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nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

8 recommendations

nunya

MVM

[Electrical] Fun times.

Click for full size
WTF?
Found this little gem the other day on a residential service call. Original "electrician" was finally asked to leave because he fucked around all day and couldn't find the trouble.
Turns out this "electrician" was an unlicensed handyman.

The romex jumpers are dated 2007, so this flaming shit-pile of evil held up for 6-7 years.

Original story: Original aluminum wiring caught fire in the gem box. Inaccessible from above, so some douche lord came in and did what you see pictured.
FF 6-7 years to today, and one of his "creative" AL to CU splices burned open (no box BTW).

I was able to get enough clean AL wire to put it back together in a 1900 box with Alumiconn connectors and get rid of all the shit. The box is still accessible from the fixture.
nunya

1 recommendation

nunya

MVM

BTW, the first guy out wandered around this lady's house all day and told her should would have to rewire the entire house.
I found the trouble spot in 1/2 hour with a simplex tone.
Hellrazor
Bah Humbug
join:2002-02-02
Abyss, PA

Hellrazor to nunya

Member

to nunya
I would have been impressed if they fit that cluster in a box... But it would have burned out a lot sooner.
hardware bum
join:2004-01-26
State College, PA

hardware bum to nunya

Member

to nunya
You have an interesting career Nunya

Cho Baka
MVM
join:2000-11-23
there

5 recommendations

Cho Baka to nunya

MVM

to nunya
lol at "douche lord"

tp0d
yabbazooie
Premium Member
join:2001-02-13
Bulger, PA

tp0d to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
Damn, looks like a hornets nest without the wings and stingers... Surprised that thing didnt burn up worse than it did..

good stuff

-j

DataDoc
My avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.
Premium Member
join:2000-05-14
Hedgesville, WV

DataDoc to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
What's a "simplex tone?"

pende_tim
Premium Member
join:2004-01-04
Selbyville, DE

pende_tim to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
He may have been concerned with the aluminum wire?
said by nunya:

told her should would have to rewire the entire house

What was covering that mess?
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill to DataDoc

Member

to DataDoc
said by DataDoc:

What's a "simplex tone?"

tone generator, they are a god send

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO

nunya to pende_tim

MVM

to pende_tim
said by pende_tim:

What was covering that mess?

Light fixture and fiberglass insulation.

tschmidt
MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
·Consolidated Com..
·Republic Wireless
·Hollis Hosting

tschmidt to nunya

MVM

to nunya
Wow, I have to admit in my own house I tend to take some liberty with "fill" requirements but that is outrageous.

Never realized a 2-gang mental box was called a 1900. Single gang is a "gem" box but never knew the name for a two gang. That seem like a lot of wire even for a 2-gang box. Did you also use an extension box to get more room?

/tom

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G to Cho Baka

MVM

to Cho Baka
said by Cho Baka:

lol at "douche lord"

»www.urbandictionary.com/ ··· =5596431
joewho
Premium Member
join:2004-08-20
Dundee, IL

joewho to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
Click for full size
That reminds me, this is in my house. I'm not sure how to handle it.

slyphoxj
join:2002-06-23
united state

1 recommendation

slyphoxj to nunya

Member

to nunya
said by nunya:

Found this little gem the other day on a residential service call. Original "electrician" was finally asked to leave because he fucked around all day and couldn't find the trouble.
Turns out this "electrician" was an unlicensed handyman.

The romex jumpers are dated 2007, so this flaming shit-pile of evil held up for 6-7 years.

Original story: Original aluminum wiring caught fire in the gem box. Inaccessible from above, so some douche lord came in and did what you see pictured.
FF 6-7 years to today, and one of his "creative" AL to CU splices burned open (no box BTW).

I was able to get enough clean AL wire to put it back together in a 1900 box with Alumiconn connectors and get rid of all the shit. The box is still accessible from the fixture.

I "thumbs up" the OP just for the colorful wording... "douche lord", "flaming shit-pile of evil" lol.

LazMan
Premium Member
join:2003-03-26
Beverly Hills, CA

LazMan to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
That's some quality work right there...

Did't grab an "after" by any chance, did you?
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to nunya

Member

to nunya
Why is the ground insulated? Is ground being used as the traveler wire for a 3 way?

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

1 recommendation

nunya to LazMan

MVM

to LazMan
By the time I got that all that B.S. straightened out, I just wanted to get out of Dodge. It made me late for my next job.
When I eliminated all the stupidity, It fit nicely in a 1900 box with a round mudring.

In reality, it was just a 3 way splice with a switch loop. How whoever did that wound up with what I found there is beyond me.

I don't know why all the wires were taped other than sheer stupidity. My motto is - if you have to use tape, you've done something wrong.

jrs8084
Premium Member
join:2002-03-02
Statesville, NC

jrs8084

Premium Member

That looks like a trailer ceiling box where half the place is interconnected in a ceiling light.

