Ask the Electrician

Attic light install

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/garage-workshop/345601-help-attic-light-install.html

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If there is no load it can't get hot if you did smell it, it was after the fact burnt electrical parts have a very strong smell and hang around for a long time. As far as rewiring it it was probably code when it was installed so it can be just replaced. A new install would have to be 4 wire.

 

I don't know what to tell you about the load. And understand completely about how odors can hang around. But thing is, the dryer wasn't used for a few days. I was in and out of the laundry room in those few days trying to fix my broken washer. Hence why the dryer wasn't used. The smell came on strong while in my family room, right next to laundry room, then dissipated. Didn't find that till couple days later when I was moving the dryer around and unplugged it. Smelled the outlet and plug. Sure enough, that's the exact smell I was smelling when I couldn't locate it.

 

It's quite possible you have other faulty receptacles. I would check each outlet with a plug and see how tight they all are. If slightly loose what so ever, replace it. Can definitely cause a fire.

I've seen it in friends houses. I recently replaced a recep that looked just like yours, all melted and burned. Except it was a regular 20 amp wall recep. I checked the other receps out of curiosity and sure enough, almost all of them all are loose. Plus who ever installed their GFCIs were all wired incorrectly. Typical to see unskilled laborers doing the electrical work.

 

Thanks. Actually did test all the outlets during the home inspection before I bought my house. My home inspector was a pretty cool guy. Plus a Tacoma owner. And pretty much let me check out whatever I wanted on my own, letting me take extra time out of his day.

I had a normal 20a outlet melt on me before. In one of my previous houses. No loose connections. The outlet was fairly new when it happened. Because I just refinished the Room it was in and replaced all of the outlets. I had a base board style space heater plugged in. After a cold day and it being on a while, I just happened to notice the plug looking crooked in the outlet. Went to unplug it and the outlet was Goo. I had a face like . Cut the old plug off of the heater and put on a new one and new outlet. Never had the issue again. At the time, I blamed the heater. But who knows, maybe it was slightly loose, and caused too much heat.

 

Another problem with 'newer' houses is contractors like to use those cheap lowes and home depot receptacles. The ones that cost less than a dollar. Those are absolute junk and should never be used! The $4-$5 receps are safer and less prone to overheating.

The problem is, unless the electrical is specified to use a certain type of device, the contractor is going for the cheapest devices to make a larger profit. My last house had the cheapest receptacles, and NONE of the devices were grounded.

 

Yeah, I'm guilty of using those cheap outlets in the past, and if I know its not going to be used alot. But I've regretted using those , so I don't skimp on them anymore.

I said it before, but I lucked out with this house, in the fact that it was completely rewired. All new wiring in the house. No cheap outlets used. The story I got from neighbors is the guy who owned it before the people I bought it off of. His dad was an electrician. And did all the work himself for his son. So I'm sure the guy didn't cheap out on his son. The work is done clean and neat. Wiring in box is clean. Wiring ran through conduit rather than left exposed, etc...
This house used to have that shitty aluminium wiring throughout. Many of the houses around me still have it. My dad who's a retired firefighter for Pittsburgh has had many a fire due to that wiring. So I'm grateful it was taken out.

 

They are NEMA devices rated for 15 amp. if you want better quality you'll have to go to 20 amp that means #12 wire instead of 14 it's all about the money when you are bidding a job. If you think the outlets are cheap what about the $3 breaker they are connected to? If your outlets were not grounded the electrician should have been hung out to dry, what did they do with the ground wire just leave it in the box? I kind of find that hard to believe. No code enforcement in your town?

 

I always run #12 for plugs, and 14 for lighting. That's how I've always done it when running wire.

 

You can get better quality 15 amp receptacles than the cheap $.35 lowes and home cheapo ones.

Breakers were Sqaure D QO 15 amp. No device was grounded. Boxes were plastic so no continuity between them. All grounds were crimped together without a ground to devices.

it's a prime example of contractors using cheap laborers that have no idea what they're doing.

As for inspectors, that's kind of a joke. I work industrial/commercial electrical and inspectors never check our devices. They rarely even look in a panel. Typically all they're looking at is pipe and mc support. Occasionally they'll look in a transformer and the panel beside it to make sure it's bonded.

 

Recently had an example of that. A master had pulled the permit the owner was in a hurry to get an A/C unit wired called the A/C guy he sent out an "electrician" to wire it. Now my wife knows nothing about wiring but if I told her how to wire it she would have done a better job. Code enforcement was call he had a look and said “fix it" two of us spent a full day repairing what was screwed up including the plastic pipe that was already run that he cut off at the ell and put a metal box put over it. He had landed the ground under a sheet rock screw. This of course at the owners expense he was not happy. Around here they do look if he saw one box without a ground he would have them all pulled. It is beyond me that they would take the time to crimp the grounds and not land the wire. The "cheap" outlets are code and wired properly would probably outlast the house. In areas that are high demand the code requires better outlets and a 20 amp run. I agree that you can buy better and depending on the job and the owners pockets they get what they pay for. It's bad enough trying to explain to the owner that he has to have $35 arc fault breakers when he can go to the store and buy outlets for under a dollar.

 

Any electricians still roaming this thread? I have a question for you.

#threadrevival

 

Hanging a candy @ 1 time

 

I need to move a breaker in my panel.
The neutral wire is too short for where the breaker needs to go (thank you AFCI).

Can I do this?
And tape it up.
I crimped on a sleeve, and taped it up.

If you want the back story look here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/home-and-shop-build-thread.437682/

I used to build houses for other people. Now I am doing everything on mine by myself (with a few exceptions, like drywall.)

 

Gotta be in a box with a wire nut that doesn't look kosher and I'm not an electrician

 

So I'm mounting a flat screen TV on this dudes wall, predrilling for a lag bolt I go through drywall and into the stud when the lights go out. I hit an electrical wire. I explain that if there was a nail plate there it never would have happened and tell him to contact his builder to repair it. He makes a claim behind my back with my company and they paid it.

Aren't nail plates REQUIRED in all new construction?

 

http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=79204

 

Use a EL split bolt. If it's contained in the sub or elec panel it should be fine.

But that work you did there is a little concerning.

 

this is in the panel box, and not what I wanted to do. I just need to get it done. Pretty much like a "jumper" more like an extension.