# Step by Step DIY books



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Every time I look at them, and homeowners who call an electrician after buying one... I cant help but think DIY books give folks way to much confidence who know nothing about theory or code. Following code is not once mentioned in their over simplified pictures (scroll down):



http://opitts2k.com/optechnologies/electrician.html


What do you think?


----------



## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

I think you can summarize all of that for us :whistling2:
and leave us with a couple questions


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

For example, box or switch bond anyone?


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Spot on that _confidence_ sells AT.........:thumbsup:~CS~


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

chicken steve said:


> Spot on that _confidence_ sells AT.........:thumbsup:~CS~



It really does, there is even a 12 step process to replacing the entire service  Just get the materials, call poco to de-energize the pole and pull the meter and your all set for your Saturday project :laughing:


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Musta taken a while to get all those pix up




check out the greenie....:laughing:










~CS~


----------



## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

AcidTrip said:


> It really does, there is even a 12 step process to replacing the entire service  Just get the materials, call poco to de-energize the pole and pull the meter and your all set for your Saturday project :laughing:


Can you send that to me ? I was planning on changing my load center soon :laughing:

Nevermind... I want to install it sideways


----------



## brodgers (Aug 5, 2007)

Stop nitpicking the small stuff. Obviously the worst problem is that NONE of the plate screws are lined up vertically. After seeing that many misaligned plate screws I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight. :laughing:


----------



## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Well.... Ground up or down?


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

brodgers said:


> Stop nitpicking the small stuff. Obviously the worst problem is that NONE of the plate screws are lined up vertically. After seeing that many misaligned plate screws I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight. :laughing:





Switched said:


> Well.... Ground up or down?



:laughing: Good point, I missed that. And I think even bigger than that would be sideways mounted receptacles, do we do neutral or hot up? :blink:


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

emtnut said:


> Can you send that to me ? I was planning on changing my load center soon :laughing:
> 
> Nevermind... I want to install it sideways



Its 2/3 down in the link. They make it look way to easy


----------



## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

AcidTrip said:


> :laughing: Good point, I missed that. And I think even bigger than that would be sideways mounted receptacles, do we do neutral or hot up? :blink:


Neutral up


----------



## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Bird dog said:


> Neutral up


Hot up ... easier to test OCP :thumbsup:


----------



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

AcidTrip said:


> Every time I look at them, and homeowners who call an electrician after buying one... I cant help but think DIY books give folks way to much confidence who know nothing about theory or code. Following code is not once mentioned in their over simplified pictures (scroll down):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I took 1 min to scroll through that (huge article). My take was that they were rather thorough. Lots of pics, labels, cut away diagrams, etc. Impressive.


----------



## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

I did look part of it and IMO many book not always list the code cycle on that book due some area take differnt code cycle than other place. 

the biggest cuprits i have to deal the diy's is the three way switching and MWBC's both are their weak curpit..


----------



## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> Musta taken a while to get all those pix up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yuh but look at the box size that is kinda small side..


----------



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Hoping the receptacle is mounted way up above floor level, cause it ain't tamper resistant, and looks like residential grade........


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

frenchelectrican said:


> Yuh but look at the box size that is kinda small side..



Yup, and i'd wager those 6-32's will hit those two old style romex connectors too......~CS~


----------



## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

chicken steve said:


> Yup, and i'd wager those 6-32's will hit those two old style romex connectors too......~CS~


You can cut the screws short & cut the wires short. If that really is a shallow switchbox could you actually get the receptacle mounted?


----------



## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Bird dog said:


> You can cut the screws short & cut the wires short. If that really is a shallow switchbox could you actually get the receptacle mounted?


Yuh it csn be done like that way but i am not too crazy about using shallow boxes...


----------



## billn (Aug 31, 2011)

The NEC code in mentioned numerous times, as well as informing the reader that local modifications may have been made.

They even mention that the latest NEC code requires availability of a neutral wire in all switch boxes - and that the white wire cannot be uses as a hot conductor in a switch loop.

They also say to always get a permit and that everything needs to be inspected and signed off by the AHJ.

They also mention to make sure the box size is legal for the fill and include calculation instructions. They also mention and illustrate remedies for too small a box. 

There are a number of nits I have with some of their methods/procedures/illustrations, but it appears to be better than any of the other DIY manuals/books I have seen.


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

billn said:


> The NEC code in mentioned numerous times, as well as informing the reader that local modifications may have been made.
> 
> They even mention that the latest NEC code requires availability of a neutral wire in all switch boxes - and that the white wire cannot be uses as a hot conductor in a switch loop.
> 
> ...



Overall how do you rate it? Do you recommend it?


