Taping outlets/switches - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

mickeyco · 02-02-2008, 07:28 PM

I was watching Ask This Old House and they had an electrician replacing a light switch and she wrapped the switch with electrical tape to cover the contacts. I remember seeing posts here that that was a sure fir way to spot a DIY'er work. I don't if it was a metal or plastic JB but I see plenty of electricians do it out here (we only have metal boxes). So what's the deal, this a regional thing, not necessary or just a crazy woman electrician?

buildenterprise · 02-02-2008, 07:31 PM

Wimmen shouldn't be messing with electricity, other than to dry their hair....and cook.

mickeyco · 02-02-2008, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buildenterprise

Wimmen shouldn't be messing with electricity, other than to dry their hair....and cook.

You're a brave and/or foolish man for making that statement.

knothole · 02-02-2008, 07:43 PM

Never seen it done in my area, but what do I know.....

mdshunk · 02-02-2008, 07:49 PM

Yes, I see that as a way to spot DIY work. There are a couple of times when I will wrap a switch or receptacle. 1) when I'm replacing a device hot, and the box is metal. Keeps me from accidentally tripping the breaker and/or embarrassing myself. 2) For temporary devices on a construction or remodel job, where the cover plates are omitted for the installation of the wall finish material.

buildenterprise · 02-02-2008, 07:54 PM

Yea, I will tape them when I am working on a live circuit and a metal box.

neolitic · 02-02-2008, 07:56 PM

We had one electrician who
always did it on old work(steel boxes),
but as Md, said the trim was never going
back on while he was there.
Always before finish coat paint.

nap · 02-02-2008, 08:00 PM

.

I have had it spec'd in the job spec's. It was stated as " devices (switches and recpetacles) will be wrapped with no less than two complete layers of electrical tape". This was a multimillion dollare hospital BTW so it was not a little nobody architect/engineering firm making odd requests.

If I am using cut-in (metal) boxes or masonry boxes; it is an absolute.

If there are multiple devices- again, it gets done

single devices in a 4 square box; usually not.

james8199 · 02-02-2008, 08:13 PM

I only do it working live as a couple of other guys have said. The company I work for though is kinda hell bent on it. The first job I did with them at this grocery store I was questioned as to why I wasn't taping any devices. I told him that I never did and he told me that it was code. I have never seen this anywhere in the code, unless it's a jurisdiction thing.

220/221 · 02-02-2008, 09:23 PM

1. Metal cut in box+hot

2. Hot trim before drywallers/tapers are done.

3. Pre granite backsplash when I know the granite guys will be removing/replacing them.

goose134 · 02-02-2008, 10:44 PM

Man, I started to feel bad about taping my outlets, until I started seeing that people tape in metal boxes. That's all we have. So I tape devices.

Sportbilly · 02-02-2008, 10:45 PM

Then I apprenticed for an awful lot of DIYers. Taping contacts on outlets and switches was Standard Operating Procedure with the Wichita IBEW guys I worked under, and with

Celtic · 02-02-2008, 11:13 PM

Why would you tape an outlet/switch?

Sportbilly · 02-02-2008, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celtic

Why would you tape an outlet/switch?

The reasons I was given were

a: Less likely to contact box/wire in the event it was pulled apart
b: Less likely to contact fingers under same conditions

That's it, just something we always did.

If one were to ever service/test this outlet hot, might have made more sense to me, but as it was, never saw the need, unless one had bare copper ground wire in resi work?

reveivl · 02-03-2008, 12:06 AM

Doing remodeling I am often dealing with hot circuits and often have to replace/repair/alter the finish surface, so I unscrew the receptacles, tape them and then tuck them into the box out of the way. This allows the installation of the new surface without damaging the receptacles/switches. It never occurred to me that this was in some way 'wrong'. It simply made sense at the time.

Other than 'being the mark of a DIY' is there something intrinsically wrong with this practice? Is there something dangerous about this practice? Is there any reason why someone shouldn't use this practice?

I'm curious why you would bring this up because to tape them in my line of work simply makes sense to this carpenter.

tdavis · 02-03-2008, 12:43 AM

I work with 2 different electricians that have very different backgrounds. One is mainly commercial and industrial, the other hammers through ugly historic renovations.

The industrial guy, Tapes every device.
The renovation guy, never seen him tape a device.

I think they are both right... I like leveling the device with the tape on it much better.

you mentioned the granite backsplashes, we have been using the adjustable depth boxes for years on those and it works great. You can leave it sticking out a couple inches to make it easy to manuever and then adjust it perfectly flush after install.

Celtic · 02-03-2008, 12:46 AM

If the outlet were installed properly the first time....the tape would serve no purpose.

If the outlet needed some "attention" - why would you work it hot?

Sportbilly · 02-03-2008, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celtic

If the outlet were installed properly the first time....the tape would serve no purpose.

If the outlet needed some "attention" - why would you work it hot?

I know I know, don't shoot the messenger

lol

Magnettica · 02-03-2008, 02:49 AM

I always tape my switches and receptacles if they're in a metal box. The reason being is for the next guy who may need to get in there for troubleshooting or whatever. This way, the likelyhood of a ground fault happening is less likely.

mahlere · 02-03-2008, 07:58 AM

i don't care so much whether a device is taped or not...it's when wirenuts are taped that I shake my head...

i have one building where the lighting is 480V, the circuits are run in #10 XHHW (job spec'd it) and the lighting has #16 SO cord...whomever installed these, and it's my guess it was the same apprentice that spliced all of them, did the following:

used a knife to strip approx. 1 inch of insulation off the end of each #10, and then stripped approx 1.5 inches off the SO cord...twisted them all together, and used a really cheap version of a red twister...this left approx 1/2" of exposed wire at each splice...so they taped every splice with incredibly cheap tape (not even 1700)...

oh...this is a Port Authority building...engineered to the hilt and installed by a closed shop...