On Nov 21, 10:40*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
wrote:
On Nov 21, 3:43 pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
Replaced the last couple receptacles upstairs before starting to clean
up for the holidays. Found a recep in the master bedroom, right
next to
the access panel for the bathroom plumbing. Ground was bootlegged to
neutral. There's a cold water pipe NINE INCHES away, and I didn't
even
have to break any plaster to get to it! Sheesh.
Also went to replace the toggle switch in the bathroom. It seemed
sunk
a little too far into the wall; I ASSumed it was because the plaster had
broken around the ears - I have a stack of those little metal plates for
rectifying just that problem. Nope! Apparently someone had
skinned the
wall with drywall in the past, and instead of finding a box extender and
some longer screws, they busted the plaster ears off the toggle switch
and let the wall plate hold it in place.
This would be one of those days where I'm really cussing the last
"contractor" to work in here... Only two trips to the store so far
today.
Silver lining: the real electrical supply house's parts counter is
apparently now open on Saturday. Picked up a 10-pack of "spec grade"
receps for $15. That's about what the Orange-Colored Store charges
for
a "contractor pack" of the ****ty ones. This would be about where I
thank the Orange-Colored Store for not having the receps I wanted so I
had to drive past the supply house to get to the real hardware store.
nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel
code prohibits using water line as ground, although no doubt its
better than a bootleg neutral.....
you should run a proper ground wire
Understood about code. But OP should also make sure that pipe is
actually grounded, at least. Even if it doesn't go through the water
heater fitting that typically breaks ground path, some previous owner
may have replaced part of that pipe run with plastic or something, or an
iron/copper junction may cause problems.
--
aem sends...
I can physically see (and have seen) all of the pipe between the shower
and the foundation, save for the vertical run up the chase through the
kitchen. *I have no reason to believe that that is not copper as it
ought to be original to the house.
nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I have no reason to believe that that is not copper as it *ought
to be* original to the house.
"Ought to be"...isn't that the same as ASSuming?
You really don't know for sure, do you?
Have you tested the outlets there is a ground?
OK, so ASSuming you have, and it passes, then it's grounded *for
now*.
I guess you can ASSume that you will remember to run a new ground if
you ever break that copper run and transition to PVC or PEX, but I
doubt the next homeowner will. I ASSume that's one of the reasons why
code no longer allows the use of the plumbing system as a ground.