home consoles and internet connectivity, gaming has evolved, but the social factor has been eliminated. Sure we ...more
Will the predicted apocalyptic date—December 21st, 2012—really be the end of the world? In this ongoing five-part series, we examine what would happen if zombies, nuclear weapons, cyber wars, earthquakes, or aliens actually destroyed our planet—and how you might survive. End ...more
This video is about electrical wires. It describes common types, configurations of wire, and wire terminology. It explain the gauge system of rating wire size (diameter), circular mils, current capacity, and others.
This video shows you how to use household electrical wire to make stunning jewelry pieces for you or a friend. Taking the wire from a renovation project, I stripped the wires of their plastic and then started twisting and creating designs. Make cheap jewelry but expensive desi ...more
Make a lighter with one or two AA batteries and simple tiny wire!!! This is a fantastic homemade electrical lighter for any situation. You'll need two AA batteries, a push switch, a battery holder, wire, solder, soldering iron, electrical tape, crimper, and scissors for this c ...more
The XBox 360 runs hot. Really hot. And that is never a good thing for a computer. In fact, it is responsible for the infamous Red Ring of Death that has become synonymous with the XBox 360's poor build quality. This video is here to help solve the problem. It will teach you ho ...more
An emergency battery charger for your mobile phone comes in handy, but it's not the ultimate solution; once it's dead it's useless (what a waste). If you want to really get off the metaphorical grid, you can follow the steps in this video to construct a more robust circuit tha ...more
If you're at the point where you need to start ballasting your model railroad track, then you might want to check out this video tutorial on wiring. Learn how to wire your model railroad track. So, see how to run the feeder cables to power up your ballasts to power up your mi ...more
This video will show you what you'll need to know to hack a digital electric meter. You'll need 2 magnets, one much bigger than the other, an AC adaptor that you'll cut into pieces, or some speaker wire, distilled water, electrical tape, a knife, some plastic wrap, and a plast ...more
This is a step-by-step instructional on how to make a potato gun, otherwise known as the spud gun, potato launcher, potato cannon, etc. Although this can be a fun activity, it is still dangerous, just like a real weapon. The tools needed for this spud cannon are a drill, saw, ...more
Need to keep people out of your precious room? Tired of all of those "do not disturb" signs not working? Locks just aren't cutting it these days? Safeguard your privacy with your very own electric fence. Remember Jurassic Park, when the kid got zapped by the electric fence? Th ...more
In this video tutorial you will learn how to make a pair of high tech night vision sunglasses. You will first need a pair of 100% clear sunglasses with nothing but UV protection. Then two sheets of theatrical photo gels, one congo blue and one primary red. Using the gasses as ...more
Tim Carter, of Ask the Builder, demonstrates how to wire up a 3-way switch in your house, into an electrical circuit, for your lighting needs.
Ask the Builder host, Tim Carter, demonstrates how to wire up a 4-way switch, and where to place a 4-way switch in an electrical circuit in your home.
This video introduces the concept of an electric circuit and how electrons flow through the wire. It describes the difference between an open and closed circuit, and the importance of continuity.
Systm is the Do-It-Yourself show designed for the common geek who wants to quickly and easily learn how to dive into the latest and hottest tech projects. They will help you avoid pitfalls and get your project up and running fast. In this DIY episode, see how to safely wire an ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to hang drywall in your own home. Hanging your own drywall will save you a lot of money, but it takes a lot of time. You will first need to start on the ceiling and then secure the drywall with screws. You will have to use a saw to make boxes for ...more
This video shows you how easy it is to install the J&T water temperature gauge on your snowmobile. This is a "Must Have" for any snowmobile rider in order to keep an eye on your water temperature so you don't melt a piston. List of parts and tools needed: -4 electrical eyele ...more
This video shows you step-by-step, how to make barbed wire for a Warhammer mini-gaming system. All you need is electrical wire (insulated or not, it doesn't matter), some paper clips, and your applicable tools for cutting.
You don't need to buy an expensive ring light, you can make your own at home. You'll need a sheet of sturdy plywood, a pencil, some string, a dimmer switch, the light bulb sockets, some electrical wire, a drill and some hardware.
