wrote in message
...
On Jan 25, 6:00 pm, wrote:
There's a metal box attached to the side of my smoke alarm box with
what looks like a phone line coming out of it. It travels between the
joists for about 10' before disappearing into the subfloor above. I'd
like to disconnect this box to mount the smoke detector in a new place
(and will reattach then if needed).

PIc is at:http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/8822/img0693st8.jpg

Thanks!


That is a 12V or 24V transformer supplying electricity to the furnace
thermostat system, or to your doorbell, or perhaps an alarm system.

Agreed, that is a door bell type of transformer to supply low voltage to
something. It really should be accessible, not hidden behind drywall. That
looks like a bad shoddy installation job -- great photography, I can see a
number of problems: There shouldn't be two cables under that one clamp, that
3 wire cable looks like it is attached to the joist with a wire staple or
bent nail instead of an approved cable staple or strap, the curled wire
seems to be spliced to another type where it changes direction, looks like
scraps put together. I wonder what else is hidden behind that drywall.