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

The _cooler_ levels of Dante's DIY hell?...:laughing:

Seriously, we are a _minority_ compared to the DIY market:no:

So _maybe_ inspections should not be pass/fail,_ maybe_ a 1-10 score would be more appropo.....:whistling2:

~CS~


----------



## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

sometimes i use a sharpie to mark in the diy books things that violate code :laughing:
of course i always have a clipboard and shopping list to check off so they pay no attention to me!


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I get called all the time by sorts waving their DIYer book asking me to '_just make it to the panel_'.....

~CS~


----------



## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

still by and far the best commercial i remember every time i deal with a diy


----------



## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

as one who used to repair the old crt tv's (prior to becoming an industrial electrician)
i know well the jolt you can get from the crt anode if you didnt discharge it first:laughing:


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

So where you one of the dude's with the suitcase of tubes when mama pajama couldn't get bugs bunny to calm the crew gnuuser....? :laughing:~CS~:thumbup:


----------



## 51360 (Jun 9, 2014)

chicken steve said:


> Musta taken a while to get all those pix up
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What's funny is, that bond wire is often used as the neutral. I guess that's why the marrette is green, to alert inspectors to check for white wires.  :jester::laughing:

I'm kidding. 

Borgi


----------



## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

It could do without all the cosmological theory, but it isn't bad on DIY electrical advice.


----------



## gnuuser (Jan 13, 2013)

chicken steve said:


> So where you one of the dude's with the suitcase of tubes when mama pajama couldn't get bugs bunny to calm the crew gnuuser....? :laughing:~CS~:thumbup:


yep! still have the sencore tube tester 
now adays i still use it for testing audio amp tubes for the sound nuts:thumbsup:
even had a few non cash offers from a few hotties!
nice but doesn't put food on the table:laughing:


----------



## 51360 (Jun 9, 2014)

gnuuser said:


> yep! still have the sencore tube tester
> now adays i still use it for testing audio amp tubes for the sound nuts:thumbsup:
> even had a few non cash offers from a few hotties!
> *nice but doesn't put food on the table*:laughing:


Beer is food, no? :jester:

Borgi


----------



## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Borgi said:


> What's funny is, that bond wire is often used as the neutral. I guess that's why the marrette is green, to alert inspectors to check for white wires.  :jester::laughing:
> 
> I'm kidding.
> 
> Borgi


Why don't our friends to the south have white 'wirenuts' for the neutral.
Seems like a nice colour scheme :laughing:


As far as the book, when I saw the guy in the bucket in post #5 ... I thought they were showing the DIY'er how to disconnect at the pole !  :laughing:


----------



## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

gnuuser said:


> yep! still have the sencore tube tester
> now adays i still use it for testing audio amp tubes for the sound nuts:thumbsup:
> even had a few non cash offers from a few hotties!
> nice but doesn't put food on the table:laughing:


I just isn't rock'n'roll without glowing red EL34's :thumbsup:


----------



## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

emtnut said:


> Why don't our friends to the south have white 'wirenuts' for the neutral.
> Seems like a nice colour scheme :laughing:
> 
> 
> As far as the book, when I saw the guy in the bucket in post #5 ... I thought they were showing the DIY'er how to disconnect at the pole !  :laughing:


The greenies are intended to have the wire poking out of the top. The pic is just wrong.


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

InPhase277 said:


> It could do without all the cosmological theory, but it isn't bad on DIY electrical advice.



Thats because it was actually written by someone other then greg. :laughing:


----------



## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

emtnut said:


> Why don't our friends to the south have white 'wirenuts' for the neutral.
> Seems like a nice colour scheme :laughing:
> 
> 
> As far as the book, when I saw the guy in the bucket in post #5 ... I thought they were showing the DIY'er how to disconnect at the pole !  :laughing:



That would have been nothing but pure awesome :laughing::laughing: Up there with being able to buy anything up to enriched uranium for Alibaba.


----------



## Sparkchaser1 (May 17, 2015)

Pigtail the ground and feed through the hot and neutral.........nice.


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

emtnut said:


> Why don't our friends to the south have white 'wirenuts' for the neutral.
> Seems like a nice colour scheme :laughing:


They would if they could push it thru the NEC ENut......~CS~


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

gnuuser said:


> yep! still have the sencore tube tester
> now adays i still use it for testing audio amp tubes for the sound nuts:thumbsup:
> even had a few non cash offers from a few hotties!
> nice but doesn't put food on the table:laughing:


Well hang on to e'm Gnuuser , maybe some science class will solicit you for career day , or the local museum will be looking for electrical artifacts.....:laughing:~CS~:whistling2:


----------