In elementary school, we all experienced the wonders of papier mâché, that wonderfully malleable mixture of paper and glue (or maybe paper, flour, and water). Once it hardens, it's a homemade work of art. And homemade papier mâché is art on the cheap, allowing your imagination ...more
If things are getting a bit stuffy at your desk, don’t fret. A cool breeze is just a USB slot away. Watch this video to learn how to make a USB fan. Step 1. Retrieve computer fan Look online or at your local computer-repair shop for a plastic computer-cooling fan. Or, disman ...more
There is nothing more annoying than a greedy roommate. It's absolutely infuriating to wake up and find the cookies your mother just made for you gone without a trace. Your favorite drink is empty and the homemade meal you worked so hard on the night before is nowhere to be fou ...more
Reduce the risk of blown fuses, blown sensors, shorted wires, and even possibly increase shift times on an automatic and possibly increase horsepower with a grounding kit! All you need is some wire, terminal ends and electrical tape or heat shrink. To make this work, all you h ...more
Got an irrational fear of your closet? You're grown-up enough to know there's no boogeyman living in there, so you must be spooked by how disorganized it is. Summon up some courage and let's get to work organizing your closet. You will need: a messy closet a large, clean surf ...more
To make a glowing ice bulb, like the one in this how-to video, you need LEDs, batteries, wire, a balloon, and electrical tape. First, you connect the led to the wires. Then, you put the LED in the balloon, fill the balloon with water and freeze it. Once frozen, remove the ball ...more
This video tutorial will show you how to wire automatic sprinkler valves for the health of your green grass lawn. Attach wire to the sprinkler valves and run it to the automatic sprinkler timer. That's it. You don't need to be an electrician or a plumber to accomplish this spr ...more
Learn a simple way to create dramatic lighting with a sense of humor! You will need a bird cage, a lamp cord with bulb socket, a lightbulb, silk flowers, fake birds, wire, wire ship, some chain, and white electrical tape. Follow along with the step-by-step instructions of this ...more
Watch this video from This Old House to learn how to install a mini-split air conditioner. Steps: 1. Lay pad on ground, check for level, then set condenser unit on top of pad. 2. Use 1 ½-inch hole saw to drill hole through house for refrigerant line. 3. Feed refrigerant line ...more
Worried about your dog figuring out how to jump over your fence? In this video tutorial from Ron Hazleton, learn about the "invisible" dog fence some are installing which keep a pooch away with electrical signals. It's underground, out of sight, and actually works! Within this ...more
As some of you Mad Science readers will remember, we recently covered the separation of water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis. Passing a current through water can rend it apart, but we can also recombine that oxygen and hydrogen to make electricity! This is the pri ...more
Use the tread on wire-nut, to create a mold for mini clay cupcakes. Usually used for joining together electrical wires, the repeated lines of the wire-nut will here be used to form the ridges expected on a cupcake bottom. Press the wire-nut into a small piece of clay to form a ...more
Science-fiction writer Jules Verne predicted many scientific breakthroughs, including the moon landing, tasers, and nuclear submarines. In his 1874 book The Mysterious Island, Verne writes: I believe that water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which ...more
Building a DIY Alarm System: The Concept So, you want to protect your property, or maybe a room, car, or even your backyard. The concept of an alarm system is to notify the "alarm administrator" that there is an intruder entering the previously designated boundaries. The trig ...more
Learn how to make a cheap burglar alarm/trip wire alarm with step by step instructions. This is pretty basic but effective. Cardboard, fishing line, batteries, soldering wire, soldering iron, hot melt glue gun, an empty soft drink can, electrical tape, buzzer are some of the n ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to repair the Vivitar 285's Flash Foot. First, remove the flash foot using a soldering iron. Melt the solder just enough, don't ruin the wires or the backing. Now, set the iron down and then short the wires out, you will see the flash go off when ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to install a new mailbox post and box with Lowe's. First, you will need to gather all your tools and a new mailbox. After this, print out directions for the project through the Lowe's website. Now, call 811 to call your utility company to make su ...more
The first part of the video shows examples of completed Spartan leg guards. The materials needed for this project include boxes of cardboard, two liters of soda pop, gold paint, masking tape, scissors and wire. you must first print out the template shown by the narrator and us ...more
The Stun-Gun In this article, I'll show you how to make a small, weaponized highlighter. Before I get into how to built this device, let me warn you. This device is harmful! When used, it can cause burns and/or serious muscle spasms. The voltage is potentially deadly! DO NOT ...more
Why does the world work the way it does? Linda Dong takes basic scientific principles and translates them into beautifully simple, explanatory images. The narrower the light source, the more sharp an object's shadow becomes. (Foam core, light). A battery is anything that conv ...more
A gerbil makes a great “starter pet” for a child. Gerbils are friendly, fun to watch, quiet, and clean little guys whose cages don’t get smelly as fast as some animals’. You Will Need * A gerbil * A large wire cage or 20-gallon glass aquarium * Bedding * Gerbil food * Fresh gr ...more
Ceiling fans are great to have in your home and can sometimes be better to use than an air conditioner during summer. But installing one may be tricky for those who have no experience working with electrical wiring. In this video series, you'll find out how to wire a ceiling f ...more