An Interesting Wiring Job

[crokett]

The condo we are at this week belongs to a client of my wife's. In the interests of being able to use it in future - we've been here 2 or 3 times already, I asked her client if there was anything we could do while we were here. She gave me a ceiling fan and some sconce lights to replace what is on their screened porch. I was replacing the sconce lights yesterday and one of them was wired up thusly: The leads from the lights were twisted around the hot and neutral and plastic grocery bag was knotted around the bare wiring as an insulator. I left the breaker off and will go get some wire nuts today.

[BobSch]

And people wonder why the fire started.

[Richard in Smithville]

Sounds like some of the work I've had to fix in my mum's place.( Converted cottage)

[Santa Clarita Len]

The condo we are at this week belongs to a client of my wife's. In the interests of being able to use it in future - we've been here 2 or 3 times already, I asked her client if there was anything we could do while we were here. She gave me a ceiling fan and some sconce lights to replace what is on their screened porch. I was replacing the sconce lights yesterday and one of them was wired up thusly: The leads from the lights were twisted around the hot and neutral and plastic grocery bag was knotted around the bare wiring as an insulator. I left the breaker off and will go get some wire nuts today.

"Heaven protect us from the gifted amateur".

[dbhost]

I already had a headache when I read that. That just made it hurt worse...

[LCHIEN]

... I left the breaker off and will go get some wire nuts today.

good move.

[Uncle Cracker]

Having seen even wire nuts turned into cinders from heated-up splices, I can only imagine how quick that grocery bag would have gone up...

[Mr__Bill]

I can't help but wonder how long until you start looking at every connection, just to satisfy your own curiosity/safety.

now go enjoy the beach...

Bill

[chopnhack]

omg....poof

[Ed62]

Doesn't a plastic grocery bag meet code specs?

Ed

[chopnhack]

Ed, only in Mumbai (according to these photos, anything goes)

[Pappy]

Doesn't a plastic grocery bag meet code specs?

Ed

After all, the wire nuts are just plastic, too...

[Ed62]

Ed, only in Mumbai (according to these photos, anything goes)

LOL. Reminds me of "Christmas Story".

After all, the wire nuts are just plastic, too...

Kind of hard to argue with logic.

Ed

[just started]

Ask them who put that light in, and what else that genius worked on so you have an idea where to start checking.

[crokett]

The rest of the condo seems to be wired correctly. I went around yesterday and pulled some random switch plates and outlet covers off. I also checked one or two light fixtures and they were ok. The ceiling fan I did replace on the patio was also wired correctly. I think what happened was when the sconce light was installed, the wire nuts it came with weren't big enough. The ones that came with the new light weren't. So whoever did it used the plastic bag.