Homeowners do the funiest things

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goldstar

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
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Electrical Contractor
I was installing ground rods for a service upgrade yesterday and wanted to bury the # 6 under the mulch and along the base of the house. I thought I'd route the wire behind this very neatly installed PVC conduit :



At first glance it looked as though the conduit went directly into the house. When I attempted to pass the wire behind I found this :



And then I found that it went to this about 10' away :



I can't imagine what I'll find when I actually upgrade the breaker panel inside the garage. And the NEC says you can't use THHN for direct burial !!! This has been in place for at least 10 years. You can't make this stuff up. :slaphead:
 
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Thhn will last a long time in the ground providing it does not get cut. I have seen NM in the ground for 20+ years and that was 10 years ago. I bet it is still there.
 
A neighbor of mine who knew I was an electrician remodeled his basement and actually used speaker wire to connect the can lights in the suspended ceiling. I helped him change it as my kids play there with his kids. I just don't know why people don't leave this work to the pros.
 
rlundsrud said:
A neighbor of mine who knew I was an electrician remodeled his basement and actually used speaker wire to connect the can lights in the suspended ceiling. I helped him change it as my kids play there with his kids. I just don't know why people don't leave this work to the pros.
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You just made me remember my first electrical installation. I have always been mechanically inclined. I used to tear everything apart when I was a kid and put it back together. Well, when I was 9 we had a back shed that had no light and I used to be petrified of the dark when I was young. So, I decided I was going to put a light in there. I found an old porcelain base and light bulb. I knew I needed wire so I found an old roll of 300 ohm TV wire that was all cracked and missing insulation in areas. So I screwed the wire to the base and nailed it to the wall. I don't know how I had enough foresight to wear a pair of my moms gardening gloves, but I put them on. I stuck the two bare ends into a receptacle. I saw this flash and the lights went out in the kitchen. I knew I screwed up something so I took it all apart before my mom got home. Of course my sister snitched on me.
 
rlundsrud said:
A neighbor of mine who knew I was an electrician remodeled his basement and actually used speaker wire to connect the can lights in the suspended ceiling. I helped him change it as my kids play there with his kids. I just don't know why people don't leave this work to the pros.
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Because they think us sparkys are less then they are and we will just rip them off.
 
Sierrasparky said:
Because they think us sparkys are less then they are and we will just rip them off.
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That's because they can buy a pair of strippers and a How-To book at Home Depot and that makes them just as knowledgeable as us.

What makes them better than us is they replaced a switch for their neighbor for free.
 
Nostalgia strikes :D
Indulge me for a moment. The post reminds me of pre-teen years when I saw one of these in the basement of a neighbors house. It had a fuse screwed in the lampholder and when you twisted the knob the light some 20 ft dt away turned on. I went to the hardware, purchased the two twistknob holders and a fuse. Worked feverishly for hours to try and make the lamp turn on knowing the fuse was supplying power.



twist knob.jpg
 
I was on anther forum once quite a while ago and a homeowner was trying to troubleshoot 6 or 8 recessed cans he had installed in his kitchen. They weren't working right, were dim, would go out, etc.

After a while someone on the forum figured out he had wired them in series, not parallel. I had to draw myself a little sketch to figure it out.

That was good for a laugh!
 
480sparky said:
That's because they can buy a pair of strippers and a How-To book at Home Depot and that makes them just as knowledgeable as us.

What makes them better than us is they replaced a switch for their neighbor for free.
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I honestly believe there should be retrictions placed on this DIY crap when it involves electrical installations. I always worry about things like people who flip houses or so called handyman basement remodels. I just know people will die sooner or later because some a*#hole wanted to make a few extra bucks and do the electric themselves. You can't buy sutures to sew up a cut on your arm but you can buy electrical supplies and some guy at home depot will probably even tell you how to install it. It straight up BS.

To take my little diatribe a step further, you can't buy refrigerant gas or equipment without a 608 certificate. There should be similar restrictions in our industry.
 
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rlundsrud said:
I honestly believe there should be retrictions placed on this DIY crap when it involves electrical installations. I always worry about things like people who flip houses or so called handyman basement remodels. I just know people will die sooner or later because some a*#hole wanted to make a few extra bucks and do the electric themselves. You can't buy sutures to sew up a cut on your arm but you can buy electrical supplies and some guy at home depot will probably even tell you how to install it. It straight up BS.

To take my little diatribe a step further, you can't buy refrigerant gas or equipment without a 608 certificate. There should be similar restrictions in our industry.
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If a State has real estate disclosure laws, then a house that was "flipped" should have to be disclosed, just a wish on my part.
 
rlundsrud said:
....You can't buy sutures to sew up a cut on your arm .......
you can't buy refrigerant gas or equipment without a 608 ..
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Mostly what is needed is education?

Actually, per availability, yes on both counts in the example above.
Most refrigeration equipment now is 410A which is not EPA controlled. http://www.ebay.com/itm/R410a-Refri...375?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c75f3227f

As for surgery, actually have sewn own self up a few times:

Surgical kit - $35 on ebay - the needles with attached artificial catgut is the 'catsmeow'.
ms9PEmQvie_W5V0iWL0WNUQ.jpg
 
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