Code Violations?

[darkwingbenny]

I found these homemade extension cords used to power outdoor Christmas lighting at a church I volunteer for. Seems they used Vinyl Armoured Connectors to make a long extension cord that tee's off from a central point and has multiple taps.

Is this safe? I can see that the ground conductor is not being used, no strain relief and I'm guessing these connectors were not designed to be used in this manner. In addition the power is coming from a light socket adapter with no GFCI protection.

Please comment on all the violations and why or why not this is not safe.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rickster55]

Sounds like you have already answered your own questions.

 

[Jay H 237]

I'm not sure there's a true "code" in how temp outdoor displays are set up in most areas. I'm interested to see the responses.

The only thing I'd say is I don't think the lack of ground would make much difference, none of the Xmas lights have a ground, it wouldn't be used if it was there.

 

[thightower]

In my understanding a person can get by if it is "temporary". Safety would be my main concern.

 

[ForceFed70]

Looks hokey to me. I certainly would have done it differently.

Since most christmas lights don't use the ground anyway, I don't see what benifit you'd get out of having a ground conductor.

If the circuit(s) are GFI protected, I wouldn't have a problem with it. Otherwise, I think it's dangerous... especially in a public place like a church with children running around.

 

[offroadsteve]

I would agree with Jay that the lack of ground doesn't make much difference, since Christmas lights are ungrounded. Adding a GFCI shouldn't be a problem, could just get an extension cord with one built in.

I'd primarily be concerned about an overload on some portion of the circuit... as for the homemade multi-tap cord... I've seen worse...

I'd much rather see individual cords and proper splitters, but I also understand a limited budget for a church project... its a judgement call in my opinion.

 

[Alchymist]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XU5MEG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[May Pop]

All pictures would be in violation as the cord ends are designed for one cord in only.
The cord ends are for dry use only.
I would bet the strain relief is not being used also.
Ron

 

[tdkkart]

Not sure there's much "code" once the power leaves the receptacle. There is however regs on extension cords used in businesses etc where the public is exposed.

That said, I surprised that we don't hear more about people electrocuted by lights, there's LOT's of Clark Griswald installations out there every year.


Huh, didn't realize that "x-m-a-s" made little guys??

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Lack of GFCI is the single biggest issue. That needs to be fixed right away with a GFCI receptacle or short cord with GFCI built in at the beginning of the circuit. Is the outlet possibly protected by a GFCI breaker in the panel???

Second issue is the wire going into the cord end, with no protection. Could easily rub and pinch and short on the metal sleeve. They should have used old cheap rubber two prong cord ends. They are found at Home Depot and Lowes. Those are actually some rather expensive ends to use for something temporary like that.

Charles

 

[Zeke]

You have to wonder even about the old style rubber connections. Are they for outdoor use in any form not covered? I have rigged up some temporary decorative lighting before and always taped the connections, elevated them and if possible, put them under overhead protection.

This has little to do with outdoor strings of lights, but I was reading yesterday about polarization of the common table lamp, especially a metal one. I will defer to Charles, but it seems an in line GFCI better well be wired with the correct polarity. It would be easy to get mixed up with some of the mickeymouse cords people have.

Best to throw away any without the wide neutral spade unless the GFCI is absolutely at the head of the circuit. I think I'm going to toss my whole decorative lighting stash and buy some LEDs. With polarized connections just in case.

 

[madosta]

I used to work for a holiday lighting company. We put up lots of those animated displays. Hundreds of 15amp triac controlled circuits, hundreds of extension cords.

We often broke ground pins off to keep gfci's from tripping. Did anyone ever get hurt? Anything burn down? No.

Are the cords in question safe? Probably. Probably not.
Will you die using them? Not sure.

Has it been done before and will it be done again? Absolutely.

 

[Falcon67]

I've done my share of "wing it" display lighting, that's for sure. But it was all off a GFCI. I'd at least do that. I put up our first good display in this house this year - first thing I checked was if the 20A plug on the porch was GFCI protected. No surprise that it wasn't, so that got fixed right quick. No spliced cords this year LOL. Its all good outdoor grade stuff in the bushes.

 

[mayday0017]

I wouldn't be scared of them.... wouldn't be a great long term solution, but for short term I don't see any risk, at least they didn't strip back the wire and cut the plug off the christmas lights and just tape it to it....

It's safe in my opinion, onlything I would like to see is more electrical tape so nothing could be unplugged by a young kid, but even correct wiring could be unplugged by a young kid and shock them.

