Went to a job yesterday to fix a few things in K&T that the boss saw.

I get there and start pouring through it all and notice that (one, some or all) 3 guys on a job had tied neutrals of different circuits together.

Half the house is in 3-wire K&T circuits. (Yes, a rare bird done in the mid 60's) And a lot of the walls are closed.....

After significant tracing I find that there are a 3-wire and 2-wire with neutrals tied together, the 3-wire circuits original neutral has been removed! (This is all modified K&T) 1/2 way through troubleshooting that, and one of the 3 gooses (the one there at the time) tells me the M.Bed AF circuit trips after I tell him to check everything. (Because I was worried about everything else I was seeing) I come to find that the AF circuit is also tied into the first mess.

So in total 3 phase A, (1 AF) 1 phase B, and 2 neutrals (1 AF).

So, I ask the one that I have on hand, "Which one of you jerks was running the show down here?" - "Uh, nobody really, we were each just doing our own thing." Come to find that this guy didn't know he was in charge!?

I had to go take myself for a little "time-out", I was about to snap!

So, tommorrow, I get all three geese together. So what would you do?

  • Can't sak 'em - we need bodies! As help is hard to find after the new certification law, all 3 "Certified"...... (Means they read english essentially... [Linked Image] Never had to worry about this with the Chinese guy I could barely understand, but did fantastic work fast, but could not take the test.)
  • The one who didn't know he was in charge, got his wings clipped today. Now, well known he was moved too far, too fast.
  • Brow-beat the bejesus out of them.... Rub nose in crapola....
  • Quietly sit them down and go over BASIC circuit design....
  • Call it "Too many cooks in the kitchen" and just deal with it.
  • Any, all or some of the above, or other?
  • Abandon ship....



[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 05-02-2006).]

Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason