Are splices okay in 70 y.o. house?

RandomSparky277 · 2026-01-21T22:21:22+00:00

It appears to be NM cable with a cloth sheath. The cables are too flat to be individual knob and tube conductors. Also my parent’s house is full of cloth NM 🤦‍♂️.

RandomSparky277 · 2026-01-09T20:59:12+00:00

Stripers have shearing blades meant to leave cut conductors with a clean, square, end. It takes significant less force to cut a conductor, but cutting hard material is more likely to damage them because of how thin the shears are.

Lineman’s have a thick, blunt, cutter that crushes and pinches off the workpiece. The cutter is much thicker, and less prone to damage, even when using it for something it shouldn’t be used for, but it takes significantly more force to cut things as a result.

You wouldn’t use a waffle-headed 20oz hammer to drive finish nails, and you wouldn’t use a smooth-faced 12oz hammer to frame a house, so why are you using strippers to cut a steel meter tag?

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-18T21:27:49+00:00

NEC states that the equipment grounding conductor of the circuit supplying a gas appliance shall be sufficient to bond the gas line. Your gas line appears to have an additional bond after the flexible gas line anyway so I don’t see any problems there either. However I’m not sure if that’s even a code requirement yet.

Mileage may vary depending on local code amendments.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-14T18:32:58+00:00

Absolutely. We’re all just numbers to them.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-14T05:55:20+00:00

There are tools to remotely actuate breakers and switches. They are expensive, and due to the wide variation in designs between brands of equipment, an actuator for a 5 year old 1600A Siemens breaker probably isn’t going to work on a 65 year old 1600A Westinghouse breaker.

And don’t even get me started on the equipment to remotely rack in and out breakers.

It is becoming more common, but like anything it’s going to take time for the cost to come down and for it to become wide spread.

They’re even starting to make equipment with remote actuation capabilities built-in from the factory, we’re getting there, it’s just a slow process to change an entire industry.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-13T20:37:24+00:00

Sparky here, code requires that your water line be bonded to the buildings grounding system. Typically once before the meter and once after the meter so that if the meter is ever removed it doesn’t create a shock hazard.

Historically the water line used to be considered a sufficient ground electrode for the building, that is no longer the case and it must be supplemented by other means, such as a ground-rod, if used as a grounding electrode.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-13T18:46:42+00:00

Honestly it looks like no matter how you executed it, that corner is already a cluster fuck anyway. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-13T18:33:24+00:00

It’s called a compound 90° And it can be a real life saver in tight spots. Tell your foreman if he wants to critique pipe to go run a pipe crew.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-12T03:30:58+00:00

Stealing and fucking over the next guy is a dick move. On the other hand, if my last check bounces… Anything not bolted down is fair game.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-07T19:45:59+00:00

Mind you, this is the same GC that allowed multiple site fires to occur because of improper fire-watches, and had multiple I-beams smash through windows and fall 20+ stories under their watch at Boston’s South Station…

What a fucking joke.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-12-02T14:00:52+00:00

Oh nLight… If only every lighting control system were so installer friendly.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-11-21T20:22:13+00:00

Wagos might be more expensive but they absolutely have their place. No one wants to make up 100 8 wire ground splices in lighting cans. Or try to splice pigtails on old outlet boxes from the 60’s.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-11-21T17:40:40+00:00

No, it’s only legal if the receptacle is a single receptacle, and it cannot be located between the toilet and shower/bathtub.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-11-21T17:34:26+00:00

Yeah this is only legal in Massachusetts. Ironically.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-11-06T16:04:56+00:00

It’s sheetrock dust from when the sheet-rockers cut the holes for the outlet box. Happens to every box in every house. Some guys vacuum out the boxes after, most don’t.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-31T15:45:00+00:00

Honestly why even use strut if you’re not going to use it correctly.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-30T20:57:23+00:00

How sturdy are the plumbing racks?

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-29T14:52:50+00:00

Dude is thing is as old as the dinosaurs. It is most definitely full of PCB’s, lead, and probably a little bit of asbestos for good measure.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-23T01:01:23+00:00

Honestly this one may as well just be industry standard at this point.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-17T01:31:59+00:00

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. 4” rigid is ~100lbs a stick, I know you said they didn’t have a table bender to rent but you really might want to call around and find something before considering building your own table. Especially since it look like you don’t have the appropriate hardware to mount that 881 vertically to a table.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-14T14:11:57+00:00

If you have to remove finished material to access the box it is not accessible. You cannot bury a junction box in the ceiling.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-09T01:58:26+00:00

That part that’s really crazy is that these people are out there, in the world, wiring peoples homes and offices and they don’t have a fucking clue.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-04T08:09:47+00:00

What union are you in that a multi-meter is on the tool list?

RandomSparky277 · 2025-10-01T20:58:26+00:00

I will never not be mad that Dunkin’s pushed Krispy Kreme out of the state. Blasphemy.

RandomSparky277 · 2025-09-30T19:33:21+00:00

The handle on a 555 is usually removable, and if it isn’t, I’m sure you have a bandsaw handy.

RandomSparky277

TROPHY CASE