Taping electrical outlets?
- Thread starter Teken
- Start date
mcdtommy23
Well-known member
Ask them where the ******** panel is.If you can't find the electrical panel then either you're a bad electrician, or you found a really, really stupid customer - and in that case, tell them you'll come back when they find the breaker.
If the panel was hidden I'd tell them that's probably a code violation, and ask how they expect me to fix something they've hidden. Again tell them you'll come back when they pull their head out of their ***.
Here's an example. Well known restaurant chain store, built in 1960 something. The building has been redone numerous times. 1 panel is behind a roll around freezer, the other is behind a front counter menu board that some idiot installed over the panel. Managers and crew people come and go, most don't know a light bulb from an extension cord let alone a breaker panel.
We have sugggested NUMEROUS times that these be relocated- no go, "costs to much $$$"
If we tell the customer (our employer) to pull his head out of his ***. We will no longer have a job. We have urged him to have these moved as have several outside companies. Luckily we know where the panels are at and have indicated their location near the affected devices/outlets.Hell, I've seen some locations put pictures over flush mount panels. WTF! When you've got 6-7 panels in the location already it makes things real fun to track.
Not saying that kind of stuff doesn't happen...but as a professional, I would say no to that customer, or tell your boss (and OSHA) that you refuse to work on hot lines. Just becuase THEY do something stupid doesn't equal a problem on the electrician's part, unless he's being paid to fix it. I probably wouldn't specifically ask them to pull their head out of their ***, but I'd tell them the only way to work on this dump, until you fix it right, is to turn off power to everything. Don't like it? Call somebody else. Now maybe the building manager will think about that kind of stuff a little more carefully next time.Here's an example. Well known restaurant chain store, built in 1960 something. The building has been redone numerous times. 1 panel is behind a roll around freezer, the other is behind a front counter menu board that some idiot installed over the panel. Managers and crew people come and go, most don't know a light bulb from an extension cord let alone a breaker panel.
We have sugggested NUMEROUS times that these be relocated- no go, "costs to much $$$"
Hell, I've seen some locations put pictures over flush mount panels. WTF! When you've got 6-7 panels in the location already it makes things real fun to track.
One thing is for damn sure - I charge more to work on hot lines than cold ones!
It's kind of like if you took your car in for an oil change and a tire rotation, but refused to give them the keys. They'd also most likely refuse to service your car.
Last edited:
mcdtommy23
Well-known member
We've told the owner(s) that the best thing they could do is rebuild. Electrical is only one aspect of the overall problem. Plumbing, structural, and overall layout are problems as well.
The owner does want to rebuild, however, corporation dictates when and if. They also control when/if he can shut down for work. Hell, we've had 2 fryer fires in as many months. It was the result of cracked pots, dust, and workers not giving a Sht. I've learned that we can't control what others do, and we can't fix stupid.
As for working on hot lines, he did buy us PPE. I'm sorry, I've never been able to use the PPE for a 110 circuit, nor do I care to.
The owner does want to rebuild, however, corporation dictates when and if. They also control when/if he can shut down for work. Hell, we've had 2 fryer fires in as many months. It was the result of cracked pots, dust, and workers not giving a Sht. I've learned that we can't control what others do, and we can't fix stupid.
As for working on hot lines, he did buy us PPE. I'm sorry, I've never been able to use the PPE for a 110 circuit, nor do I care to.
I taped the wire nuts on my ceiling fan boxes. I figured gravity is pulling them down and its bound to get a little vibration transferred into the wires. It cant hurt and its gives me a little piece of mind. It was only to keep the nuts from backing off, not to actually secure the wires, like when you safety wire bolts/nuts on racecars. Ive never taped an outlet, although I could see where it might make it easier to handle a live circuit. Ill admit it. Its only 120v,lol
Im just a johnny homeowner though, but I bet I could spot a few "WTF were you thinking?" things on your automobiles. I bet at least half of you guys driving trucks have bad ball joints/idler arms...or recently replaced ball joints.
Im just a johnny homeowner though, but I bet I could spot a few "WTF were you thinking?" things on your automobiles. I bet at least half of you guys driving trucks have bad ball joints/idler arms...or recently replaced ball joints.
comedyman809
Well-known member
the whole idea of doing it is when used with a metal box, and over time, the recepticle lossens from years of use., it will prevent a short. thats all.
most home use plastic, but older and commercial use metal. just a safety precaution. will not harm anything.
who here really has heat problems in there recepticles?? if you have heat problems, then the cause is not the recepticle.
most home use plastic, but older and commercial use metal. just a safety precaution. will not harm anything.
who here really has heat problems in there recepticles?? if you have heat problems, then the cause is not the recepticle.
What about a bad connection? Wouldn't you get heat if there's a bad conncetion?
not always. if you have a receptacle whos contacts have lost their retention force it will heat.
comedyman809
Well-known member
then replace the recepticle when you notice the heat buildup...recepticles are simple and cheap to replace.
hidollartoys
Well-known member
After 131 posts let me get this straight.....Tape the receptacle if you want OR dont tape the receptacle if you dont. Seems like a simple solution????????
