Don't I need junction boxes?

[BETA-32]

I just had a handyman-type person wire and install some very basic lights in the basement of my home. The lights fixtures are just the very basic round white plastic ones where a light bulb screws in. What he did was screw the white plastic fixtures directly onto the ceiling joists with no junction boxes or mounting boxes. The wires run along the joists and under the white plastic fixture to the contacts.

I assume that's wrong and doesn't meet electrical codes. Am I right about that?

And, yes, I know I should have a licensed electrician, etc., etc.

[bamboo]

[DAC]

YES!

Disconnect the circuit immediately and do it properly. You have exposed hot terminals on the back side which bring along fire hazards as their companion.

Don't let that man in the house again.

[William.Deans]

If you put it into a box yourself you also need to be sure he didn't switch the black and white wires. The black wire should be on the darker screw and the white wire on the lighter screw.

[Todd H.]

Oy.

Double oy, at least in Illinois where everything has to go in conduit or have a metal jacket.

Code depends on the state, IIRC, but this sounds like it'd be a cluster fsck in all 50 states.

-- Todd H.

[Tom The Great]

Oh my, rather than panic for you. ;) Can you post a photo?

tom @

[Jeff Wisnia]

And check the OTHER ends of those wires too.

Jeff

[RBM]

That's probably how it's done in many third world countries. I'd suggest an electrician, or at least a better grade of handy man

[BETA-32]

Thanks to everyone. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

But here's the stupid part (on my end). It's actually an empty house that he is working on for me. I went there today to do some work and when he showed up I mentioned, "Don't the lights need to have junction boxes?" He said, yes, and he had brought the junction boxes with him. He had just screwed them to the joists temporarily so he could mostly finish the job before leaving, then was coming back today to do the rest and brought the junction boxes with him.

[Tom The Great]

IMHO:

Oh, so these could have been temp feston lighting?

Just as a general rule, if your contractor ignores basic safety, not suggesting this is the case here since no photos and not there, you might want to second check his work. Some people 'forget' to fix temp work later, and it becomes permenant.

:D

tom @

[Mark Lloyd]

If the black & white wires are reversed at the source, the right way to connect them becomes the wrong way.

[krw]

No, the *only* right way to connect them is to connect them the right way at the source, destination, and everywhere inbetween.

>

[mm]

Though I don't disagree with Tom about checking, on anyone, your handy-man has me convinced.

[me]

I hope you did NOT pay the idiot. That is completely illegal !!!!

[Mark Lloyd]

I didn't say anything was right (with the wires connected wrong at the source), just that what SEEMS to be right (at the light fixture) is actually wrong.

However, I did once see a piece of Romex connected wrong at both ends.

[krw]

about

Well, you did say "the right way to connect", and that's clearly wrong. ;-) If I found a reversed connection that was "right" I'd be digging for the other end.

I have no doubt. Stupid and suicidal people are everywhere.

[Mark Lloyd]

about

That's what I said, that it's wrong.

That person claimed that it didn't matter. That it's AC. He also put the switch in the neutral wire. Actually, I'm not sure anymore if it was the neutral wire or the white one. Also, that was #14 wire, because #14 would fit the backstab holes.

I have a little poster up with the message "Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.". Someone I knew once (not the one who did the wiring) was stupid enough to assume that the stupid people in any group would be a small minority.