How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?
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Old 08-27-2009, 11:06 AM   #61
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

after reading your posts i don't think i would call anyone stupid

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Old 08-27-2009, 11:08 AM   #62
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

Quote:
Originally Posted by handyman99 View Post
......Well to make a long story short, the owner told me that he was sure it was going to work...
Uh, 'it works' does NOT mean it's SAFE!

And now you're taking electrical advice from a HOMEOWNER????????

Quote:
Originally Posted by handyman99 View Post
.......For once in my life I am thankful that you guys are stupid.
If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black!

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Last edited by 480sparky; 08-27-2009 at 11:15 AM.
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Old 08-27-2009, 11:26 AM   #63
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

Quote:
Originally Posted by handyman99 View Post
I talked to the owner this morning and told him that I couldn't do the job because I wasn't sure if it was neutral or ground. I explain to him that I wasted 2 hours on the internet trying to figure this out. The owner told me that he is not surprise, all electrician are either arrogant or stupid. The owner stated whenever he dealt with electrician, they give him the same attitude.

Well to make a long story short, the owner told me that he was sure it was going to work and either way he was going to pay me for the job if I did the job. Originally price I was going to charge him was 2 hours of work at $75.00 an hour. After I told him that I wasn't going to do the job, he increased the pay to 4 hours of work. (Two hours on the internet and 2 hours wiring.)

I made $300.00 cash and it only took me 45 minutes to install the socket.

I was frustrated yesterday, but the frustration paid off. For once in my life I am thankful that you guys are stupid.


Seriously..Why would someone pay someone to do something that they do not know how to do?And why would someone charge someone money to do something they have no clue about??
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Last edited by JumboJack; 08-27-2009 at 11:28 AM.
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Old 08-27-2009, 11:38 AM   #64
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

The condition you described sounds like knob and tube. If that's the case, you have no business tying new work to it.

It's no exaggeration to say the risk is fire and loss of life. I hope you sleep well. I am incredibly disappointed this thread was allowed to continue.

One of the responsibilities of working in someone's home is to counsel them when something they want done is not a good idea.

I can only hope this was a made up story from some anonymous idiot, getting a nice laugh out of jerking everyone around for so long.
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Old 08-27-2009, 11:51 AM   #65
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

The ridiculous threads always get the most response but are also the most entertaining.
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Old 08-27-2009, 11:59 AM   #66
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

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Originally Posted by ChrWright View Post
The condition you described sounds like knob and tube. If that's the case, you have no business tying new work to it.

It's no exaggeration to say the risk is fire and loss of life. I hope you sleep well. I am incredibly disappointed this thread was allowed to continue.

One of the responsibilities of working in someone's home is to counsel them when something they want done is not a good idea.

I can only hope this was a made up story from some anonymous idiot, getting a nice laugh out of jerking everyone around for so long.
I think you may be right.If it was not K/T then it would just be NMC and the wires would be easy to trace.But when one wire "goes into the attic" and the other "goes someplace else" that sounds like K/T...Unless they guy is even more of a goof then it seems.
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Old 08-27-2009, 12:22 PM   #67
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

Quote:
Originally Posted by handyman99 View Post
I talked to the owner this morning and told him that I couldn't do the job because I wasn't sure if it was neutral or ground. I explain to him that I wasted 2 hours on the internet trying to figure this out. The owner told me that he is not surprise, all electrician are either arrogant or stupid. The owner stated whenever he dealt with electrician, they give him the same attitude.

Well to make a long story short, the owner told me that he was sure it was going to work and either way he was going to pay me for the job if I did the job. Originally price I was going to charge him was 2 hours of work at $75.00 an hour. After I told him that I wasn't going to do the job, he increased the pay to 4 hours of work. (Two hours on the internet and 2 hours wiring.)

I made $300.00 cash and it only took me 45 minutes to install the socket.

I was frustrated yesterday, but the frustration paid off. For once in my life I am thankful that you guys are stupid.
You are a funny guy, you are an unlicensed hack and you want us to believe the landlord was stupid enough to pay you $300 to do something you have no clue about.
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Old 08-27-2009, 01:42 PM   #68
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

Any chance this is retaliation for Grumpy's post on plumbingzone?
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Old 08-27-2009, 03:07 PM   #69
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

Four pages of posts, and no one has mentioned the PAINFULLY OBVIOUS!

The OP wants to know if one of the wires is a neutral or ground.

As a professional electrician, I KNOW what the difference is between the neutral (correctly called the grounded) and the ground (grounding) conductors.

As any first-year apprentice can tell you, the main difference between the two is how they are used in ordinary circumstances. And in ordinary circumstances, ONLY ONE of them will carry current.

The OTHER will only carry current when circumstances are ---not--- ordinary.




Handyman99, you need to leave your wire strippers at home.







Oh, wait, this is your home. In that case, walk into any electrical supply house and turn your strippers in to them. They will have you sign an affidavit to never touch wiring again. Do this, and no charges will be filed, and no one else will get killed.
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Old 08-27-2009, 03:36 PM   #70
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

Quote:
Originally Posted by handyman99 View Post

I made $300.00 cash and it only took me 45 minutes to install the socket.

...and the cycle continues of the non-compliant wiring done...jacking up the eventual cost of repairing that hovel you call a home


I hope you keep marshmallows in the roach infested cabinets
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Old 08-27-2009, 04:01 PM   #71
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

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Originally Posted by Celtic View Post
......jacking up the eventual cost of repairing that hovel you call a home .............
How does one repair a pile of smoldering ashes?
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Old 08-27-2009, 05:05 PM   #72
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

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How does one repair a pile of smoldering ashes?

With backhoes and excavating equipment
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Old 08-27-2009, 06:35 PM   #73
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

This had to be a gag thread. no one in their right mind would come on here and take the continual abuse this guy took, AND KEEP COMING BACK.
I can believe someone would ask the original question, but not keep coming back after getting ripped over and over.
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Old 08-27-2009, 08:19 PM   #74
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

It has to be a gag, no one would ask such an assinine question.

Someone post this thread in on the joke page it takes the cake!
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Old 08-27-2009, 09:24 PM   #75
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

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This had to be a gag thread. no one in their right mind would come on here and take the continual abuse this guy took, AND KEEP COMING BACK.
I can believe someone would ask the original question, but not keep coming back after getting ripped over and over.
Not necessarily.

Someone who's been around here before...(someone who's been banned perhaps )...would know that even in the midst of all the flaming--someone usually ends up coughing up some info.
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Old 08-27-2009, 10:40 PM   #76
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

OP, you said yourself that you have the ability to do it yourself. Then please figure it out. Call me after 10 tomorrow and I'll have the dumpsters and skidsteers there by lunch. We'll have the lot cleared by 5.
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Old 08-27-2009, 10:41 PM   #77
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

This is way too funny....... handyman on CT asking for advice. Go get a qualified professional...yah loser go back to the home depot parking lot job line.
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Old 08-27-2009, 10:43 PM   #78
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

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With backhoes and excavating equipment
i'll provide that...
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Old 08-28-2009, 12:09 AM   #79
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

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i'll provide that...

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Old 08-28-2009, 12:39 AM   #80
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Re: How To Know If Unknown Wire Is "neutral Or Ground"?

No one brought up the idea that the landlord WANTS the home to burn down and is setting up the handyman for a fall. I'm sure the pay was 'cash'. I can here the landlord now, "I did not authorize or pay for any of the modifications made to that structure by my RENTER and have no liability for the deaths of his wife and children. Kindly remit my check for $250k; "Sorry about your dead family. That's a bummer dude. oh my insurer has some questions for you..."
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