Switch in My Basement - ECN Electrical Forums

(submitted via Joe Tedesco)

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The conductor cross under an I-beam and enter a box by passing between the edge of the box and the porcelain lamp holder. Violations?:

250.119 ... conductors with insulation or individual covering that is green ... shall not be used for ungrounded or grounded circuit conductors.

300.3(A) single conductors specified in table 310-13 shall only be installed where part of a recognized wiring method of chapter 3

300.20(B) Where a single conductor carrying alternating current passes through metaql with magnetic properties, the inductive effect shall be minimized by ... passing all the conductors in the circuit an insulating wall sufficiently laqrge for all the conductors of the circuit.

404.9 Faceplates provided for snap switches mounted in boxes and other enclosures shall be installed so as to completely cover the opening ....

404.12 Grounding of enclosures Metal enclosures for switches or circuit breaakers shall be grounded as specified in Article 250.

/s/ Jim Williams

Somebody bothered to penetrate the box twice for this?! And the staples are a nice touch, makes you wonder how it is scorched at the staple above the box if there is only a single conductor there.

Not enough respect for electrics your side of the pond, 110 volts is just too easy. One belt from the 240 volts everywhere here is enough to stop this kind of thing.

I sure do love the arts-'n'-crafts staples. I've seen telco and cable wire attached to people's walls that way by the hired "proffessional contractors" from the local cable company. [Linked Image]

-John

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300.20(B) Where a single conductor carrying alternating current passes through metaql with magnetic properties, the inductive effect shall be minimized by ... passing all the conductors in the circuit an insulating wall sufficiently laqrge for all the conductors of the circuit.

Don't "knob and tube" methods violate this rule? Each wire, in loom, enters a box in its own hole, yes?

In any event, it looks like whoever did this had once seen "knob and tube" described in some book, and made a "scientific wild ass guess" (SWAG) based on that with this install. [Linked Image]

What is the fuss, he used a commercial grade switch!

IM{not so}HO, I doubt that any of the Code references cited here would apply.

Don't get me wrong, this this installation is way wrong, and always was.

The point I'd like to make is that the Code changes each cycle, and work that's old was not installed according to future Codes. (For example, old boxes weren't necessarily required to be grounded)

The drawn handy box, the use of TW or THW wire, and the old switch hint to me that this has been there a long time (the wood above the door frame looks fairly new)

Sorry to use such a hack installation to illustrate my point.

Who are you and what did you do with electure! [Linked Image]

Aww, Bob, It's really me [Linked Image]

I just get a kick when I see somebody applying 2002 Code references to a 1950's installation.

An example: I just looked at a little "upgrade" job; providing GFI protection for the underwater light on a 1957 swimming pool. It has been untouched except for lamp replacements since then, and still has the "grillework" across the front that was (I think) required back then. GFI wasn't

Someone quoting the 2005 Code would have a field day with it [Linked Image]

Fear not, I'm still just as grumpy an old man and extremely opposed to Code violations and unsafe practices as ever. [Linked Image]

One thought, could this been a job useing "recycled" materials?IMO if so, would have been better to go to a recycler.

Commercial-grade switch? I think not. This looks like a "T-rated" (tungsten) AC/DC switch, not manufactured since at least the '70s.

This is totally a hack job, of course, but at the time it was done, it may not have been illegal to use green as an ungrounded conductor. This rule was phased in during the '60s, I think. I have seen at least a handfull of pre-1970 (very professional) installations where green-insulated conductors were used as ungrounded system conductors.

Everyone, be on the lookout for this, especially since most of us are now too young to remember when such installations were new.

LOL @ ""scientific wild ass guess" (SWAG)"