Is my electrician dangerous? Please read

[SteveB]

I used the testers when I was a safety inspector. It is incredible the amount of circuits that are wired wrong.

Steve

[mark]

Hey Doob, I'm sure after the feedback you've received here your mind is pretty well made up. I have to chime in and agree with the majority about the electrician. I know a little bit about house wiring, not enough to be an expert like some of those posting here. But even I know that putting your switches in the neutral line is a huge no-no.... From what you have described, you need to voice your displeasure with the GC about the situation. Since the electrician is trying to pull a fast one, you need to have someone you have confidence in. Let's face it, of the home utilities, electric can be the trickiest and most potentially dangerous. And I would still let the inspector know what happened, he may want to give closer scrutiny to the rest of the job. Who knows, maybe this particular electrician has a past history of working like this. His job isn't to bust the electrician's balls, but it is to protect you, the homeowner. I had an electrical inspection done after a major remodel, and he just gave the panel a cursory once over. So, speak up to the GC, and please keep us posted with the outcome. Mark P.S. Buy a $5 tester and check ALL of his outlets for peace of mind.

[peter]

The two problems the OP have cannot be detected by plug in tester.

you look, you'd notice there is no indication for white/black wires switched, or Gound/Neutral shorted.

The label "correct" is very misleading. It should read "correct or ". Someday a law suit would arise out of this.

White and black wires switched at both ends (at the panel and the outlets) can only be detected by visual inspection.

Neutral shorted to the ground somewhere in the middle can be easily detected by disconnecting the neutral + hot from the panel and measuring continuity.

[Anthony Diodati]

If you look, you'd notice there is no indication for white/black wires

Right, like the tester won't detect a boot leg ground. Tony

[Norminn]

Most of this thread is stuff I don't understand - which is neutral, ground, etc. Last summer, the upstairs neighbor in our condo was remodeling. He put in new flooring. We had three electrical outages in part of our unit, the third being the final one because resetting the breaker didn't work the last time. At the moment the power went out the first time, hubby and I were sitting in our dining room and heard the hammer hit the floor upstairs right above us at the moment the power went out. The last time it went out, I went upstairs right away to talk to the idiot doing the work. He explained what and where he was working, which helped greatly when the electrician arrived.

Bottom line, the electrician said the conduit between our units was too close to the flooring above - it should have been deeper in the rafter space. He also said that he had no doubt the nails had penetrated the conduit because the guy used a power nailer (which he had denied). The electrician knew precisely what do do, based on where we told him the damage had occurred. Just to prove the line that he believed was damaged was actually the one, he switched two connections at the main panel. That didn't work, so he started pulling the bad wire out - it had burnt through entirely and had numerous nicks in the insulation from nail penetrations. I was amazed that the electrician was able to feed new wire through the conduits as far as he was able to - I had pictured someone tearing all my ceilings open to fix the problem.

So, in the situation with a contractor and a sub, I certainly would put my concerns in writing to the contractor and ask him to correct the problem to code, with a different electrician if need be. Whoever hired the electrician should be the person dealing with him. A chat with the contractor is proof of nothing if the situation goes bad; a nice, busi- ness-like letter is better.

[John Grabowski]

If you look, you'd notice there is no indication for white/black wires

Hot/neutral reversed would be the reading in this case.

[Stormin Mormon]

Either "yes, he is". Or, you're a troll.

[peter]

Oops my bad.

Although it was not mentioned by the OP, a "respectable" electrician would reverse the hot/neutral in the outlets after reversing them in the panel. This way the faulty wiring would be undetectable.

[Doug Miller]

Uhhh.... no. Any *competent* electrician would fix the problem, instead of attempting to hide it.

[Doug Miller]

If you look, you'd notice there is no indication for white/black wires

Yes there is: "Hot/Neu. Reverse"

[metspitzer]

It has already been mentioned, if an electrician switches the hot and neutral, the biggest danger comes from lights. This causes the screw shell of the lamp socket to be hot.

[RWJansen]

I'm a licensed electrician. I charge $90 per hour, with a minimum charge for one hour regardless how small the job is.

I can answer your question in one hour or less. As soon as I receive your payment of $90, I'll happily answer your question.

Send payment to:

Jansen Electric PO Box 8103 San Antonio, TX 78209

We accept cash, checks and money orders. Or phone in with your credit card number.

1-800-412-8103 (additional charges imposed for using our toll free number).

Robert W. Jansen - Senior Company President

[Doug Miller]

ROTFLMAO!

You're new here, aintcha?

The question's already been answered. More than once. Correctly, too.

At no charge.

[Doobielicious]

????

plugs/lights

[Doobielicious]

The nerve of some people.

Business must be slow for him to be on usenet instead of out there charging $90/hr.

[metspitzer]

Google "Stormin Mormon" +troll

8000 hits.

He is obsessed with the beasts.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

That has to be the tackiest answer on Usenet. I'd never do business with you.

[SteveB]

Not to mention his religious sig line.

[John Gilmer]

You might want to give your contractor a "Heads Up" on what you saw.

What was described just "ain't right" (i.e.: not safe) and you may consider dropping a dime on the electrician and ensure that the inspector looks closely at the work.

** Posted from **

[SteveB]

"may consider" ? Rat the bastard out. If he doesn't care if you go up in a house fire, he's worth the dime.

Steve