I know AL wiring was popular for a period of time, but was it more regional? You mention it a lot, but I don't know of anybody around here having it (and I wouldn't say we have strict codes by any means).

I have never seen it in person, other than new industrial stranded.

That said, I don't poking into peoples' wiring.

dosdoxies
Premium Member
join:2004-12-15
Wallingford, PA

3 recommendations

dosdoxies to nunya

Premium Member

to nunya
I think the technical term for that is "four pounds of shit in a two pound box".

Tursiops_G
Technoid
MVM
join:2002-02-06
Brooksville, FL
ARRIS TM1602

Tursiops_G

MVM

said by dosdoxies:

I think the technical term for that is "four pounds of shit in a two pound box"

LOL!

AKA: a 'Blivet' (10# of $h!t in a 5# Bag)
Hellrazor
Bah Humbug
join:2002-02-02
Abyss, PA

Hellrazor to nunya

Member

to nunya
Using tape isn't always a bad thing. I worked with an old timer industrial electrician for a year or two who insisted on taping certain things. He did everything hot so he used to tape the outlets and switches so you didn't ground out if you hit the metal boxes, etc. Didn't matter if it was a light switch or 3 phase panel, everything was done hot.

Those were a few interesting years. He always requested me since I didn't care if it was an 8 hour day or a 12 hour day. The other guys were afraid to work and working hot wasn't their thing.

Jack in VA
Premium Member
join:2014-07-07
North, VA

1 edit

Jack in VA

Premium Member

Yep when you have a process line it is going to be worked hot. 3-phase 600 amp molded case circuit breakers bolted to the buss are interesting to change out. About 50 layers of Scotch 33 on the Ratchet handle with gloves.
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill to nunya

Member

to nunya
i tape everything so does every electrician i know. more of a belt and suspenders approach.

here its a sign of an experienced electrican

Msradell
Premium Member
join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

Msradell

Premium Member

said by LittleBill:

i tape everything so does every electrician i know. more of a belt and suspenders approach.

here its a sign of an experienced electrican

Where is here? I've never been to any place that using tape with a sign of an experienced electrician. Granted there are certain cases where it's used and/or required but in general work it's certainly not needed nor even a good idea in most cases.

Jack in VA
Premium Member
join:2014-07-07
North, VA

1 edit

Jack in VA

Premium Member

I once worked in large factory built in 1954. There were no wirenuts. All splices were made twisting the wires together, soldering the connection and taping with friction tape. That was a sign of experienced electricians installing the plant wiring. You should have seen the workmanship in the control panels and Motor Control Center wiring. Again the sign of highly trained "experienced" electricians.

shdesigns
Powered By Infinite Improbabilty Drive
Premium Member
join:2000-12-01
Stone Mountain, GA

1 recommendation

shdesigns

Premium Member

I bet few here even know what friction tape is or have even used it.

I threw the last I had out years ago.

Jack in VA
Premium Member
join:2014-07-07
North, VA

Jack in VA

Premium Member

I doubt it too. Can you imagine soldering each connection?
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

LittleBill to Msradell

Member

to Msradell
said by Msradell:

said by LittleBill:

i tape everything so does every electrician i know. more of a belt and suspenders approach.

here its a sign of an experienced electrican

Where is here? I've never been to any place that using tape with a sign of an experienced electrician. Granted there are certain cases where it's used and/or required but in general work it's certainly not needed nor even a good idea in most cases.

PA

sk1939
Premium Member
join:2010-10-23
Frederick, MD

sk1939 to Jack in VA

Premium Member

to Jack in VA
That's the way my uncle learned the trade, handed down from the knob and tube days. Nowadays it's Wago nuts, romex, and plastic boxes.

nunya
LXI 483
MVM
join:2000-12-23
O Fallon, MO
·Charter

8 recommendations

nunya

MVM

If you do a splice correctly, tape is wholly unnecessary. Keep in mind, this is not the "FACTORY IMPROVEMENT" forum.
Even in a factory setting, if you need to use tape, you're doing it wrong - you're using the wrong connector.
I've heard the piss-poor excuse that tape keeps the connection tight. Use the right splice for the job, and that won't be an issue.
Going up in size to larger work, yes - that's a different story. I carry a roll of friction tape and mastic in my tool bag. I also keep fiberglass tape on the truck. But for average shit (as pictured), tape is a stupid waste of time.
To you fuckers insinuating I'm inexperienced, I'll wager you that I've done a few hundred-thousand more splices than you in my career. I've spent my entire working career putting wires of all different types together.

Working stuff hot when unnecessary isn't a test of mettle, it's a mark of ignorance. I'd like to think we've come farther than this by now (most reputable shops have). How hard is it to turn off a breaker?