Know Your Home: Residential Electricity

Tackle electrical basics like hots, grounds, breakers, and switches! Get hands-on with outlet installation and a switch/fixture/fan demo.
About this Event

This workshop is an in-depth, hands-on introduction to residential electricity for anyone who wants to understand what's happening behind the walls of a house and inside a breaker box. No experience necessary.

The first portion of the workshop will cover:

• Fundamentals of hot, neutral, and ground wires
• How circuits complete
• How a breaker box works, breaker box sizes, and how to replace them
• Cable assemblies
• Typical home outlet and switch type

Next you'll get hands-on! Each participant will fish wire through an existing wall and install a new outlet from start to finish. After that, participants will take part in a demonstration (with some hands-on participation) installing a switch, light fixture, and ceiling fan.
Safety is treated as a prerequisite skill, not an afterthought. Before any tools come out, we'll cover how to positively confirm a circuit is de-energized, lockout practices so a circuit doesn't get re-energized mid-work, and the potential hazards of poor electrical work. All hands-on wiring will be done under direct supervision with circuits confirmed dead before any contact. This workshop covers general concepts and hands-on skill-building only and should not be considered a substitute for any licensing requirements.

BYO snacks and lunch.

What to Wear / Safety Notes: Come as you are.

Skill Level: Beginner & Intermediate

Important Workshop Details:

• Attendees must be 18+
• Attendees should arrive 15 minutes early to check in.
• Refunds are only allowed until 72 hours before the event.
• Bathrooms and refillable water stations are available on site.
• Participants may byo snacks and food with special consideration for longer and "meal-time" workshops. Fridge on site for storage.
• Unless otherwise noted the workshops space is located at the back of the building and does not require use of stairs.
• If a class does not reach a sustainable capacity, the instructor may cancel up to 48 hours before the event. In that case, all attendees will receive a full refund.

Equitable Access We believe everyone deserves access to hands-on learning opportunities, regardless of income. That's why each workshop includes a limited number of Equitable Access seats.

To help us share these opportunities widely:

• Each participant may claim an Equitable Access seat once per quarter (every three months).
• These spots are first-come, first-served and limited by class size.
• If you've already used an equitable seat this quarter, we ask that you register at full price so others can benefit.

Please only claim these tickets if cost is truly a barrier for you — this helps ensure that those who need the support most can take part.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected].

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Sold out? Join the waitlist! Your spot on the waitlist helps us understand what our community wants to learn, making it easier for us to bring popular workshops back again. You might get a spot if one opens up, and you'll help shape future programming at the Asheville Tool Library.