Sunday, August 17, 2008

Shocking!

So, if you've read earlier posts, you know that two of my outlets did not work. I replaced them myself. Took about an hour, and outlets only cost like $5 each (retail, I hear they cost like a quarter in bulk). Anyway, one of the old outlets is below. Both outlets were the same, totally broken. It's beyond obvious that no one even looked at them during the referb. So outlet checking/replacing is not something that should be assumed will be done.



However, the wiring on the outlets was still very good. Which is a relief, because I added an outlet to my bathroom (since the bathroom did not come with an outlet). The wiring (which they had to have seen since the switch and light were new installs) was totally striped (from age). There was literally two feet of exposed wire in there. I'm shocked the place hadn't burned down yet. I fixed the wiring in the bathroom, but I hope the rest of the place is as good as the broken outlets, and not as bad as the bathroom, or I'm quite scared.



2 comments:

Weasel said...

You had new installs for your switch and outlet in your bathroom!? The one switch, (That powers the light) came when this building was built and subsequently never changed, while the outlet, (Oddly enough attached to the switch driven light) is equally as old. Now I'm used to rewiring old wiring as I've done the old city building thing for a while now, but this one kills me. I thought NYC pioneered the 8ft law of supplying outlets? (Post renovations) In any event, where did you wire your 2nd outlet? I'm thinking that I'll end up doing the same thing?

Also on another note? Have you or anyone else hard anything about the "act of violence" that happend on the roof of my building last night? It was quite serious. (1413 NY Ave?)

Flatbush NYC said...

The wiring was old (quite old, hence the exposed wiring from decay). However the actual switch, and the light fixture, looked new, or newish. Which I only mention because I know they saw the terrible and unsafe shape the wires were in when they installed that newish light whenever.

I kind of cheated on the outlet install. I don't have the time or tools to cut a square hole in the wall. So, I just went to Home Depot and got one of those switch/outlet units. It's like a standard outlet except the top half is a switch in the bottom half is a three prong outlet. That way it fits right where the old switch used to be. I also put a 3 outlet splitter on it. So it's not pretty, but I have a switch and three always on outlets. The only issue, is you have to make sure the proper wiring is back there (though it should be). Just wire the switch wires to the top half the same way it was. However, the switch likely won't be using the white (neutral) wire, so you'll have to find that and hook it up to the side of the bottom half that isn't jointly connected to the top half. Both the switch and outlet should be connected on one side and can share the black (hot) wire. Good times in armature wiring.

I’ve not heard anything about the violence. Do you have any additional details?