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02778712 (banned)
join:2013-07-08
MA

02778712 (banned) to yeedle

Member

to yeedle

Re: [Electrical] Question regarding neutral wires in a light switch box

As long as the wirenut can handle 5 wires you're golden. The wire gauge doesn't matter as far as a wirenut goes.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall

MVM

said by 02778712:

The wire gauge doesn't matter as far as a wirenut goes.

I'm certain the wire nut's box indicates how many of each and what gauge can be used, for example (purely made up but since I don't give a color I can do it ) 3 - 12 gauge or 4 - 14 gauge.
02778712 (banned)
join:2013-07-08
MA

02778712 (banned)

Member

said by Hall:

said by 02778712:

The wire gauge doesn't matter as far as a wirenut goes.

I'm certain the wire nut's box indicates how many of each and what gauge can be used, for example (purely made up but since I don't give a color I can do it ) 3 - 12 gauge or 4 - 14 gauge.

But that wasn't the point. The point was there's no set wire gauge combo that won't work in a wire nut of some type.

People are in rare form today. Is it a Friday the 13th somewhere?

mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

1 recommendation

mackey

Premium Member

I know, right. I expected quite a few comments about doing electrical work in an apartment..

/M
yeedle
join:2013-10-18

yeedle

Member

said by mackey:

I know, right. I expected quite a few comments about doing electrical work in an apartment..

whats wrong with doing minor electrical work (like putting in a light switch) in an apartment?

mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

mackey

Premium Member

Liability. If the wire insulation gets nicked or cracks off because it's old and it shorts out causing a fire, you are personally responsible for any damages and injuries that may result. In most places it is illegal to work on wiring that you don't own.

/M

Jack_in_VA
Premium Member
join:2007-11-26
North, VA

Jack_in_VA to yeedle

Premium Member

to yeedle
said by yeedle:

said by mackey:

I know, right. I expected quite a few comments about doing electrical work in an apartment..

whats wrong with doing minor electrical work (like putting in a light switch) in an apartment?

A lot wrong if you have absolutely no knowledge of what you are doing and therefore not qualified to be doing any type of electrical work.
02778712 (banned)
join:2013-07-08
MA

02778712 (banned) to yeedle

Member

to yeedle
said by yeedle:

said by mackey:

I know, right. I expected quite a few comments about doing electrical work in an apartment..

whats wrong with doing minor electrical work (like putting in a light switch) in an apartment?

As a landlord myself. I'd be pissed if a tenant did that without talking to me. In MA here that requires a permit. In my personal house I don't care about a permit to replace an outlet or switch. In a rental I need to make sure my six is covered so I get a permit for everything. Not to mention making alterations to the rental is against the lease without permission. That's considered a permanent change once done so legally that outlet or switch becomes the landlords when you install it. Most people can install it without talking to the landlord then replace it back before they move without any issues. Should anything happen or the landlord find out that's another story.
yeedle
join:2013-10-18

yeedle

Member

said by 02778712:

As a landlord myself. I'd be pissed if a tenant did that without talking to me. In MA here that requires a permit. In my personal house I don't care about a permit to replace an outlet or switch. In a rental I need to make sure my six is covered so I get a permit for everything.

Didn't realize even in some places you would need a permit.

Thanks for the feedback guys, guess I should wait until I have my own place or I'll give the landlord a call and ask if I can hire someone to do it. If he says no then I guess I'll just wait until I have my own place.

(side point - would anyone know an estimation of how much it would cost to get an electrician to do this?)
02778712 (banned)
join:2013-07-08
MA

02778712 (banned)

Member

said by yeedle:

said by 02778712:

As a landlord myself. I'd be pissed if a tenant did that without talking to me. In MA here that requires a permit. In my personal house I don't care about a permit to replace an outlet or switch. In a rental I need to make sure my six is covered so I get a permit for everything.

Didn't realize even in some places you would need a permit.

Thanks for the feedback guys, guess I should wait until I have my own place or I'll give the landlord a call and ask if I can hire someone to do it. If he says no then I guess I'll just wait until I have my own place.

(side point - would anyone know an estimation of how much it would cost to get an electrician to do this?)

Most likely you'd hit minimums for the electrician so maybe $100-150. In my Florida rental I have a maintenance guy who takes of the place for me. He's a licensed electrician among other things. He's charge me a flat $75 for 1 hours work to do it. It's really not worth the cost to get an electrician involved if you can help it. I get a permit and do the work myself. It costs me about $15 for the permit. The time it takes to get the permit and inspection is the real pain in the butt.