dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
1112

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

[Electrical] Replaced a switch (and probably prevented a fire)

I replaced the switch in my downstairs bathroom as part of my project of making it more accessible for grandma with one of these Leviton Decora rocker type switches and when I pulled it out I noticed the electrician (that originally wired the place when it was built) had spliced the hots for the fan and the light using the screw and the push terminal. So I cut the wires and brought it up to code by using a piece of 14 AWG wire and a wire nut and used a pigtail to connect it to the screw terminal on the new switch.

Now the fan is louder and the light (Philips LED bulb) is now brighter.

Question: could the shoddy wiring practices have been causing voltage issues.

Maybe if I get the ladder out of the garage I'll check the socket with my new multimeter.

This is the switch I installed. Good for people with mobility issues/arthritis.



John97
Over The Hills And Far Away
Premium Member
join:2000-11-14
Spring Hill, FL

John97

Premium Member

My entire house is done with those switches. A few of them are kinda quirky and probably need to be replaced.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

said by John97:

My entire house is done with those switches. A few of them are kinda quirky and probably need to be replaced.

Not too difficult to replace a switch. You just need to know what type of switch it is (single pole, three-way, or four-way) and you just connect the wires. Just make sure you turn off the power first for your safety and the safety of others.

And if your house has aluminum wiring, it's best to have an electrician mess with it.

As for me, I'll probably change out the rest of the switches on the first floor with those.

Grandma cannot get to the second floor. We cannot afford one of those stair lifts.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
See discussion around using both backstab and screw terminals here:

»forums.mikeholt.com/show ··· st746089

The conclusion was that they found a UL link that seems to indicate it's acceptable, although it's referring to receptacles, not switches.

Of course, the backstabs themselves are dubious anyway.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

I don't believe in cutting corners in plumbing or electrical work. If the house burns down or the basement takes on several feet of water, I don't want to be the one to blame.

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

Jack_in_VA to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:

Now the fan is louder and the light (Philips LED bulb) is now brighter.

Question: could the shoddy wiring practices have been causing voltage issues.

Maybe if I get the ladder out of the garage I'll check the socket with my new multimeter.

This is the switch I installed. Good for people with mobility issues/arthritis.

If you did not see any evidence of heating then you didn't have a voltage problem.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

1 recommendation

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

said by Jack_in_VA:

said by IowaCowboy:

Now the fan is louder and the light (Philips LED bulb) is now brighter.

Question: could the shoddy wiring practices have been causing voltage issues.

Maybe if I get the ladder out of the garage I'll check the socket with my new multimeter.

This is the switch I installed. Good for people with mobility issues/arthritis.

If you did not see any evidence of heating then you didn't have a voltage problem.

A while back (even before the building was sold to the current owner) the outlet next to the front door was cracked. I pulled it out and there was signs of arcing. I'm thinking the constant opening and closing of the front door and associated vibrations knocked things loose and caused the outlet to crack. I probably prevented a fire.

A few houses down (a duplex of similar design that was part of the complex before our building was sold to the current owner) had a fire in that same spot that caused some damage and I'm thinking that outlet next to the entry door was the culprit.

If I replace that outlet again, I'm going for a commercial grade heavy duty outlet as there is frequent vibrations from the entry door.

Some landlords do things as cheaply as possible. Other landlords take pride in their properties. I do things (such as electrical and plumbing work) correctly and I try to keep the landlord's costs down because they get passed along in rent increases.

And I know our previous landlord hired an unlicensed individual to replace a heating system. The city made her hire a licensed contractor to check his work and she shopped around for someone who would sign off without looking at it and actually found someone who did (and we're talking a gas floor furnace in a house with a mother and a child at the time).

Pher9999
join:2011-07-06
Saucier, MS

Pher9999 to IowaCowboy

Member

to IowaCowboy
I use them all over the house here. Tho I don't buy the cheap ones, I go one level up atleast you can feel the quality difference.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

4 recommendations

robbin to IowaCowboy

Mod

to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:

I know our previous landlord hired an unlicensed individual to replace a heating system. The city made her hire a licensed contractor

So nothing has changed -- your current Landlord has also hired an unlicensed individual for jobs that the city would require a licensed contractor for.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

said by robbin:

said by IowaCowboy:

I know our previous landlord hired an unlicensed individual to replace a heating system. The city made her hire a licensed contractor

So nothing has changed -- your current Landlord has also hired an unlicensed individual for jobs that the city would require a licensed contractor for.

