bare ground in 12/2 romex used as hot wire in 4 way switch set up, anyone see before?

[haywire]

A handyman cut some wires in a 3 story custom home and I was asked to make the balcony lights works again on each floor. Each floor had 4 to 5 switches for the balcony lights on that floor. The place was built over the course of about 15 years back in 70's early 80's with wires running through boxes and crossing floors. Took 2 days to realize they cut the bare grounds real short crimped them together and used it as the hot wire in all of the switches. Has anyone seen that before? I've seen it used as neutral for a single switch here and there but not continuing hot.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

That is absolutely crazy but there isn't much that has not been seen. For instance

 

[ptonsparky]

A handyman cut some wires in a 3 story custom home and I was asked to make the balcony lights works again on each floor. Each floor had 4 to 5 switches for the balcony lights on that floor. The place was built over the course of about 15 years back in 70's early 80's with wires running through boxes and crossing floors. Took 2 days to realize they cut the bare grounds real short crimped them together and used it as the hot wire in all of the switches. Has anyone seen that before? I've seen it used as neutral for a single switch here and there but not continuing hot.

Yes, in wiring for 3 ways. I was amazed to find 2 blacks and a white in one romex. Didn't take long to figure out they had slipped a black piece of insulation over the bare to make their third wire.

 

[readydave8]

I thought I had seen a lot, yes I've seen bare used as hot in 3/ways, seen receptacles wired with that old 2/cdtr attenae wire, but:

Never had seen the coax trick that Dennis showed.

 

[ptonsparky]

I thought I had seen a lot, yes I've seen bare used as hot in 3/ways, seen receptacles wired with that old 2/cdtr attenae wire, but:

Never had seen the coax trick that Dennis showed.

Unless my eyes deceive me that is Class 2 thermostate wires on the other screws.

 

[GoldDigger]

Never had seen the coax trick that Dennis showed.

The way they directly connected the foil shield to the screw is particularly elegant!

 

[readydave8]

Unless my eyes deceive me that is Class 2 thermostate wires on the other screws.

That I have seen in the real world, just never coax.