Thread: what was this guy thinking?

Just have to wonder what someone was thinking when they wired this. By the way, I pulled the cover and outlet because I didn't trust the "grounded" reading I was getting.

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What's the difference, they are all copper wires.

"Yup, that looks right to me. Shove it in and let's plug something into it!"

Gotta admit, I didn't see what you were talking about on the first look. Second look showed it right up.

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

Just have to wonder what someone was thinking when they wired this. By the way, I pulled the cover and outlet because I didn't trust the "grounded" reading I was getting.

What kind of tester and what did it read. They both go to the same bar in general in a main panel/service equipment with the ground and neutral strapped together.

Ted,

It seems like most receptacles have the grounded and grounding conductor terminations on the same side. I can't be sure from this photo, but, it looks like the black conductor is on the light colored screws. That would mean the bare grounding conductor is being used as a hot.

Suretest showed it grounded.

Yep, black wire was on silver screw, bare copper on dark screw, and white wire on ground screw.

And yes, they are all copper - and here, I thought it was wrong.

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

Suretest showed it grounded.

Yep, black wire was on silver screw, bare copper on dark screw, and white wire on ground screw.

Jack,

Did the SureTest show that as reverse polarity?

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Ted,

It seems like most receptacles have the grounded and grounding conductor terminations on the same side. I can't be sure from this photo, but, it looks like the black conductor is on the light colored screws. That would mean the bare grounding conductor is being used as a hot.

It's the other way round, I believe. The black is hot regardless, assuming the wiring from the panel is correct. Ground becomes energized when you plug in a load. Scary.
Couldn't get it any more wrong then that.

He could have got it more wrong. He could have grounded the hot.

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Ted,

It seems like most receptacles have the grounded and grounding conductor terminations on the same side. I can't be sure from this photo, but, it looks like the black conductor is on the light colored screws. That would mean the bare grounding conductor is being used as a hot.

The black is on the left facing the outlet so yes it is reverse polarity.

Originally Posted by Michael Larson

The black is on the left facing the outlet so yes it is reverse polarity.

michael,
would that be with the ground facing up or down? from looking at it from inside the room?

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Ted,

It seems like most receptacles have the grounded and grounding conductor terminations on the same side. I can't be sure from this photo, but, it looks like the black conductor is on the light colored screws. That would mean the bare grounding conductor is being used as a hot.

Yes the wiring being just screwed up through me off and was not thinking of that silver screw.

If the receptacle wiring goes all the way back to the panel and the ground having no insulation a liitle heat and a good fire could take place. As far as what Micheal said the black does go to ground with that ground wire hooked up on the other side of the receptacle sending juice through that ground wire to the receptacle it came from.

I guess they figured since the ground wire had no insulation on it then it matched more closely the color of the brass screw

Originally Posted by Michael Larson

The black is on the left facing the outlet so yes it is reverse polarity.

Maybe not.

It is possible that the other end of that cable is ... did I just say "it is possible that"??? ... er ... in all likelihood ... the other end of that cable is also all screwed up, so it MAY BE that the bare ground is indeed "hot".

Which is why I asked Jack if he got a reverse polarity reading on his SureTest.

It is entirely possible ... even likely?? ... that is screwed up about as much as one can screw up a circuit.

polarity scmolarity, my copy of "wiring for bubbas" says if you plug something in and it works=you dun good!

Just to play devils advocate here, no disrespect intended but.....

Why did you "not trust" the reading you were getting? Just a hunch or was it something else you discovered in the inspection.

and

why did you pull the cover on the receptacle? And as a general concensus, how many of you inspectors pull cover plates? On occasion, when you feel the need for "further investigation", at every inspection?

Inquiring minds want to know, is there something to be learned here?

Originally Posted by Michael Greenwalt

Just to play devils advocate here, no disrespect intended but.....

Why did you "not trust" the reading you were getting? Just a hunch or was it something else you discovered in the inspection.

and

why did you pull the cover on the receptacle? And as a general concensus, how many of you inspectors pull cover plates? On occasion, when you feel the need for "further investigation", at every inspection?

Inquiring minds want to know, is there something to be learned here?

General rule I keep. If it tests wrong, write it up. If need be due to older wiring or aluminum wiring pull a number of covers off and cive a quick preview of a representive numer of receptacles.

I think Jack was just making the home buyer proud by finding the concern and then pulling it apart to show him what was going on. He got an atta boy for that one

According to Tim ( Home Improvement ) " lets see............dirt is black so black is ground, wiye is like the sun..hot........."

OK - Suretest showed properly grounded outlet.

I do pull off covers many times, and pull the outlets out sometimes too. I do it when i go to a house that has 2 prong outlets, and some 3 prong, and after checking a bunch of ungrounded 3 prongs, I find one that is grounded.
I have found countless bootleg grounds this way.

I was by myself, so this was not done to impress anyone. It's just the way I do things.

When I am in an old house and find a grounded 3 prong outlet, I will pull the cover off and look for a bare copper on the ground screw. If I can't see one, or it looks like a bootleg ground, or something else, I pull out the outlet.

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

OK - Suretest showed properly grounded outlet.

I do pull off covers many times, and pull the outlets out sometimes too. I do it when i go to a house that has 2 prong outlets, and some 3 prong, and after checking a bunch of ungrounded 3 prongs, I find one that is grounded.
I have found countless bootleg grounds this way.

I was by myself, so this was not done to impress anyone. It's just the way I do things.

When I am in an old house and find a grounded 3 prong outlet, I will pull the cover off and look for a bare copper on the ground screw. If I can't see one, or it looks like a bootleg ground, or something else, I pull out the outlet.

"I was by myself, so this was not done to impress anyone. It's just the way I do things."

I was kidding Jack. But it did sound like it made good copy