LOL - Too funny. I especially liked the one about the soil stack.

"spudnuty" wrote in message
oups.com...

Kevin Ricks wrote:
"Bob" wrote in message
...
What model of neon testlight do you use?

I have the made in China model.....
Looks like the one in this article under the using testers section.
http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projec...ric/elec_1.htm
You can get these at just about any hardware store
Almost all the stores carry the same model too....

Kevin
I use the GC inductive voltage detector. I started using it after
encountering just the problem discussed here also often the neutral is
switched instead of the hot or neutral and hot are reversed.
Just a few of the "What in the F---!s" I've seen.
·Two breakers serving the same circuit. Not tied together. Altho' I
can't see how that would work since most breaker boxes I've seen have
alternating legs next to each other.
·Circuit tied directly to the main bus. That was a good one. With the
mains off there were still lights on in the basement. Taking the panel
off we found a circuit clamped directly on the incoming power feed! No
one had a good explanation for that one. Imagine doing that quick short
to see if the circuit is dead test on that one. (My dad used to do
that)
·Neutral tied to conduit ground. A clients kid got shocked pretty bad
with that one. He did flip the garage switch in his bare feet in a
rainstorm but still...
·Ground used as neutral in a 3 way switch situation.
·Soil stack used as neutral return. Guy was too lazy to run two
wires. Made the toilet buzz on the second floor of a house I owned. Got
louder when the lady upstairs used her toaster.
·Neutral and hot tied together, when you flipped the switch, pow. The
lady had been her own electrician! " I did it exactly like the book
said" She was so POed that no amount of explaining could make her calm
down. Fixed the problem and got out ASAP.
BTW I often use a 1500W hair dryer to verify that a circuit will carry
a rated load and to find breakers when I'm by myself. I did have a
"gottcha" moment when the hair dryer I'd thrown out the 2nd floor
window went off when I threw a breaker. Going back upstairs my non
contact said the circuit was still live. Many scratches of the head
later I went out side and the neighbor lady said "I turned off your
hair dryer. It fell out of the 2nd floor bathroom window."
As others have said here, even when you know what you're doing things
can happen.
Richard