ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area I'm tired of seeing installations like this

I see now that sub standard wiring is "alive" & well across the pond!
I see similar things done all the time, but of course we use 240V over here.
Got to agree with Trumpy, they should be lined up..........

Unfortunately, we come across the frightening work of others. Such violations, especially if it poses a potential hazard should be brought to the attention of the homeowner (in writing is best).

David,
It'll be 240V on that circuit pictured above as well, although admittedly "only" 120V to ground.

Cute picture... too bad we run across this stuff too much.
However, you've heard the saying "the shoe maker's children have no shoes"? It would be the electrician's house that has romex stapled to the drywall ceiling with temp. pigtail sockets where I wanted lights... Really, I'm planning on remodeling some time... Honest. **Grin**

Hee hee, must be a WV thing!



[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 10-21-2002).]

That looks like the light in my bedroom. What were you doing there with a camera, hmmmm???

But I have a valid reason for my pig tail.

The wires in the ceiling are so brittle that were I to smush them back into the ceiling box as I raise the fixture, it would crack the insulation. I discovered that when I was painting and was going to replace the existing deteriorated fixture anyway.

The previous occupant had used two 100 watt bulbs in a fixture rated for two 60s!!!

I intend to rewire sometime this coming year. God willing....

Erm, am I blind or is there just a red, a black and a green wire, meaning it's just 240V, no neutral?????
Sven, please take pics when you rewire!!!!!!!!!!!!

The wires in my house are all two-conductor BX cable and it's all 110 volt service (across hot-neutral).

If I can borrow a digi-cam, I will certainly take pictures. :-)

Of course I can't tell what the colors are because the insulation on the wire is the cloth-covered rubber type and is quite black because of the dirt (and the heat).

By the way Tex, are pigtail sockts like the one pictured also used in Europe or do you take a standard socket from a lamp and a shortpiece of two-conductor lamp cord and put it all together (home-made pigtail)?

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 10-23-2002).]

In this area, removing the flying splice would be removing the hazard. 4x4, romex clamp, flex connector and flex strap would take care of the hazard. The neutral/ground bond in the appliance can be left until a new unit is installed, or the existing is relocated.

Is this cooktop actually 120/240 volt? I've seen a lot of 240 volt units also.

Al

All homemade. Standard socket and 2 pieces of solid THHN. Strip connector to hook up everything.
If this is going to be a little more permanent lamp cord. Have made up dozens of these, they're commonly used when fixtures are taken off for painting or other ceiling/wall repairs. Currently I have 8 of them hanging in an appartment undergoing a total renovation (where the pics of the switch and the 3way tap came from, all removed by now and replaced with Schuko receptacles, fed by THHN in PVC flex conduit, all protected by 13A breakers)