# Are these code violations?



## Vapour Trails (Jan 18, 2012)

Ok, first off I am not an electrician, but I am very interested in starting my apprenticeship after a recent layoff in a another field.

Anyway, I decided to read a book on residential wiring since I am just sitting at home all day. In addition I started to take a close look at some of the wiring in my basement and it looks shoddy.

The house was built in 1958 and still has most of the original wiring plus some more recent additions.

First thing I noticed was new wiring draped over the original wiring, and in every instance the insulation on the newer wiring was brownish at the point the wires touched.










Wiring casually draped instead of going through the joist. At the back some wires that are jointed by merrets are casually wrapped around the bracing.









Junction box open fastened to the bottom of the joist


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

I see 6 electrical code violations ,1 building code violation, and one cheap tool violation.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

ahaha! cheap tool violation! yeah...that's worse.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*7*



mcclary's electrical said:


> I see 6 electrical code violations ,1 building code violation, and one cheap tool violation.


I saw 7


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Cletis said:


> I saw 7


 
It took me a minute, but yes there are 7 electrical code violations pictured.


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## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

*hole*

It was the hole within 1.25 inches you missed wasn't it ?


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Okay I'm gonna go with:

1) Unworkmanlike
2) NM cable support & secure too far apart
3) Use of a strap not listed for supporting NM cable (maybe)
4) Open-air splices
5) Hole with 1.25" inches and no nail plate
6) Possible lack of cable clamp in box
7) Possible improper bonding of metal box
8) Possible use of flexible zip cord as a permanent wiring method
9) NM cable smaller than #8 or #6 or whatever not run through bored holes
9) What's that red wire?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Cletis said:


> It was the hole within 1.25 inches you missed wasn't it ?


 
Well, kinda, but I had counted that as the building code violation. (not being in the middle third)


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Well, kinda, but I had counted that as the building code violation. (not being in the middle third)


What about the diagonal brace board that's half knocked out?


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## Vapour Trails (Jan 18, 2012)

mcclary's electrical said:


> I see 6 electrical code violations ,1 building code violation, and one cheap tool violation.


Great! The worst part is this is only what's visible. Houses in this era in my city were built without finished basements. In the 70s it became the rage to finish the basement complete with a tacky bar. I have a feeling past home owner was an terrible DIYer and finished the basement himself.

Is the discolored wire ok? Should it be replaced? Is it a fire hazard? What causes the discoloration?

I'm going to get a copy of the local electrical code and start planning how I am going to fix this mess.

As far as the cheap tools, lol, those were a gift. My good tools are in the garage.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

Vapour Trails said:


> Great! The worst part is this is only what's visible. Houses in this era in my city were built without finished basements. In the 70s it became the rage to finish the basement complete with a tacky bar. I have a feeling past home owner was an terrible DIYer and finished the basement himself.
> 
> Is the discolored wire ok? Should it be replaced? Is it a fire hazard? What causes the discoloration?
> 
> ...


 
The discolor is the oil in the plastic in the jacket of the romex having a chemical reaction with the old nm jacket, not a big deal. Much like fishing lures in a chinese tackle box. 

I have seen a hundred housing developements that had those typical 70's styled basement rehabs as seen in popular mechanics mags at the time.


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## archangel9401 (Feb 3, 2012)

Vapour Trails said:


> Ok, first off I am not an electrician, but I am very interested in starting my apprenticeship after a recent layoff in a another field.
> 
> Anyway, I decided to read a book on residential wiring since I am just sitting at home all day. In addition I started to take a close look at some of the wiring in my basement and it looks shoddy.
> 
> ...


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## Vapour Trails (Jan 18, 2012)

This is what I found in my kitchen when going to change a light bulb.

Highlights
1. NMD90 taped to ceiling. Tape was so old it was brittle and just turned to dust when touched.
2. 4 open junction boxes
3. Original junction box has too many conductors.
4. Two new boxes in the ceiling barely secured in the attic. It also looked like the holes for them were made with a hammer.
5. Cable going from original ceiling outlet to new outlets not secured in attic.
6. Screwy 3 way switch system. Switch box has neutral taped and shoved to the back. Wired up using 2 way cable.
7. Paper taped over open boxes to obscure them.


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## RGH (Sep 12, 2011)

I would call it a mess...not in bad shape...just needs to be reworked..fix the violations...need covers/clamps/replace fixture bxs with j boxs ect...looks like typical ho stuff..


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

to the OP: they aren't that bad


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## electrictim510 (Sep 9, 2008)

Not that bad? What's bad? Open air splices to me are on my top 3 of worse violations...off the top of my head at moment at least. :blink:


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## Hawkeye_Pierce (Apr 3, 2008)

electrictim510 said:


> Not that bad? What's bad? Open air splices to me are on my top 3 of worse violations...off the top of my head at moment at least. :blink:


At least there are no coat hangers involved


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

electrictim510 said:


> Not that bad? What's bad? Open air splices to me are on my top 3 of worse violations...off the top of my head at moment at least. :blink:


Will the place burn down? No..It's up in the ceiling so kids can't get to it...they used wire nuts at least. I mean, yeah they are code violations but far down the list to be considered dangerous IMO..hell, they're evenhalfway grounded.


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## Vapour Trails (Jan 18, 2012)

Funny thing is.. all the bonding conductors are properly attached, but the conductors that supply power are old fashioned 2 wire with no bonding conductor (circa 1950).


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## kbatku (Oct 18, 2011)

It's grounding by the way, not bonding.


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## footsweat (Feb 15, 2012)

It's not really a violation if there's not an empty can of tuna fish with wood rule used as a fixture bar.


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## MaxFuse (Oct 23, 2011)

The wire discoloration looks like a friction burn from pulling a long length of the other wire across the one that is discolored.


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