How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe Tedesco, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
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Lance Johnson, an estimator/journeyman electrician with Three Phase Electric in Canby, Ore., was kind enough to send in these photos. “This was all sandwiched between two pieces of plywood,” says Johnson. “A lineman owned this house and performed all this lovely work before the new owners purchased it.”
These pictures show extreme and unsafe ways in which to install any electrical system. It’s obvious the lineman wasn’t aware of the basic rules that require those conductors to be installed in proper raceways, enclosures, and cabinets. The lack of proper grounding and bonding and proper overcurrent protection would fill the page with rules from Articles 110, 200, 240, 250, 300, 310, and so on.
