I finally get to work on a house originally wired by an electrician home-owner....

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480sparky

480sparky

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Iowegia
.... and IT SUCKS!

Looked at a home built in 1965. Current owner says the original owner was an electrician. They just want to replace all the devices, install new lights outside.... basically dress the joint up some. So I thought..... how hard can it be?

Turns out.... D*#*ned hard! I quickly realized it was all wired with EMT. Every single box is a nailed-on gem box. Just large enough for the original devices and splices. With 16d nails through each box. So none of them are large enough or deep enough to install a GFCI, a dimmer, or a recep/USB device. Every one of those, I had to dig the old box out and install a deeper box just to get the nails and EMT fittings out of the way for the clearance needed for the fat/deep devices.

Thought I'd be done going through the house in just two days. Nope..... I'll be there for at least 2 or 3 more.





And to add insult to injury.... the kitchen was wired with..................... 10. I will be so glad when this nightmare is over.
 
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One alternative is to use a Wiremold extension box; the kind with a back cut-out that mounts over an existing in-wall box.
 
480sparky said:
Looks like crap on a tile backsplash....
Click to expand...
Yes, it does. I was thinking of in less-conspicuous places, as an alternative to replacing gem boxes.

If you can accept a blank plate (or abandon the boxes completely if possible), you can put counter switches and receptacles under the upper cabinets.
 
480sparky said:
Every single box is a nailed-on gem box. Just large enough for the original devices and splices. With 16d nails through each box. So none of them are large enough or deep enough to install a GFCI, a dimmer, or a recep/USB device.
Click to expand...
GFCI breakers instead of GFCI receptacles would be attractive in this case, unless the breaker panel is an old Pushmatic or something else where you can't get GFCI breakers.
With dimmers you're probably stuck with what you're doing.
For a USB supply convince the owner that plug-in adapters are much more flexible and future proof ;)
 
480sparky said:
And to add insult to injury.... the kitchen was wired with..................... 10. I will be so glad when this nightmare is over.
Click to expand...

I bet it does suck...
I have an electrician friend that did the same thing. He wired his own house, and used 10 for the receptacles.
said it was the worst mistake he ever made during trimout. 10 is a bear to terminate on receptacles, and even harder to work back in the boxes...

as I’m sure your finding out..😁
 
synchro said:
GFCI breakers instead of GFCI receptacles would be attractive in this case, unless the breaker panel is an old Pushmatic or something else where you can't get GFCI breakers.
With dimmers you're probably stuck with what you're doing.
For a USB supply convince the owner that plug-in adapters are much more flexible and future proof ;)
Click to expand...

Being wired in 1966, there's no 2 dedicated SABCs. So installing GFCI breakers would 'over-protect' much that doesn't need to be protected. And nuisance tripping becomes an issue.
 
480sparky said:
.... and IT SUCKS!
Click to expand...
It's the better part of my biz in VT , where anyone can be a 'spark'

fact is, most of our 'home maintenance' companies hire washed out apprentices

and i'm expecting high unemployment to fuel more 'pseudo tradesmen' juxtaposed to the heavy 'prepper' influx we are experiencing as well

~RJ~
 
romex jockey said:
It's the better part of my biz in VT , where anyone can be a 'spark'

fact is, most of our 'home maintenance' companies hire washed out apprentices

and i'm expecting high unemployment to fuel more 'pseudo tradesmen' juxtaposed to the heavy 'prepper' influx we are experiencing as well

~RJ~
Click to expand...

Not many wanna-bes who bend pipe to wire a house.
 
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