Severe Shock Hazard
This is certainly no way to wire an outdoor receptacle. Whoever installed and wired this receptacle was in a hurry apparently — instead of taking time to do the job correctly, he simply shoved some NM cable into the pole and pinched it with the handhole cover to secure the cable. The other end of the cable is not properly secured either. It is merely poked into the outlet box without the use of any cable connector. Failing to secure and support NM cable is a violation of Sec. 334.30.
The black tape on the cable was an attempt to repair the brittle and cracked cable jacket. The installer failed to realize that Sec. 334.12(B)(4) prohibits NM from being installed in wet locations. Harsh weather and sunlight can wreak havoc with the non-metallic cable jacket. Section 300.6(C)(1) requires non-metallic cable jackets to be listed or identified as sunlight-resistant when exposed to sunlight. NM cable is not made for this purpose. The broken receptacle in the outlet box, a violation of Sec. 110.12(B), creates a severe shock hazard because the face of the receptacle is completely broken, leaving energized parts unprotected and exposed, greatly increasing the risk of accidental contact by a person.
Field of Broken Dreams
It appears the original installer tried to do the right thing here. Unfortunately, the supporting post has been broken off, leaving the box dangling by the wires. If this installation has been abandoned, it should probably be removed altogether; otherwise, some repairs will be needed. Broken parts such as these can create a dangerous condition and are considered a violation of Sec. 110.12(B). Moisture can enter the outlet box and possibly fill up the bubble cover, greatly upping the risk of shock.
Single insulated conductors are not permitted to be exposed in this manner and must be installed in a Chapter 3 wiring method. Perhaps these conductors were fine at one point, but now that they’re exposed they present an increased shock hazard risk. Section 314.23 provides several options for supporting and securing outlet boxes, but using PVC conduit to support a box is not one of those options and would also violate Sec. 352.12(B). Digging out the broken post and installing a new 4×4 post or some similar support for this outlet box would certainly be a viable option again. Of course, new fittings, wire, and perhaps a box might also be needed to make things safe again.
