View Full Version : No grounded outlets
biscuit32
Aug 6, 2012, 05:05 PM
I have an older house with non grounded outlets. I pluged my dyson vacuum into an outlet and it wouldn't turn on . The outlet has 120v with proper polarity and other things (fan light etc.) do work. The vacuum does turn on when plugged in an outlet within the same room.?
mike 165278
Aug 6, 2012, 06:23 PM
Does anything else work in the outlet?
ma0641
Aug 6, 2012, 06:27 PM
Maybe it is a switched outlet. Pull it out and see if the side tab has been taken off.
alex the great
Aug 9, 2012, 12:24 PM
Hi Guys!
Just purchased a new hot tub (pretty big) 93x93 can fit about 8 ppl….I was told that I needed cable #6 but my electrician installed #8 and told me not to worry about it should be fine, but now I was told that warranty is not covered if anything happens to hot tub if cable #6 is not used, should I be worried? Just wondering thanks
tkrussell
Aug 9, 2012, 12:45 PM
Who told you #6 was needed?
The electrician is responsible for wiring the unit correctly, as per manufacturers specifications.
Is there a permit for this job?
mike 165278
Aug 9, 2012, 01:18 PM
What is the load of the hot tub, and what size breaker is it on? Make and model of the hottub?
alex the great
Aug 9, 2012, 01:38 PM
Who told you #6 was needed?
The electrician is responsible for wiring the unit correctly, as per manufacturers specifications.
Is there a permit for this job?
It says it in the manual and the sales person at store also told me to go with #6 cable but electrician told me it's a waste of money, the #8 would work just fine... so I'm paranoid now and confused! I hope nothing burns out on the main board of the hut tub because of this! We fused it at 50amp inside the house
stanfortyman
Aug 9, 2012, 01:49 PM
If he ran NM cable inside the house then #8cu is NOT big enough.
alex the great
Aug 9, 2012, 01:51 PM
If he ran NM cable inside the house then #8cu is NOT big enough.
Even if the breaker is 60amp on the outside? Doesn't the braker protect the wire?
mike 165278
Aug 9, 2012, 01:53 PM
It says it in the manual and the sales person at store also told me to go with #6 cable but electrician told me it's a waste of money, the #8 would work just fine....so I'm paranoid now and confused! I hope nothing burns out on the main board of the hut tub because of this! we fused it at 50amp inside the house
If it's fused at 50amps, you need #6. Was a permit pulled? If so has it been inspected?
stanfortyman
Aug 9, 2012, 02:04 PM
even if the breaker is 60amp on the outside? dosent the the braker protect the wire?This is the first I am seeing that there is a 60A outside. Either way, the 50A inside is protecting everything downstream on the circuit. The 60A is just asting as a means of disconnect.
stanfortyman
Aug 9, 2012, 02:07 PM
If it's fused at 50amps, you need #6. Not so if the circuit is THHN/THWN conductors in conduit the whole way. #8 THHN is fine for a 50A circuit. Thing is, the instructions trump this code.
alex the great
Aug 16, 2012, 01:12 PM
Yes permit was pulled, so if it was fused at 50 inside the house the 8# wire should be changed to #6? Cause its working fine now, it's been 1 week... should I tell him to change to #6? Please help!
mike 165278
Aug 16, 2012, 02:15 PM
yes permit was pulled, so if it was fused at 50 inside the house the 8# wire should be changed to #6? cause its working fine now, it's been 1 week.....should i tell him to change to #6? pls help!!
If it's #8 thhn in pipe it's legal, but if the manufacturer says to use #6 that supercedes the NEC ampacity chart. It's your call.
alex the great
Aug 16, 2012, 02:18 PM
OK thanks, 1 more question please... do u think the #8 will cause damage in the long run? What would you do? Just wondering and thanks so much for your help!
mike 165278
Aug 16, 2012, 05:23 PM
ok thanks, 1 more question please...do u think the #8 will cause damage in the long run? what would you do? just wondering and thanks so much for your help!!
The #8 won't 'hurt' the hot tub. But it will void your warranty. Me, I'd wire it according to the manufacturer's spec's, and use #6. Did the electrician tell you he was going to use #8 before hand?
alex the great
Aug 17, 2012, 07:20 AM
Yes he did cause it would save me money that way
alex the great
Aug 17, 2012, 07:20 AM
That what he told me :)
mike 165278
Aug 17, 2012, 07:23 AM
yes he did cause it would save me money that way
At that point he's off the hook. If you want it re-wired, you're going to have to pay for it to be redone. Just so you know you probably only saved a hundred bucks or so going with #8.
alex the great
Aug 17, 2012, 07:32 AM
Yeah that sounds right, about $100 but what I'm thinking more about is that the electicien was maybe lazy or trying to cut corners cause the #8 wire was ALREADY there! I had an old spa replaced with a NEW ONE that's why I called him, and he said we can just use the 8you already have and save money! That way we won't need to do the hole wireing again, know what I mean? But I regret it now... the manuel says use 6 wire, I'm upset and paranoid, what if I get inspected?
mike 165278
Aug 17, 2012, 01:29 PM
Yeah that sounds right, about $100 but what im thinking more about is that the electicien was maybe lazy or trying to cut corners cause the #8 wire was ALREADY there! I had an old spa replaced with a NEW ONE that's why I called him, and he said we can just use the 8you already have and save money! that way we wont need to do the hole wireing again, know what I mean? but i regret it now...the manuel says use 6 wire, im upset and paranoid, what if i get inspected?
It will pass inspection. Electrically it's safe and sound. Just 'lose' the manual the day of the inspection.
mike 165278
Aug 17, 2012, 01:30 PM
It will pass inspection. Electrically it's safe and sound. Just 'lose' the manual the day of the inspection.
What did he charge you, and what did he do?
alex the great
Aug 17, 2012, 01:39 PM
Charged me $200, he just pluged the wire to hottub and installed bpx on the outside of the box :)
Btw Mike thanks so much for your time and help!!
tkrussell
Aug 18, 2012, 03:33 AM
Alex, before you and the installing electrician gets a pass, we need to know EXACTLY, what type of cable or raceway the #8 is.
IF, you have #8 Romex cable, the max protection is to be 40 Amp.
mike 165278
Aug 18, 2012, 02:27 PM
100% agree. I read he installed a box on the house, assumed it was outside an piped in PVC. I got to stop assuming.