On Oct 13, 6:58*am, "RBM" wrote:
wrote in message

...





On Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:29:45 -0400, "RBM" wrote:

I misread that, but just for clarification, the Nec requires GFCI
protection
by receptacle location, not by what you're planning to plug into the
outlet.
Every receptacle in a garage, or unfinished part of a basement requires
GFCI
protection, even if you plan to plug in a fridge or freezer

Then you run an extension cord from an outlet in the house into the
garage, for the fridge.

None of my garage outlets have any GFCIs The original wiring from the
1920's or 30's was constantly shorting out, especially those hanging
light sockets hung by cotton covered wires which were half bare from
age. *And the old turn type bakelite switch with exposed hot wire
screws was sparking quite a but when it was turned, probably because
of years of water leaking down that wall from a bad roof. *And most of
the outlets were single ones, not duplex and not one had a ground.
The wiring was a combination of knob and tube, some sort of cloth
covered romex, metal sheathed cable, and a small section of conduit,
which was actually black gas pipe. *The fuse box was supposed to have
two 15A plug fuses, but both were 30A fuses, with one cartridge fuse
for a main fuses also being 30A, and a pull down shut off handle with
both sides of the line switched (hot and neutral) and exposed so
anyone could touch it.

No one ever died from it. *So why the hell do I need GFCIs now?

As fas as this old wiring, about ten years ago the garage roof
collapsed from snow, and caused the wiring to completely short out
when the wires got torn apart as the roof fell. *Those old hanging
lights got crushed, and the fuse box was mangled. *Well, I had to
build a new roof, and in the process, I replaced 3 of the 4 walls due
to rot and cracked studs from the roof collapse. *I ended up having to
replace the fuse box with a new breaker box having 12 breakers instead
of two fuses. *Then I had to rewire with modern romex and new light
fixtures and outlets. *Of course all of the old wiring was
grandfathered in, because this was an old garage from the 1920's, it
just had a new roof, and 3 new walls, so I was not required to follow
any electrical codes on an 80 year old garage building like this. *I
even put that old turn type bakelite switch back on the wall just for
memories, even though it's not connected.

By the way, a year later I built an addition on to the garage and
destroyed all but 8 feet of the studs of that original wall. *So, it's
now a completely new building. except for about 6 or 7 2x4's. *But
hey, this is an 80 year old building, so I dont need no stinking GFCI
outlets or other useless modern nonsense. *Hell, if the inspectors
were to come, I'll just hammer out the dents on that old fuse box, and
screw it to a piece of plywood, and put that plywood over the top of
my breaker box. *This is an 80 year old building (or actually 90 now),
and they did not have breakers or GFCIs in 1920.

Unfortunately, your conclusion that "no one ever died from it" is completely
incorrect. Not only have people died from it, but buildings have burned down
from it. This is exactly why the National Electrical Code has evolved, and
every three years has an upgrade. Whether you agree with it or not, the
intent of the NFPA and it's NEC is to safeguard life and property.



I find interesting the statment that:

"Of course all of the old wiring was
grandfathered in, because this was an old garage from the 1920's, it
just had a new roof, and 3 new walls, so I was not required to follow
any electrical codes on an 80 year old garage building like this."

Say what? The roof collapsed causing lights, wiring, even the fuse
box to be damaged to the point they had to be replaced and you were
not required to follow any codes because it was grandfathered?
Where do you live? Every place I'm aware of you would be required to
not only follow code, but bring the part that is being replaced up to
the current code.

And if, as you claim, you were not required to follow code, then why
the need for this statement:

"Hell, if the inspectors
were to come, I'll just hammer out the dents on that old fuse box,
and
screw it to a piece of plywood, and put that plywood over the top of
my breaker box. "


Your approach to safety seems to be that since nothing bad has
happened so far, that means you should just keep doing the same thing
and not learn from standards and practices that are in place based on
the experience from millions of similar situations over decades.
Kind of like texting while driving and since you haven't had a wreck
or killed anyone so far, it must be OK to keep doing it.