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<p align="center">Submitted by Virgil Kelly (aka sparky66wv)

"<font color="#000000">Ran into this during a walk-through for a bid.
Rumor has it that the

responsible party is the one I'm bidding against for the job!</font>"

Pretty Ugly!...i hear it refered to as a "flying splice" alot

This is typical of work here in WV. For some reason, 4" octogon boxes are real popular for use as junction boxes. Also, it is typical to use the box just to hold the cables in place while the wires are connected. At least this time the splices in the box have wirenuts. Can't say the same for the open air part.

Tom

By the way...

Lost the bid...

It's really hard to bid against those that are willing to cut corners and ignore code. This guy was grandfathered in on his licenses and has been doing business for longer than I've been alive. His two sons are carrying on the "tradition"...

He drives a brand new Dodge Ram and I drive a 12 year old Nissan truck... Hmmmmm...

Hey 66 .... hard to compete against a new dodge full of octagon boxes , electrical tape and two in house helpers . Pretty sad i must say . Obviously the customer is only looking at saving money .. Pretty sad when costs come before "SAFTEY"

How in the world does this kind of thing get by your building inspectors? Maybe this guy got paid to do this, and now will be paid again to fix it? Most drywall tapers should know better than to do this kind of work.

You're right...it wouldn't fly with the inspector, but inspections aren't required if one is only adding a light or outlet, etc. Only when visible capital improvement (hence property tax) has been made does the building inspector even want to be involved, and that's for the city area. As far as rural, no inspections unless the PoCo gets involved, then it's from an electrical inspector. This is new since 01/01/01 (I love that date...)

Get this... the PoCo needs more inspectors and wants ME to come down and get a brochure on what to do to become one... Imagine that...!!!

'66,

Now THAT would be an interesting development!
<< (first time I used that one)

Bill

'66

Trust me, being an inspector for Allegheny Power isn't worth the aggravation (usually from homeowners doing their own work).

Tom

Run across this in Georgia, too. But it is usually harry homeowner that has done this type butcher job, and I have to go in and correct it before the inspector will give his stamp of approval. Have NEVER run across an electrician who would jeapordize his licence doing this type shoddy work.

Don't feel too bad, this happens quite frequently in texas... And not just in the rural areas. I am currently working in a food factory, And after 6 months I have lost count of the mis-wired recepts, the wire nut-less neutrals and hots......., Makes me nervous just opening up a box.....<G>

tajoch, I work in MO and know how you feel. The only thing worse is to open a box to find a spaghetti mess and have a wire nut fall out in your hand.

My background is industrial, not residential. What this picture shows is the only way I've seen knob & tube transition to Romex (for example, in an addition to an old home). Perhaps someone could post a photo of how this is supposed to be done?

1) It's not K&T, it's old cotton wrapped "Romex" (NM) Cable, probably #14-2, no ground.

2) Knob and Tube conductors should still be spliced to NM inside a box, and with each K&T conductor having its own entrance into the box. Care must be given to properly fasten and clamp the K&T wire with approved means.

You guys take it from here?




[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 05-31-2001).]

oh?you get this crap in the US too huh,well its got a whole lot worse since we went to self regulation

Hell I missed that completely. WOW that is nasty. I thought you were talking using a octagon for a JB, I was thinking well hmmm thats not against code is it? Now that would save on money, less wire right? Somebodies uncle do this? By the way, whats the smallest JB allowable by code? A handy box?