Eddie702
Licensed Electrician
- Location
- Western Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrician
Had an easy (I thought!) little job for my neice last Saturday. Run a #12 circuit underground from the house to a new tool shed. 20Amp circuit from the main panel in the garage panel under the house (split level). Put a gfci receptacle in the garage and ran out the back of the receptacle box underground to the tool shed. In the shed I put 3 lights on (2) 3 way switches with the keyless lamp holders and 2 20 amp receptacles.
It was getting late last Saturday when I powered it up, turned on the breaker and reset the gfci and walked out to the shed, no lights on but with 3 way switches I figured they were both off. Flipped the light switch....no lights! Grabbed my wiggy and checked a receptacle and had 120v, so while I am standing there thinking I wired something wrong I lost power to the receptacle and went in and found the breaker had tripped.
So now I am pissed wondering what I screwed up. I disconnected the feed where it comes in the shed, powered it up and checked the feed and it was ok. Leaving it disconnected I Checked continunity from hot to ground on the new shed wiring and it showed continunity so I pulled out the light bulbs and it went away. Took every box apart and rechecked my wiring, looking for mis wiring and shorts etc ...looked ok, looked for over driven staples.
Couldn't find anything wrong so I reconnected , powered it backup and everything worked. So now I am pissed and tired so I decided to disconnect the circuit for safety and come back another day
Well, today was the day. With fresh eyes and some daylight I took every box apart again and in one of the light boxes I found a small nick in a neutral wire which you could barely see. I looked at it 2-3 times trying to see if it needed tape I couldn't see any copper but I taped it.
Everything worked so I let it go but it was still bothering me.......something tripped the breaker.
Also, today I took down 2 old flourescent fixtures in the garage and also replaced them with the same keyless lamp holders.
When I had that done I powered it up and sparks flew out of one of the lampholders tripping the breaker.
I opened up the box and found that the lampholder screw terminals have little upturned lugs to keep the wire in place when you screwed it down tight. The little upturned lugs are as sharp as a needle and will easily cut your finger ...and pierce insulation.
None of these boxes are full or close to being full and I didn't just cram the wires in their. These upturned lugs are really sharp. They somehow take the little plate the wire attaches too and turn up the corners to form the lugs which are razor sharp.
It's hard for me to beleive I installed 5 of these lamp holders and two of them shorted, but when I found the sharp points it made sense. Still bothers me though
It was getting late last Saturday when I powered it up, turned on the breaker and reset the gfci and walked out to the shed, no lights on but with 3 way switches I figured they were both off. Flipped the light switch....no lights! Grabbed my wiggy and checked a receptacle and had 120v, so while I am standing there thinking I wired something wrong I lost power to the receptacle and went in and found the breaker had tripped.
So now I am pissed wondering what I screwed up. I disconnected the feed where it comes in the shed, powered it up and checked the feed and it was ok. Leaving it disconnected I Checked continunity from hot to ground on the new shed wiring and it showed continunity so I pulled out the light bulbs and it went away. Took every box apart and rechecked my wiring, looking for mis wiring and shorts etc ...looked ok, looked for over driven staples.
Couldn't find anything wrong so I reconnected , powered it backup and everything worked. So now I am pissed and tired so I decided to disconnect the circuit for safety and come back another day
Well, today was the day. With fresh eyes and some daylight I took every box apart again and in one of the light boxes I found a small nick in a neutral wire which you could barely see. I looked at it 2-3 times trying to see if it needed tape I couldn't see any copper but I taped it.
Everything worked so I let it go but it was still bothering me.......something tripped the breaker.
Also, today I took down 2 old flourescent fixtures in the garage and also replaced them with the same keyless lamp holders.
When I had that done I powered it up and sparks flew out of one of the lampholders tripping the breaker.
I opened up the box and found that the lampholder screw terminals have little upturned lugs to keep the wire in place when you screwed it down tight. The little upturned lugs are as sharp as a needle and will easily cut your finger ...and pierce insulation.
None of these boxes are full or close to being full and I didn't just cram the wires in their. These upturned lugs are really sharp. They somehow take the little plate the wire attaches too and turn up the corners to form the lugs which are razor sharp.
It's hard for me to beleive I installed 5 of these lamp holders and two of them shorted, but when I found the sharp points it made sense. Still bothers me though
