wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 06:58:03 -0400, "RBM" wrote:

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.

Yes, the "INTENT" is as you said, but many of the rules are totally
stupid. For example, they even put a green ground screw on switches
now. WHY? If the switch is in a metal box, it's grounded by the
screws, but even in a plastic box, that small piece of metal on the
front of the switch is covered by a plastic plate. Those old bakelite
rotary swithces with the exposed HOT WIRE screws WERE dangerous, VERY
dangerous. I would not even think of allowing such a thing. Not only
can children touch them, but when I walk into a dark room fiddling
around for the switch, I could easily touch them. In fact when I had
that switch in my garage, I planned to replace it, but when I moved
onto this property there were a million projects and all had
priorities. Yet, I did apply some electrical tape over those screws
shortly after moving here.

Old wiring was extremely dangerous. Much did not even make common
sense, such as any exposed HOT electricity. Those old knife switches
were insane on 120V AC. They were fine for a 6 or 12 V battery
circuit, but allowing them, or even using them on 120V AC was just
stupid. Yes, people were electricuted and some died, and fires
started. Then in the 1950's and 60's, all wiring was in metal.
Conduit, BX, metal boxes, etc. That was likely the safest wiring ever
made. Now we have plastic coated cable in plastic boxes. Plastic
burns. It's not as safe, but we rely on breakers rather than plug
fuses which could often be oversized. Yet, nothing stops someone from
hooking that #14 wire to a 30A breaker if they know how. It's just
that back when fuses were used, ANYONE could change a fuse, now it
involves the use of tools and some guys wont open any electrical box.

In some ways, wiring has improved, in others, it's gone backwards. I
still believe that the old metal enclosed wiring was superior to what
is used today. But much of that old metal enclosed wiring was
connected to fuses, so we have advanced in the regard of breakers.

I do have GFCIs on all my outdoor outlets, but not those in my garage,
basement, or bathroom. But those are all existing installations and
have not been rewired except for a few outlets that were replaced due
to wearing out or just wanting a grounded one to avoid hunting down
those damn adaptors all the time.

Ground screws come on switches because there are a variety of ways to ground
equipment, and some methods do require a ground screw.
FYI in the 50's and 60's all wiring wasn't in metal. As early as the 20's
wiring was available with or without a metal jacket, just as it is today.
The conductor insulation has and continues to be improved as better
materials become available.