System grounding is achieved by connecting the neutral wires from all the electrical circuits to a metal strip in the main service panel called the neutral bus bar, which is in turn connected by a wire to a rod driven into the earth, or to the metal cold water supply pipe which goes into the earth. This kind of service is unsatisfactory and can be a potential fire hazard, A good way to evaluate your power distribution is to test and label the individual circuits in your home. Simply turn off the fuses or circuit breakers one bu one and notice which outlets and appliances are affected. Then mark the circuits accordingly, either on the main service panel box or on a master list kept nearby. After identifying the individual circuits, calculate the number of watts each one uses.
Many electrical devices have the wattage stamped on their I.D. tag or nameplate.
If only the amperage is identified, multiply this by the voltage of the circuit to arrive at the wattage. For a 20 amp circuit, the maximum is 2000 watts. Heavy duty appliances are almost always wired for 240 volts and each must be on a separate circuit with its own fuse or breaker. If the wattage used on an individual circuit exceeds the maximum, you should consult a licensed electrician about having that circuit rewired. No point on any wall should be further than 6 feet from an outlet.