I found something at an inspection the other day that was not only dangerous, but pretty illogical too. This was another house where a "builder" had been doing his own projects. He might have been a builder, but an electrician he was not.  The photo to the left is an AC plug, two prongs and ground, hanging out of a Bryant electric panel. It gets a person's attention right away, however, fact is it was live. That plug had 120 volts across it. To know why, one just had to look over to the right. That female receptacle, to accommodate the live one for a temporary connection whenever the guy wanted, ran to RV circuits in the back.

To begin with, this is no way to do wiring but, if you were going to do it that way, it would not take much thought to realize it would be safer to put the female connector on the live wires -- much harder to get hooked on them as the live terminals are internal, not exposed. As it was, this live plug was hanging down, about 3' off the floor of the garage and there was not a single piece of tape or insulation on it. This is a really dangerous situation, for kids or anyone who might unknowingly touch it when moving it out of the way or working near it.

            

Thanks for looking.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham, WA Home Inspector

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

 

8 Comments on This One Curled My Hair And Gave Me A Charge!

FEB
14
2008

WOW...stupidity never ceases to amaize us....this turkey should have been fined or something....

 

PS: A turkey is considered the dumbest liveing animal, with an IQ of 53. Some more or less...depending if they run when shot at.
1:48pm • #1
OMG some people really like to live dangerously. 
1:52pm • #2
1,149,876 Points 52 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Chuck,

Years ago I helped a friend name a pet turkey. We chose Clark Goble.  Unfortunately, Clark died three weeks later, standing outside on his own in the rain. He stuck his head down in a mud puddle and never brought it back up again. They ate him.
1:52pm • #3
1,149,876 Points 52 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Jim,

This is among the more goofy electrical things I have seen, or at least the most obvious goofy things.
1:53pm • #4
915,873 Points 177 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Where is Darwin when we need him----I am sure he would have a whole chapter on Electiculatus Stupidous!
2:02pm • #5
Glad to have people like you around. Keep up the good work!
2:04pm • #6
1,149,876 Points 52 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Charlie,

The problem with that is that the goof who did it knows about it, might have told the wife. Darwin ends up taking away the unsuspecting person or kid.
2:29pm • #7
915,873 Points 177 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
The problem with natural selection is that it is "un-natural."
2:45pm • #8

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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Bellingham, WA

More about me…

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc

Address: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Whatcom County, Bellingham, WA, 98225

Office Phone: (360) 676-6908

Cell Phone: (360) 319-0038

Email Me

Steven L. Smith, King of the House Home Inspection, provides information for real estate buyers, sellers and real estate industry professionals. Blog posts emphasize issues commonly found in Bellingham, WA and Whatcom County. Smith is Washington State Licensed Home inspector #207, a state licensed structural pest inspector and one of the most experienced inspectors in the northwest corner of the Pacific Northwest. Steven L. Smith is lead instructor of home inspection at Bellingham Technical College and teaches classes for Washington State University and the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Steve was a two-term member of the state licensing board.


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