Our previous residence was in a different jurisdiction (Cedar Rapids, IA), which was more stringent on code enforcement. They require periodic inspections of rental housing on a routine basis by code enforcement.

Springfield, MA on the other hand has non-existent code enforcement. I have yet to have one city inspector in here in the 11 years I've lived in this unit. I think with the skeleton crew at the code enforcement and the large number of code violations in our city they have to prioritize and go after the worst of the worst in code violations. They don't have time to check every water heater replacement or ceiling fan installation.

We did have a private home inspector in here but I think it was on behalf of the bank when the current landlord bought the house.
nma851
Premium Member
join:2013-10-13
USA

nma851 to IowaCowboy

Premium Member

to IowaCowboy
said by IowaCowboy:

Some landlords do things as cheaply as possible. Other landlords take pride in their properties. I do things (such as electrical and plumbing work) correctly and I try to keep the landlord's costs down because they get passed along in rent increases.

And this is exactly why I gave you the quasi-commendation I did in your »[HVAC] No heat post. While there is going to be disagreement and agreement on the subject at hand, I have NO issue having my 2 tenants being employees. Once they proved themselves, and once a good employer/employee relationship was established through proving their abilities, it was and continues to be beneficial ALL the way around.

Those cheap LL's try to extract as much $$ as possible, take the cheapest routes, and if asked, admit "No, I wouldn't live in the place" while having "Riff-Raff" as tenants. Other LL's, such as myself, would rather spend a little more, make the tenants happy, and be able to ultimately answer "Yep - I sure would live in it". I'm able to KEEP tenants, reduce my turnover costs, simply by providing that better-quality housing at less-than-going-rates. With all the work being performed in-house while also maintaining GOOD tenants, it maintains that "delicate balance" between LL/Tenant relationships. #1, I don't pull in "riff-raff" when I have higher-quality homes and units as I demand/expect the tenant to uphold their end of the bargain. That prospect sees higher-end items, sees the rental rate, sees the application process, & knows one way or another, I'm going to find out about their rental history. That "first impression" of the home or unit alone is enough to "weed-out" the "Riff-Raff" :).

It does boil down to pride & it boils down to trust - honestly it does. I'd rather put in higher-end appliances & fixtures, for example, than get the cheapest out there. Not only does that attract the better tenants, it keeps them around as they have a GREAT place for THEIR hard-earned money. They also know if a problem arises, it's addressed promptly. I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS keep my mindset in that of the tenant's; if I had a knock-off faucet that has been repaired 3 times, I sure as hell would be irritated. Initially spending another $20, for example, avoids those issues for the most part. Sure I'm in the business to make money - but NOT at the expense of depriving a resident of something GOOD & worth their money.

Whenever I need to pull a permit, it's done under my own name; there's more savings. If I don't need one, I don't get one. Some LL's are at a disadvantage in this aspect as some things may require permits, some things do not. However, an outside contractor is going to cost ALOT more $$ than performing in-house, irrespective of permitting. Having to call out an electrician for a simple outlet/switch for $200 is absurd - especially when a permit was NOT needed. That same outlet/switch costs me a half-hour of labor + $.75 for the outlet & $1 for the switch. HUGE difference.

Granted, I have the luxury of having the licenses/degrees necessary to pull em, and you bet I use it to my advantage. In turn, as stated in that post about you & my 2 employee tenants, keeps virtually ALL my costs down which I continue to pass on to the other residents & properties. I CANNOT stand the type of LL that wants more & more $$ in their checking account yet fails to be able to answer "Sure I'd live in the place" - there's just no incentives for the residents, especially when it comes to retention. It is further indisputable that it costs MUCH MUCH LESS to keep a resident happy, renew em, & take care of em versus the costs of turnover. Whether it be one year or 5, I'm still shelling out $$ on painting, carpet, cleaning, DOV, & the entire re-renting process as a whole whenever all I had to do to keep that resident was make em HAPPY. It's NOT that difficult - and I definitely take ALOT OF PRIDE in what they have to live in.

That motto of mine, "If I'm not willing to live in it myself, I wouldn't expect another to pay me money to do so" works; otherwise, I would be bankrupt or labeled a slumlord with properties I would be ashamed to admit were mine!