[220/221]

I killed a micro and coffee maker today. :jester:

Commercial job, grid ceiling, adding a 20A/208V circuit for a copier.

The panel was about 60' away and I chose to pull thru some existing conduit instead of running new or dragging MC back there. The JB was right there and the 3/4 EMT had plenty of space.

I was all done and just folding the existing wires back into the JB when the wire nut popped off the MWBC neutral. I was right above the appliances and I didn't hear anything or smell any smoke so I thought I was good but I got a call later that let me know exactly what happened. Power OK at receps but 2 appliances don't work.

Ya ya ya, I know I should have turned the circuits off but, in an office full of people working, you usually don't know exactly what you are shutting down.

 

[dronai]

So you worked for free ? Go beat those drums tonight !

 

[Cow]

I usually take my chances with that stuff too.

I had a similar thing happen in a local library. We were pulling through existing 4 squares and I had a wirenut pop off just from brushing against it. Fortunately, it was a hot wire, no MWBC and wasn't connected to anything important. I checked all the other wirenuts in the box and they were just as loose.:no:

I still take my chances though, it's too much work to check the tightness of all wirenuts before pulling through a box....:whistling2:

I also can't be bothered with turning anything off either...:thumbup::laughing:

For real though, my Amprobe AT-2005 is a badass breaker finder.

 

[wendon]

I killed a micro and coffee maker today. :jester:

Commercial job, grid ceiling, adding a 20A/208V circuit for a copier.

The panel was about 60' away and I chose to pull thru some existing conduit instead of running new or dragging MC back there. The JB was right there and the 3/4 EMT had plenty of space.

I was all done and just folding the existing wires back into the JB when the wire nut popped off the MWBC neutral. I was right above the appliances and I didn't hear anything or smell any smoke so I thought I was good but I got a call later that let me know exactly what happened. Power OK at receps but 2 appliances don't work.

Ya ya ya, I know I should have turned the circuits off but, in an office full of people working, you usually don't know exactly what you are shutting down.

Who ya gonna blame?????:laughing:

 

[Bkessler]

That's a pisser.

 

[220/221]

Who ya gonna blame?????:laughing:

I blame the clown that doesn't know how to install a wire nut......but it's my responsibility.

I almost had it happen about 10 years ago. The nut didn't come all the way off, just sizzled a bit and I heard the fax machine twitch a little bit and restart.

 

[wendon]

I blame the clown that doesn't know how to install a wire nut......but it's my responsibility.

I almost had it happen about 10 years ago. The nut didn't come all the way off, just sizzled a bit and I heard the fax machine twitch a little bit and restart.

Only experience I've had is when I messed with a ceiling box that was crammed with wires. One of the wires came loose in the neutral junction of the MWBC and the computer board in the garage door opener expired!

 

[Magnettica]

Sorry to hear it 220/221 (whatever it takes).

 

[Bootss]

tell them workmanship of previous lectrician substandard. ( loose wire nuts)

I don't think it's your responsibility

 

[Cow]

tell them workmanship of previous lectrician substandard. ( loose wire nuts)

I don't think it's your responsibility

Come on, that's a copout. Anybody who does this for a living knows the risks...

 

[HARRY304E]

I blame the clown that doesn't know how to install a wire nut.......

That's because he read the wire nut box...:laughing:

 

[Going_Commando]

I killed a micro and coffee maker today. :jester:

Commercial job, grid ceiling, adding a 20A/208V circuit for a copier.

The panel was about 60' away and I chose to pull thru some existing conduit instead of running new or dragging MC back there. The JB was right there and the 3/4 EMT had plenty of space.

I was all done and just folding the existing wires back into the JB when the wire nut popped off the MWBC neutral. I was right above the appliances and I didn't hear anything or smell any smoke so I thought I was good but I got a call later that let me know exactly what happened. Power OK at receps but 2 appliances don't work.

Ya ya ya, I know I should have turned the circuits off but, in an office full of people working, you usually don't know exactly what you are shutting down.

Sounds like somebody is going to make a trip to Wal Mart real soon. The good news is it was you, and not one of your guys, or else you would have to curse them out for being stupid. :laughing:

 

[Magnettica]

Come on, that's a copout. Anybody who does this for a living knows the risks...

The keywords here are "for a living".

We all have to eat **** sometimes as long as we don't make a habit of it.

 

[Bootss]

yep ,previous electrician workmanship sucks

not responsible,

i decree it

 

[mark35]

I killed a micro and coffee maker today. :jester:

Commercial job, grid ceiling, adding a 20A/208V circuit for a copier.

The panel was about 60' away and I chose to pull thru some existing conduit instead of running new or dragging MC back there. The JB was right there and the 3/4 EMT had plenty of space.

I was all done and just folding the existing wires back into the JB when the wire nut popped off the MWBC neutral. I was right above the appliances and I didn't hear anything or smell any smoke so I thought I was good but I got a call later that let me know exactly what happened. Power OK at receps but 2 appliances don't work.

Ya ya ya, I know I should have turned the circuits off but, in an office full of people working, you usually don't know exactly what you are shutting down.

That suuuuucks, sorry to hear that my man. Sometimes, but not all the time, when I'm handling previously made splices I'll give them a twist, just cause I'm there.

 

[drspec]

at my last job, the bosses son took the neutrals apart on a live circuit.

fried a computer, monitor and my brand new battery charger

 

[Big John]

I propose a code change that all MWBC neutrals should be made with irreversible splices. :laughing:

 

[Bkessler]

You know what is nice for working on live circuits.....wago's.

 

[BBQ]

Happened to me.

I was working in a 'CompUSA' adding circuits. I am up on a lift open a 4" square box that had like 6 or 7 1/2" conduits going into it. I knew I should have left it alone. I open it, its over stuffed, I start tugging wires out an the red wire nut pops off a neutral.

Right away I hear buzzing, I look that direction and it is a display of expensive Apple stuff. I get the splice back together, yes it was hot, and now that smell comes on, you know that smell of burned electronics. :jester:

Crap!

I go check things out at the shelving unit with the Apples and it tuned out that what burned up was in fact surge suppressing plug strips. And they smoked big time, they left smoke silhouettes on the shelves when I removed them. I plugged the stuff back into new plug strips and all the stuff seemed to reboot.

A little while later a store employee asked me if the clutch in my electric scissor lift was slipping because he smelled something.

I said yes.

 

[randas]

Funny thing is nothing would have happened if there was no surge suppressor. Virtually all modern computers have auto switching electronic powersupplies. I've got an apple computer infront of me and it can handle anything from 100-250v