 

[kbs2244]

What good is a GFI outlet on a two wire load?

 

[Falcon67]

What good is a GFI outlet on a two wire load?

That's the way it works.
A residual-current device (RCD), or residual-current circuit breaker (RCCB), is an electrical wiring device that disconnects a circuit whenever it detects that the electric current is not balanced between the energized conductor and the return neutral conductor. Such an imbalance may indicate current leakage through the body of a person who is grounded and accidentally touching the energized part of the circuit.

 

[ForceFed70]

What good is a GFI outlet on a two wire load?

As Falcon pointed out... better do some research on how a GFI works.

 

[Alchymist]

What good is a GFI outlet on a two wire load?

GFCIs are used extensively where existing 2 wire installations cannot be easily rewired to 3 wire. 3 prong receptacle installed, and labeled to warn GFCI protected but no ground present. NEC legal.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I used to work for a holiday lighting company. We put up lots of those animated displays. Hundreds of 15amp triac controlled circuits, hundreds of extension cords.

We often broke ground pins off to keep gfci's from tripping. Did anyone ever get hurt? Anything burn down? No.

Are the cords in question safe? Probably. Probably not.
Will you die using them? Not sure.

Has it been done before and will it be done again? Absolutely.

If the GFCI was tripping and the ground pin was the cause, that means there was a short somewhere in the cord that I would have fixed....

 

[madosta]

If the GFCI was tripping and the ground pin was the cause, that means there was a short somewhere in the cord that I would have fixed....

Interesting. We had a lot of problems with snow and water tripping them. Glad I'm not doing that anymore although it was pretty fun.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Could have been water getting into the cord ends and causing a short between hot and ground! Remember, grounds are your friend(though, GFIs are better!).... And a GFI does not need a ground to function!

 

[nehog]

What good is a GFI outlet on a two wire load?

GFI outlets (and breakers) know nothing about grounds or the ground wire.

 

[darkwingbenny]

Is the outlet possibly protected by a GFCI breaker in the panel???

Charles

Thanks to everyone for their helpful responses. The outlet is not GFCI protected. I added portable GFCI plug with surge protection as a temporary fix.

There is an outside pox with a potocell that control some outside lighting but the box is filled. Can a add a box extension and branch off of that to add another outside box for a new GFCI outlet? What is the best way to connect the two boxes and keep them weatherproof?

Thanks

 

[kbs2244]

So...
It isn't a "ground fault" at all.
(The ground isn’t there)
Just an calculated "imbalance" between the hot and the neutral?

 

[ishiboo]

So...
It isn't a "ground fault" at all.
(The ground isn’t there)
Just an calculated "imbalance" between the hot and the neutral?

There is a "grounded conductor", the "ground", and "the ground" to remember.

A circuit always needs to complete a path. It should always be from the hot to the neutral. The "ground" wire is mainly used for grounding metal enclosures, cases of power tools, etc. If there is a fault where this metal would become energized, instead of sending it through a person when they touch it, it would create a "short" and hopefully trip the breaker.

A GFI/GFCI measures the current between the hot and the neutral - if it is not equal, that means current is escaping somewhere. The human protection comes because it would escape through the human to "ground" - not necessarily the ground wire, but something "grounded".

So, it is a ground fault, just not through the "ground wire"... though if you became electrified somehow and touched a grounded wire, the GFI would attempt to protect you... without it, just touching a grounded wire would create a path and actually put you in harms way.

 

[Falcon67]

Deep tech - it trips off a fault between the hot and the Grounded conductor (neutral). The copper is the "Grounding conductor".

 

[ForceFed70]

So...
It isn't a "ground fault" at all.
(The ground isn’t there)
Just an calculated "imbalance" between the hot and the neutral?

That's what it looks at yes.

Another explanation:

The reason it's called a Ground Fault Interupter is because of the following.

The word Fault in this circumstance means "An unintended electrical connection" So a short circuit, a crossed circuit, etc.

Ground Fault thus means "Unintended electrical connection to ground"

And taking it a step further: Ground Fault Interupter means "Interrupts an unintended electrical connection to ground"

It simple terms: A GFI compares the current travelling out the hot lead and the current travelling back on the neutral lead. If they do not match it means that current is travelling to ground instead of back on the neutral and you have a dangerous situation.

 

[kbs2244]

Thanks guys

I like the explanation forcefed70 gave

ishiboo did well too

The definition of the "fault" was the light bulb.