On Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:09:21 -0500, krw cast forth these pearls of
wisdom...:



"Forgetting" wiring boxes is a real deficiency. Channeling sheetrock
behind fixtures across studs is a deficiency. Directly wiring light
fixtures (no box) is a deficiency, whether it's indoors or outdoors.
Wiring the red wire to neutral in an entrance panel is a real
deficiency. Bonding neutral and ground in a sub-panel is a real
deficiency. Reversing *every* hot and neutral out of this sub-panel
(in the outlet box) is a real deficiency. Yes, I've corrected them
all, and more, done by "professional" electricians.

You've outlined an impressive list of problems but that in no way
represents the trade. Not to mention that I've seen worse done by
homeowners.



An inspector can't inspect every connection and every outlet. He
can't afford to, for his $25.

Everything you mentioned above damned sure should have been caught by an
inspector. I don't know how they inspect where you live but those would
never have passed around here.


If it's done by code, then it's done right.

"done by code" "inspected to code"

Obviously, the above wasn't "done by code", but it passed inspection.

No - it was pencil whipped.




"Forgetting" boxes (stated in the paragraph you quoted) is not
"subjective".

Nor is the list you posted common.


Did it pass code inspection?

Do you *really* believe an inspection will catch all faults?
Electricins know *exactly* what they can get away with. I've had them
tell me how to get the inspector to ignore what I want them to. How
do you think they know how to do that?

I sure as hell do believe an inspector will find those problems. I've had
tons of inspections and have a pretty good idea what inspectors around here
look at.



Stom imagining a perfect world. It doesn't exist. If you want
something done right you're better of doing it yourself, if at all
possible. Electrical work is simple (work, but simple). Wiring a
200V circuit for a saw is usually simple. A sub-panel is simple.
Sure, it takes time and some amount of work.

No perfect world - the real world.




$2 outlets, rather than $.29 outlets, for instance. Copper wire,
rather than aluminum. A generous number of breakers. Splitting loads
across circuits. Some of that is subjective, some not. The point is
that you can always do the subjective better than a "professional"
(the point of the threadlet) and even the objective better than they
often do.

I can accept your statement about the outlets but your statement about the
aluminum wire, coupled with your other finds, is making this very hard to
believe. Your inspector passed aluminum wiring?


Happens to hit a pet peeve of mine - broad brush statements (especially
those that denegrade others) that all too often are based on preferences
rather than factual, objective critique.

I stated a few of the issues in my first article. Seems you have a
twitchy knee. Electrician?

Nope. But, I have done a bunch of wiring on the side.


Many times homeowners feel overkill is factually better because it builds
in some protections, or affords greater flexibilities. Many times this
belief is based on a limited knowledge they have of the particular task.
While this can instill a certain confidence in the homeowner, it does not
mean that other ways are somehow less adequate.

There isn't a lot of knowledge needed to do residential wiring. There
are some tricks but they're generally time-savers; less important for
most homeowners. There is no reason a homeowner can't to a far better
job than the average "professional". There is no reason he can't do
it better than *any* "professional". It certainly will take more
time, though no more money, and he'll get what he wants.

I agree that a homeowner can easily do the job. Better than the
professional? Don't know why you'd feel that way. I've never seen any
professional work that compares to your claims. I can agree that the
homeowner can do as well, but the better part is a hard swallow.

You've quoted a list of very extreme findings and frankly, they're hard to
believe. Unless you're saying you came across these things individually
over a period of time, that is. I'm not even sure a "professional" was at
fault here. These really sound more like the handiwork of a
self-proclaimed electrician, or a homeowner.


--

-Mike-