ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Photos for General Discussion LB Outlet

(Submitted via Joe Tedesco)

there are some installations that look bad even to the untrained eye, this is one, and in a very visible location. i wonder who did it.

I'm wondering why there is an outlet on a lamp post.

If you want to know who did it, find out who plugs into it.

Why, there's good reason for the outlet on the lamppost, silly! When the light burns out and the maintainence worker is too lazy to change it, he can just plug in a table lamp and duct tape it to the post. Just kidding. My theory is it's for the holiday lighting. whoever put an outlet on the LB needs to be shot.

[This message has been edited by Dude123084 (edited 04-17-2002).]

Hi, Rob:
If you're referring to the quality of the photo, it's excellent. What's REALLY bad, of course, is this "installation". Rather than presence of mind, I would be willing to believe that the weatherproof box happened purely by accident...

Mike (mamills)

You know, I recall seeing switches and receptacles designed to be installed in conduit bodies; indeed, I can think of no other intended reason for there to be type "E" (only one threaded hub) bodies!
I guess that what I'm saying is that someone went to a lot of work to 'invent' something that already exists. (Can't say I know if these special wiring devices are still made, though).

John:
I remember seeing those devices also, either with a plastic body mounted in a metal plate, or else made entirely of porcelain, that would fit in place of the blank cover. I've seen them for edison base lamp sockets, light switches (I think the "despard" type), single and double U-ground and non-grounded receptacles, and even some that simply had three or four small holes for individual wires to pass through (for transitioning from Knob and Tube to Conduit...who knows?). I'm not sure that any of these devices were intended for outdoor use.
These things were available many years ago, and I think they were made by Appleton. I wonder if these devices would even be permitted today under the 2002 NEC.

Someone please update me on this. Thanks.

Mike (mamills)

In some areas there are still a lot of horizontally mounted 3"-4" E condulets with 3-hole nonmetallic covers for service-entrance risers. With the condulet opening pointed down, I think they're intended for outdoor use. And no ‘slip fit’ allowed—the raceways had to be threaded.

Also, there are a lot of older outdoor signs in service with outdoor-rated toggle-switch disconnects mounted in C-condulet covers. These days, tight dimensions and lack of attachment means in conduit bodies do not allow for wiring devices and terminations, but they have in decades past.