Are You a Wiring Wizard or an Electrical Know-Nothing?
Written by Elizabeth T DIY Expert
Last updated · 8 min play time
No modern house can function without electricity, but you could be in for a real shock if you try to fiddle with your home's wiring without some serious know-how. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of basic home wiring and electrical DIY.
Quiz written by
Elizabeth TDIY Electrical Quiz Questions
30 Questions · 1.4M Plays · 98 Comments
Question 1
What is this pictured object?
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AA European adaptor
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BA junction box
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CAn electric receptacle
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DAn industrial outlet
A junction box
A junction box houses two wires that have been joined together, including behind outlets and switches. It provides protection and a safety barrier for electrical connections.
Question 2
What holds a ceiling fan onto the ceiling?
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ARomex cable
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BA mounting bracket
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CMagnetic force
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DThe electrical wires
A mounting bracket
A ceiling fan needs to be attached to a mounting bracket; the wires alone will not hold it in place.
Question 3
What is this pictured object?
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ASteel conduit
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BRomex cable
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CPipe wires
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DBreaker wire
Steel conduit
Steel conduit is used to hold wires you'll bury underground. Most conduit is rigid, but flexible conduit is used for some purposes.
Question 4
What is a voltage surge?
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AA special outlet strip for computers
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BAn unexpected rise in voltage
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CHigher pricing for electricity during peak periods
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DThe initial spark when a circuit is completed
An unexpected rise in voltage
A voltage surge in an unexpected rise in voltage which damages the electrical equipment of an installation. A surge protector keeps this from damaging sensitive electronics.
Question 5
What is this pictured object?
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AA GFCI outlet
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BA 220 volt outlet
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CA hair dryer outlet
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DA garbage disposal switch
A GFCI outlet
GFCI stands for Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter, and GFCI outlets are used in potentially wet conditions and can cut power to prevent electrical shorts. They include a test and reset button.
Question 6
What is this pictured tool?
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AWire strippers
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BAn electrical wrench
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CNeedle-nose pliers
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DWire cutters
Wire strippers
Wire strippers are used to cut the insulation off a wire to expose the metal end.
Question 7
What is wire gauge?
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AThe diameter of the wire
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BThe amperage of the wire
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CThe voltage of the wire
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DThe strength of the wire
The diameter of the wire
Wire gauge is a measure of the cross-sectional area of the wire; how much copper or aluminum is in the wire. The higher the number, the thinner the diameter of the wire.
Question 8
Where are electric meters most commonly located?
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AOn your breaker panel
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BOutside, where the main electric line connects to the house
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CInside, where the main electric line connects to the house
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DInside, where your hot water heater is
Outside, where the main electric line connects to the house
In nearly every case, the electric meter is located outside where someone from the electric company can easily read it. To find it, follow the electricity lines to your house from the street and you should see it on the wall.
Question 9
In most cases, to what should you attach a ground wire?
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ATo something metal
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BTo something wooden
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CTo something liquid
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DTo something plastic
To something metal
The ground wire should be attached to the metal ground screw of your outlet, fixture or junction box. The ground wire bonds everything grounded together and is only interested in returning back to its source.
Question 10
What does a "hot" wire do?
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ANothing
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BIt's a spare wire that doesn't work unless you trip the breaker
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CIt carries current back to the breaker panel
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DIt carries electricity from the power source to the outlet
It carries electricity from the power source to the outlet
The "hot" wire carries electrical current from the power source to the outlet, fixture, etc. Acting as the first instance of a circuit, they are always carrying electricity, meaning it is dangerous to touch a hot wire while there is a power source feeding it.
Question 11
How can you tell the difference between a three-way switch and a two-way switch?
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AThey cost three times as much
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BThey're black
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CYou can't
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DThere's an extra terminal
There's an extra terminal
A three-way switch has an extra terminal to connect a second hot wire between switches. These are commonly used for things like lights with more than one light switch.
Question 12
What is this pictured object?
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AA wire nut
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BA safety thimble
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CA ground cap
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DAn electrical cap
A wire nut
Wire nuts, also known as wire connectors, safely cover two wires that have been twisted together.
Question 13
What is this pictured object?
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AA fluorescent bulb
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BA diode
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CAn electrical fuse
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DA plasma level
An electrical fuse
An electrical fuse is a filament designed to melt and break the circuit if electricity runs too hot.
Question 14
What is a dedicated circuit?
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AAn appliance with its own electric meter
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BAnother word for direct current
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CAn electrical circuit that serves just one item
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DA properly labeled breaker box
An electrical circuit that serves just one item
A dedicated circuit only has one item attached to it, typically a large appliance. When you trip the breaker, only that appliance will be affected.
Question 15
In most cases, what color is a neutral wire coded?
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AWhite or Grey
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BGreen
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CBlack or Yellow
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DBlue or Red
White or Grey
The neutral wire is white or grey. Maintaining this color coding system is important to communicate what's going on in your electrical system to others.
Question 16
What does G.F.C.I. stand for?
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AGigawatt Follower Circuit Interrupt
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BGround Fault Containment Insulator
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CGround-Fault Circuit Interrupter
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DGround Float Circuit Insulation
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter
Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets are commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms where water is near the outlet.
Question 17
What is this pictured object?
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AAn electrical meter
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BA voltage tester
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CA wiring probe
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DNeedle-nose pliers
A voltage tester
A voltage tester is an important safety tool that lets you check the potential flow of power that can be sent to an outlet.
Question 18
What is this pictured object?
