JohnJ0906
Senior Member
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
was sent to a house our company wired today. (different crew)
The GC met me and told me what happened. He had been there Thursday for an unrelated problem, and had noticed a leak in the ceiling. He went up to the roof to check, especially around the chimney, which was close by.
The fireplace is a pre-built model (I call them "mechanical"), wood burner, no gas. Blower underneath, switch controlled.
Chimney is glue-on "stone", rest of house is vinyl siding.
He is checking around the chimney, and gets shocked when he touches the fireplace flue!
Friday he tarps the chimney (still leaking) and gets rapped a few more times even though he is being cautious.
Monday, I get sent there to - get this - "check the building ground"
Luckily, the GC was there to let me in, and I got the story from him direct.
I check the fireplace - every connection tight. No voltage on ground. Check with an extension cord ran to the panel. Climb in the attic and look around the flue- no wires within 3 feet.
Use ampmeter - no current on EGC
OK, I don't like roofs, especially sloped, most especially in the rain. But I gotta find this.
30 volts from the stone mortar to the flue! And 25 to 28 from the shingles to the flue!
Had my helper flip breakers until in went away. It was a bedroom circuit - with no AFCI.
The GC then told me that the HO had complained that breaker had tripped occasionally, but only when it rained. So whoever came and "troubleshot" it couldn't find a problem, he took the AFCI off and put a standard breaker on.
Once I knew what circuit it was it took 20 minutes with the trusty megger to find the bad wire, isolate both ends, and bypass it with a piece of romex jumping the 2 receptacles.
Back on roof, check again, no voltage, fish in new wire, replace AFCI breaker.
Evidently, the wire got hit by a siding nail, or a flashing nail. It only became evident when there was rain.
I am furious that someone (who is still employed there - for now) would do something so stupid.
Also, I wanted to share this story, in case someone ever runs into something similar.
The GC met me and told me what happened. He had been there Thursday for an unrelated problem, and had noticed a leak in the ceiling. He went up to the roof to check, especially around the chimney, which was close by.
The fireplace is a pre-built model (I call them "mechanical"), wood burner, no gas. Blower underneath, switch controlled.
Chimney is glue-on "stone", rest of house is vinyl siding.
He is checking around the chimney, and gets shocked when he touches the fireplace flue!
Friday he tarps the chimney (still leaking) and gets rapped a few more times even though he is being cautious.
Monday, I get sent there to - get this - "check the building ground"
Luckily, the GC was there to let me in, and I got the story from him direct.
I check the fireplace - every connection tight. No voltage on ground. Check with an extension cord ran to the panel. Climb in the attic and look around the flue- no wires within 3 feet.
Use ampmeter - no current on EGC
OK, I don't like roofs, especially sloped, most especially in the rain. But I gotta find this.
30 volts from the stone mortar to the flue! And 25 to 28 from the shingles to the flue!
Had my helper flip breakers until in went away. It was a bedroom circuit - with no AFCI.
The GC then told me that the HO had complained that breaker had tripped occasionally, but only when it rained. So whoever came and "troubleshot" it couldn't find a problem, he took the AFCI off and put a standard breaker on.
Once I knew what circuit it was it took 20 minutes with the trusty megger to find the bad wire, isolate both ends, and bypass it with a piece of romex jumping the 2 receptacles.
Back on roof, check again, no voltage, fish in new wire, replace AFCI breaker.
Evidently, the wire got hit by a siding nail, or a flashing nail. It only became evident when there was rain.
I am furious that someone (who is still employed there - for now) would do something so stupid.
Also, I wanted to share this story, in case someone ever runs into something similar.
Shame on you..:wink:
