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Posted By: electure The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 01:59 AM
From Theelectrikid
Quote
My grandparents had their two garage door openers and doors
replaced. The original receptacle is in the photo below. A 14-gauge
extension cord used to feed the other
one. The installer (from Sears) did away with that. Here's how he did
it: (Western PA)

Original handy-box with original 12/2NM (the white one), and the
new "extension."

[Linked Image]


Wire routed under heating duct and I-Beam. Original cable heading
towards panel. This is a dedicated circuit for the openers, I believe.

[Linked Image]

New box and recept. Yes, that's an old-work steel box that's been
surface mounted. The small wire is the remote switch for the opener.
Uninsulated staples are allowed around here, BTW. The local inspector
and my father are friends at a local gun club. Was this inspected? NO!

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Zapped Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 04:42 PM
You're going to sit here and tell me that a Sears garage door installer didn't know how to perform electrical work? Impossible!

Did you're folks actually pay for this crap? You might have a word with Sears about safety and liability. I can't beleive they actually let their installers touch anything upstream from the power cord on their opener.
Posted By: Rewired Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 06:24 PM
Does not surprise me as I have seen crap like this all over the place around here. Matter of fact one such install at the neighbours which consists of 14/2 romex supported with nails and a female extension cord end for the receptacle comes to mind.

Ian: That " new" box, receptacle and cover look like used junk the installer had laying around does it not?
And whats with that original 12/2 NM passing AROUND and THROUGH one of the holes in that mounting bracket? **Ouch sharp edges!**

A.D
Posted By: Elviscat Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 07:26 PM
I'm sure every electrician has had experience with how sharp sheet metal is! even knowing that, odds are it'll never abraid the Romex enough to create a problem, but... why [Linked Image]

and I just love the use of that gangable swith box for the second outlet, man that thing just looks like **** [Linked Image]
Posted By: Theelectrikid Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 09:37 PM
As usual, thanks to Scott for posting them. I just sent the first email of the next series.

Those steel brackets aren't new, they're from the old openers. This garage was finished at a later date, as I'm sure the surface-NM wouldn't pass under the Aug 15, 1977 Inspection. The pevious opener installer probably installed the white 12/2, back in the 80s.

Ian A.

[This message has been edited by Theelectrikid (edited 12-08-2006).]
Posted By: Lostazhell Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 10:04 PM
Oooo... This gives me a few flashbacks! (unfortunately) I've had more than one time picking up the pieces of a Sears GDO install that was made with an extension cord (supplied by the installer) and EMT'ing a proper outlet up. After the HO calling Sears, they did, in fact, end up reimbursing the HO for the outlet install...
Posted By: Trumpy Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/03/06 11:17 PM
Quote
I'm sure every electrician has had experience with how sharp sheet metal is! even knowing that, odds are it'll never abraid the Romex enough to create a problem
I don't know, them door-openers do create a bit of vibration when they operate.
Hmm, the fact that the wiring is on the surface for a start would suggest that the installer just couldn't be bothered to do a decent job.
I've installed hundreds of door-opener points and they are often the easiest of any socket in the house, considering that the panel is usually in the garage as well.
This is just plain slack!. [Linked Image]
Posted By: Ann Brush Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/04/06 03:48 PM
Have your grandparents contact the installer and say it did not pass inspection and until it does they want their money back.
Posted By: matt85 Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/08/06 05:15 AM
Wow...I see that all the time around here. The first box is about all I would save. Gotta love the rusty chrome plate and "leftover" leviton outlet...surface mounted, and in an old work box...fun

BTW, I have been viewing this forum for a few months and finally joined last week :-)
Posted By: ShockMe77 Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/08/06 02:20 PM
Welcome to ECN, Matt!

Is that steel beam likely to become energized?
Posted By: Theelectrikid Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/08/06 03:52 PM
Welcome to ECN Matt! [Linked Image]

Quote
Ian: That " new" box, receptacle and cover look like used junk the installer had laying around does it not?

You can say that again.

Quote
Is that steel beam likely to become energized?


It spans the whole basement, with two support posts. This is the only place where a cable goes under it. The building is wood framed (same house as the Grandparents' Bath Pics) so I would say no, with the exception of the new cable rubbing up against it.

Ian A.

[This message has been edited by Theelectrikid (edited 12-08-2006).]
Posted By: ShockMe77 Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/09/06 06:09 AM
I don't believe it's likely to become energized either, but you never know. I would have installed MC or AC instead of the NM-B to protect against physical damage. And of course the proper surface-mounted box.
Posted By: renosteinke Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/09/06 07:22 PM
Not to steal anyone's thunder, but it COULD be worse...

These pics show a door opener installed without such "professional" assistance:


[Linked Image]


[Linked Image]


I am especially impressed by the paperclip used to support the cord.
Posted By: Theelectrikid Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/09/06 08:38 PM
Hmm, Romex or an extension cord? Decisions, decisions...

Ian A.
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/10/06 04:27 AM
Well...at least they used one of those 3-to-2 pin adapters for plugging the opener's cord into the extension. Normally I just see those things with the round pin snipped off. [Linked Image]
Posted By: Theelectrikid Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/10/06 04:42 AM
Sven, the opener fed from the new 12/2 in my pics used to be fed from a 14/2 non-grounded cord, with one of those adapters.

Ian A.
Posted By: Elviscat Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/10/06 05:18 AM
That Jumbo-Paper clip as a bracket is honestly quite clever.... (I won't be trying it any time soon)
Posted By: Lostazhell Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/10/06 05:09 PM
It almost looks like the light next to the opener in Johns pics are pretty much [Linked Image from img.photobucket.com] as well.... where or what does the fluorescent feed from?
Posted By: Rewired Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/10/06 08:57 PM
Hey wait a minute, no fire rated board on the ceiling??? WAS there any at one time???
Call me paranoid but I would be worried about parking my truck in the garage and having it mysteriously ignite and have that take out the whole house, but I would be MORE worried about that "top notch" electric to the opener and fluorescent light burning the house down and taking my truck with it [Linked Image]

A.D
Posted By: renosteinke Re: The Opener Installer Did It - 12/11/06 12:13 AM
Randy, it should not surprise you one bit that I was called to that place to repair fire damage!

Unfortunately, the garage was outside the scope of the job, so I didn't look all that close at it. I think the light was a similar plug-in arrangement.
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