Improvised and unconventional

[Duane Nelson]

In two rooms the black wire was stripped out of the romex, run through a switch, re-entered the romex and went to a light fixture. White wire went around the switch. I wrote it up as improvised and unconventional, but I'm sure there is more to it. Can't get photos to upload.

[Dom D'Agostino]

First, how did you come upon this wiring, and second, what exactly do you think is incorrect? Your description is vague.

[Duane Nelson]

So the white conductor is unbroken within the switch box?

White conductor did not go into the switch box; only the black wire went into the box and back out.

Dom: Basement was unfinished.

[Jim Luttrall]

White conductor did not go into the switch box; only the black wire went into the box and back out.

Dom: Basement was unfinished.

It is unsafe if as I envision. The sheathing must cover the conductors fully until inside the box.

[Dom D'Agostino]

White conductor did not go into the switch box; only the black wire went into the box and back out.

Dom: Basement was unfinished.

Ahh, basements---I don't see those around here.

If they stripped a conductor out of NM cable, or somehow managed to expose only one conductor, then it's improper. Love to see a photo.

[Garry Sorrells]

Duane,
I know exactly what you are saying.
The switch is not grounded = wrong.
The ground and neutral need to be in the switch box and correctly pigtailed to switch.

The method used was a waste of time by someone that just did not know what they were doing even thought the switch worked. Would like to have them explain their thinking on the method.

[Jerry Peck]

Duane,
I know exactly what you are saying.
The switch is not grounded = wrong.
The ground and neutral need to be in the switch box and correctly pigtailed to switch.

The method used was a waste of time by someone that just did not know what they were doing even thought the switch worked. Would like to have them explain their thinking on the method.

That's what I am envisioning too - that they simply slipped some stripped off black insulation over the bare ground and shoved it into the NM cable to make it look like there are 2 blacks and 1 white, in reality, there is still a bare (uninsulated, but covered, conductor in there which is now being used as a hot switch leg).

And, as you said, there is no ground.

[Duane Nelson]

Still trying to upload photos. First try they were too large, so I resized, now it says it is not a valid image file.

Garry, Dom and Jim are on the right track.