Submitted by Big John

During the renovation of a bathroom, these photos were taken of the violations as they were discovered:



This box was discovered behind one layer of tile and two layers of sheet-rock.




This switch box was set back at least 1.25 inches from the finished surface of the wall. Even with the "mounting-screw extension" only the very tip of the switch lever protruded beyond the cover plate




Another buried box, this time unsecured and with no cover. This one found behind the ceiling in the shower stall.




The receptacle was originally installed sometime in the '70's so it may predate the GFCI requirement. However, it was replaced within the last couple years and still no GFCI (the copper pipe is the vent stack for the sink that was mounted right next to it). The NM cable below was feeding a pull-chain light above the sink, no junction box, the splice simply buried in the wall.




This beauty was also buried in the ceiling. The original splices came through a crows-foot and were held behind that hanging light canopy before the NM was tied in. The NM cables feed the receptacle in the previous picture and an overhead light.




This is my favorite, it makes absolutely no sense: This is the setup for the vapor-tight light fixture in the shower stall. The feeder into the far octagon box, then into a custom J-box in the middle, both of which were buried behind the ceiling. There isn't even a splice inside the custom J-box: The conductors from the BX go right out of an open KO and join the fixture wires in that flying splice above the joist. If the BX had been simply connected directly to the box for the vapor-tight fixture, they would've saved two additional J-boxes and prevented several code violations.

Big John

Ahhh, but you're trying to apply logic to what these cretins were doing!

Love the pics! Thanks!

Actually, wouldn't the concealed junction boxes have been OK before the NEC was changed?

This does, however, look much like the houses I have seen in this area that are gutted and remodeled, especially the shot of the box in the area of the lathe (sp?).

They didn't bother to remove the old light fixture when they connected the romex cables in that ceiling? Was the light bulb socket in it still connected?

"I'm having roast rabbit for Easter dinner"

I don't know when 314.29 was written, but I don't think it was legal to bury boxes in the '70's, either.

All the work was open-frame and yet almost none of the cables were secured. Even where available none of the equipment grounds were properly bonded. It's not a code violation, but the conductors weren't twisted in those flying splices, leaving only the wire nuts to support the weight of the cables.

The husband admits to doing a lot of the work himself. Wife says they contracted some out to an "electrician". I'm hoping she's mistaken just because I hate the idea that there are people running around charging homeowners for installing this kind of mess.

Wa2ise
No, no light bulb in that fixture.

[And ignore my finger in the second picture... ]

-John

[This message has been edited by BigJohn (edited 04-01-2004).]

Well you know what they say, out of site out of mind.

Neil

Big John writes: "I don't know when 314.29 was written, but I don't think it was legal to bury boxes in the '70's, either."


From the lathe board & what looks like type "R" wiring... are you referring to the 1870's?

Randy