# Working around the need for big holes



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Nice! I hate to see vintage professional electrical work messed up by DIYers over the years. I see that 30's/40's vintage black enameled RMC and it makes me wish in a weird sort of way we still did nice work like that. 

SO Cord, though. Sheesh. Guess people don't realize what happens to rubber cord over time. As the years pass, you basically have strands of copper surrounded with a crispy, crunchy breading.


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## itsunclebill (Jan 16, 2007)

I got the call on this house from new owners who had the light switch in a closet off the kitchen explode when they turned it on. The closet was supplied by a #16 round cord that came up from the basement and fed several receptacles and a light, the closet light, then went on to supply an enclosed porch (yet ANOTHER story) where the washer and dryer had been installed. The routing of the cable left no doubt that the installer felt the need to use all 100 feet of it in one circuit. 

The wire coming out of the right side of the box is actually a heavy type of phone wire. All the owner who did the electrical work used was used material and short lengths of NM-B were taped together to get between places.

STRANGELY enough the garage at this residence had burned down years ago and the remains of the overhead supply to it had galvanized clothes line wire hanging off the knobs on the house


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

itsunclebill said:


> STRANGELY enough the garage at this residence had burned down years ago and the remains of the overhead supply to it had galvanized clothes line wire hanging off the knobs on the house


:laughing: 

Hmmm... why do you suppose the garage burned down? :whistling2:

I think you could easily sell these people on a "I should check everything out" job. That kind of job sucks, but I think it is warranted in this case.


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## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

What a mess. Hope you brought it up to code?


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

Chris1971 said:


> What a mess. Hope you brought it up to code?


After (4) years, does it really matter now.. :blink:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

B4T said:


> After (4) years, does it really matter now.. :blink:


 Good work takes time...:laughing::laughing:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

He's still drawing the map. :whistling2:


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

itsunclebill said:


> I got the call on this house from new owners who had the light switch in a closet off the kitchen explode when they turned it on. The closet was supplied by a #16 round cord that came up from the basement and fed several receptacles and a light, the closet light, then went on to supply an enclosed porch (yet ANOTHER story) where the washer and dryer had been installed. The routing of the cable left no doubt that the installer felt the need to use all 100 feet of it in one circuit.
> 
> The wire coming out of the right side of the box is actually a heavy type of phone wire. All the owner who did the electrical work used was used material and short lengths of NM-B were taped together to get between places.
> 
> STRANGELY enough the garage at this residence had burned down years ago and the remains of the overhead supply to it had galvanized clothes line wire hanging off the knobs on the house


Bet the garage was wired just like the one in this thread: http://www.electriciantalk.com/f13/spot-violations-garage-fire-aftermath-20111/


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