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AFish tape
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BA cable spool
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CA voltage tester
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DGround wire
Fish tape
Fish tape is used to help pull wires through completed walls. It is named because it's nearly impossible to push a wire through a conduit, you have to "fish" it through.
Question 19
What is this pictured cable?
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ARomex cable
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BExterior wire
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CSpeaker wire
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DFiberoptic cable
Romex cable
Romex cable is often used in homes for wiring outlets and light fixtures because it neatly packs the hot, neutral and ground wires into one easy-to-use package.
Question 20
What does the neutral wire do?
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AIt runs electricity to the fixture
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BIt's a spare wire that doesn't work unless you trip the breaker
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CIt's a grounded current-carrying conductor
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DNothing
It's a grounded current-carrying conductor
The neutral wire completes the circuit and carries electricity from the fixture back to the electrical panel. Electricity must flow in a circle for it to work.
Question 21
What is the purpose of a ground wire?
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AIt completes a three-way circuit
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BIt returns electicity to the breaker box
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CIt brings electricity to an appliance or fixture
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DIt provides a path back to the source of the electrical current in the event of a fault
It provides a path back to the source of the electrical current in the event of a fault
A ground wire provides a conducting path to the earth which is independent of the normal current-carrying path in an electrical appliance. In household circuits, it is connected to the electrical neutral at the service panel to guarantee a low resistance path that trips the circuit breaker or fuse in the event of an electrical fault.
Question 22
What is a watt?
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AA measure of electric power
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BA measure of electric cost
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CA measure of electric resistance
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DA measure of electric amperage
A measure of electric power
Watts are a measure of power consumed by a bulb or appliance. They are equal to one joule of work performed per second of 1/746 horsepower.
Question 23
What does LED stand for?
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ALow Energy Diode
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BLight Electric Diode
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CLow Electrical DC
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DLight Emitting Diode
Light Emitting Diode
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulb uses less electricity and stays cooler than incandescent bulbs for big energy savings.
Question 24
What is the diameter, in inches, of a solid 10 AWG wire?
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A0.102 inches
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B1.02 inches
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C0.502 inches
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D1.52 inches
0.102 inches
The higher a gauge number is, the smaller the wire's diameter. At 40 AWG, a solid wire is only 0.0032 inches in diameter.
Question 25
What is this pictured object?
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AA halogen bulb
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BAn incandescent bulb
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CAn LED bulb
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DA CFL bulb
A CFL bulb
A Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulb uses less electricity than incandescent and halogen bulbs, but they need to be disposed of properly to prevent mercury contamination.
Question 26
How can you find out your home's total available amperage?
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ALick each plug and do it by feel
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BBy adding the wattage of all your appliances
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CLook at the amperage rating on the main breaker
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DBy reading the meter
Look at the amperage rating on the main breaker
Amperage (or amps) is the total amount of electricity your house can use at one time. You can find this number on the main breaker in your breaker box. Most modern homes have 200 amp service.
Question 27
What kind of gloves will protect you from an electric shock?
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ABoxing gloves
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BKid gloves
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C100% rubber gloves
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DSilk gloves
100% rubber gloves
Gloves will only protect you if they are 100% rubber with no holes or tears. Most gloves aren't like this, and won't protect you in an electrical encounter.
Question 28
What type of plug is this pictured object?
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AType D
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BType C
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CType B
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DType A
Type B
Type B plugs are used primarily in North America, although around the world plugs range from A to L.
Question 29
What is this pictured tool?
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AWire strippers
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BSide snips
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CLinesman pliers
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DNeedle-nose pliers
Linesman pliers
Lineman's pliers are used for many different actions including gripping, twisting, bending, and cutting wire.
Question 30
How does a modern dimmer switch work?
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ABy sending current through a resistor
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BBy turning the light circuit on and off very quickly
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CBy using the internet to control your bulbs
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DBy reducing the wattage of the bulb
By turning the light circuit on and off very quickly
Modern dimmer switches flick the circuit on and off many times per second to make the light appear dimmer. The light fixture you have installed can also affect the dimmer switch.
Comments (98)
We want to hear your feedback! Share your scores and discuss the quiz, but keep it civil.
A lot of these questions have multiple answers. I am a licensed plumber with 50 years of experience, also I have done lots of electrical work as that is required in plumbing work and a lot of those answers have multiple answers.
26 out of 30 that dimmer switch ? Humm.
@Jrdillon..An interesting option, in the right circumstances..
30/30..BANG!
Got 26 out of 30.
Lick it and see if you can tell the difference, haha..
The Author should check with a professional Expert for the answers, at least two of the question answers are 75% wrong.
Pulse width modulation is what's used: it takes advantage of the fact that our eyes can't tell the difference between a light that's permanently on, and one that's pulsing on and off at high frequency
Dimmer switch answer is wrong.
100% no formal training
@dirtrider129...I agree... electrician for 35yrs...?
Hvac Supervisor...got 25/30... im happy with that
29 out of 30. I dont know about that dimmer switch answer, I dont quite believe that.
The question that tripped me was the type of three conductor plug. I wasn't sure it it was a " A " type or " B " type, so I used a lifeline. I polled the audience and over 60% the audience selected " A ". So that what I did. Wrong! It's a " B " plug.
21 out of 30 not bad for a welder not electrician
22/30. Not bad for an electrical engineering hating mechanical engineer not based in the USA! PS - America. You really need to sort your cable colour convention out! ;-)
Wtf this is crap , or I need smaller fingers ????
It took answers i did not select
good mental exercise
Tells me I’m clueless when it comes to electrical issues.