While standard receptacles typically use three wires -- hot, neutral and ground -- you'll occasionally find 2-prong outlets in older homes. Since this type of outlet lacks a ground connection, the ...

Wall outlets might not steal the spotlight when it comes to smart home upgrades, but they're more important (and more advanced) than ever. As our homes fill up with devices, from phones and tablets to ...

Not all outlet holes are the same, and there's a reason for that. The shapes (vertical slots, round holes, T-slots, etc.) correspond to specific electrical functions and safety features. Take the ...

A generator can keep the lights on in your home during a power outage or can charge your phone when you’re camping. Generators turn mechanical energy into electrical energy and become a source of ...

We use plugs every day, but most of us don't spend a lot of time thinking about them. We know that there are various electrical plug types, even if we're not familiar with the ins and outs of all of ...

This article about electrical outlets is republished here with permission from The Conversation. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however, ...

Lauren is a writer and architectural designer living and working in Brooklyn, NY. In addition to being a writer at Forbes, she works as a freelance architectural designer specializing in residential ...

Theodore Kury is the Director of Energy Studies at the University of Florida’s Public Utility Research Center, which is sponsored in part by the Florida electric and gas utilities and the Florida ...