Rickster55
Well-known member
That's just what I was thinking! No right or wrong - personal preference. BTW, I do. 
nate379
Banned
I almost had ground on a hot screw just today. Doing wiring in my bathroom, 4 switches in a gang box. I did a final check with a flashlight before kicking on the breaker and caught it then (was working in the dim daylight)
Several sources I checked out before wiring my garage instructed the DIYer to tape outlets when installing duplex outlets and when installing outlets into metal boxes.
Honestly, I thought it was common practice/a requirement to tape outlets and switches when installed into metal boxes.
You learn something new everyday.
Honestly, I thought it was common practice/a requirement to tape outlets and switches when installed into metal boxes.
You learn something new everyday.
Coach James
Well-known member
These kind of posts are actually some of the most fun to read. And I truly don't mean that as an insult to anyone.
Coach
rburke65
Well-known member
Teken said, "What I suspect will come down the pipe"....I believe it is, c ome down the pike" as in "turnpike" or "road".
Vinko
Well-known member
These kind of posts are actually some of the most fun to read. And I truly don't mean that as an insult to anyone.
Coach
+1 a highly enjoyable thread. It's actually made me want to ask another question or two.
+1 a highly enjoyable thread. It's actually made me want to ask another question or two.
Then, why did you not my good man?
I am happy that some of my threads have sparked interests and critical feed-back from all GJ members far and wide. 
I aways appreciate the finer clarification or details that a lot of you bring to the table.
I know sometimes it gets heated in terms of what people deem as normal etc. But, I don't do this for a living, so any insight or best practices are always welcomed in my book.
Cheers!
Gooch
Well-known member
i havn't read the entire thread, but the reason I tape all my outlets and switches is because of this:
a few years ago, i was working in an office building. customer wanted 2 fixtures per switch instead of the current 4 fixtures.(conference room) the two switches that were there were in a 2-gang cut-in metal box(gangable) so the plan was to pull the two switches and box out of the wall, expand the cut in box from 2 gang to 4 gang, re-install, pull wire, install switches and turn the power back on. Now if your not familiar with metal cut-in box, you cut a hole in the drywall the size of the box, slide it in the hole and then on each end you use these metal straps(a.k.a. Mattison Straps or Battleship Straps), they wedge on the outside of the box and extend above and below the box behind the drywall and then two tabs bend over to the inside of the box. There is not a whole lot of space in these boxes and I knew better but i didn't tape the switches, got everything back together, turned the power back on, turned on the first three switches and everything was fine, hit the last switch and BANG! all the lights on the entire floor went out. Tripped the main breaker for the lighting panel(thank god it was just lighting). The branch circuit breaker should have been the only thing that tripped(it did trip) but the RMS setting on the I-Line main breaker for that panel was not properly set so the entire panel went dead. took the cover off the switches and instantly realized what happened, one of the metal tabs was close enough to the switched side screw of the last switch and when I turned it on, 277v arc'd and caused all this problem, along with two burned up power packs(motion sensor relay's). Like i said, I knew better, should have taped the switch, should always tape anything going in a metal cut-in box. so now i just tape everything so i never forget to tape something going in a cut-in box, so nothing like this happens to me again.
like i said, i didn't read the entire thread so maybe someone covered this already.
a few years ago, i was working in an office building. customer wanted 2 fixtures per switch instead of the current 4 fixtures.(conference room) the two switches that were there were in a 2-gang cut-in metal box(gangable) so the plan was to pull the two switches and box out of the wall, expand the cut in box from 2 gang to 4 gang, re-install, pull wire, install switches and turn the power back on. Now if your not familiar with metal cut-in box, you cut a hole in the drywall the size of the box, slide it in the hole and then on each end you use these metal straps(a.k.a. Mattison Straps or Battleship Straps), they wedge on the outside of the box and extend above and below the box behind the drywall and then two tabs bend over to the inside of the box. There is not a whole lot of space in these boxes and I knew better but i didn't tape the switches, got everything back together, turned the power back on, turned on the first three switches and everything was fine, hit the last switch and BANG! all the lights on the entire floor went out. Tripped the main breaker for the lighting panel(thank god it was just lighting). The branch circuit breaker should have been the only thing that tripped(it did trip) but the RMS setting on the I-Line main breaker for that panel was not properly set so the entire panel went dead. took the cover off the switches and instantly realized what happened, one of the metal tabs was close enough to the switched side screw of the last switch and when I turned it on, 277v arc'd and caused all this problem, along with two burned up power packs(motion sensor relay's). Like i said, I knew better, should have taped the switch, should always tape anything going in a metal cut-in box. so now i just tape everything so i never forget to tape something going in a cut-in box, so nothing like this happens to me again.
like i said, i didn't read the entire thread so maybe someone covered this already.
Wires that have been striped always incur some damage to the copper, then after bending and twisting they see more damage. I'm sure you all have had to re-strip a wire that broke off, this is why you always tape. If the wire breaks off form what-ever reason form the wire nut and touches your neutral or metal box your gonna find the problem one way or another.
hidollartoys
Well-known member
Just tape the damn receptacles and switches..... or dont.