[sdiy] Illegal Home Wiring

[harrybissell]

I have an isolation transformer, and run the studio from a completely isolated
electrical system, with its own ground point (separate from the mains).

Now Larry Hendry (hi ;^)  says this is DEFINATELY NOT NEC spec... and I
agree.  I consider it 'temporary wiring' as the entire system is actually
portable.

Sort of like those handy outlet strips that you really should not use for any
fixed installation.

Now if someone were able to (like in a public building) plug some gear into MY
system, and other gear into the HOUSE system... it would go mit der
sprtizensparken
und gerpoppen.  NOT GOOD.

I have knob and tube wiring as well. It MEETS all provisions of the National
Electrical
Code. I got the sticker to prove it... well at least it did, this day in
October, 1916  :^P

H^) harry

Dave Magnuson wrote:

> > Try testing both outlets with one of those little plug-in testers ($10 at
> > Home Depot). That'll tell you if there's anything really wrong.
>
> WARNING!!!!!  I own one of these  outlet testers, and they CAN BE WRONG!!!!
>
> My former landlord had an electrician update my old apartment from a fuse
> panel to circuit breakers.  When connecting 2 pieces of equipment I got a
> big fat blue spark (which killed my receiver).
>
> So I got my Hubble brand outlet tester... the outlet tested fine. ... but if
> I touched the cable-TV coax and the case of the equipment I could feel
> voltage.
>
> So I got out the voltmeter...
>
> - Outlet neutral to outlet ground: 0V
> - Outlet neutral to outlet hot: 120V
>
> Everything seemed ok so far
>
> - Coax shield to water pipe: 0 volts
> - Coax shield to outlet ground/neutral: 120V
> - Coax shield to outlet hot: 0V
> - Outlet ground or Neutral to water pipe: 120V
>
> So.. my outlet was wired with hot at 0V, neutral and ground at 120V... and
> the Hubbel outlet tester read "Outlet OK"
>
> Upon further investigation, my house was 2 wire AC (no ground) but someone
> installed 3 prong outlets.   They decided to jumper neutral and ground at
> the outlet rather than leave the third terminal disconnected.   Everything
> was great until the new electric servic was installed and the electrician
> hooked up the two wires backwards.... instant hot chassis on all my studio
> gear.  Admittedly my house was wired in "knob and tube" wiring, so all
> conductors are sheathed in black insulation... but he should have checked
> his work when he was done....
>
> Anyways, the moral of the story is... just use your volt meter and find a
> reliable ground source as a reference :)
>
> Dave Magnuson