need help with bad electrical work

Hi everyone,

About five years ago, my father hired an electrician to run out electricity to a shed in backyard so it could be used as a spare bedroom. Unfortunately, the electrician did shoddy work and it is affecting the electricity in the main house. What is happening is every time the washing machine or hot water heater is being used, that particular circuit these things are all on keeps jumping out to "off", and I have to continually reset it from the box.

What the electrician did was convert an outside electrical outlet and ran live wiring out from it all the way down to the shed where he then installed outlets and etc. But I later found out that when the wire leading out to the shed had been buried, the electrician didn't even bother to glue the pvc pipes together, and when it rained, water seeped

into the buried pipes and deteriorated the wiring. I then started to notice problems with the circuit jumping out. . Trying to undo the damage, my father had to dig it up and drained the water out of the pvc pipes, they were actually flooded, and then let everything dry out

and glued the pipes which housed the wiring back together as best as possible before reburying it, but obviously the damage was done. The circuit is still jumping out.

So, I have a question I'd like to ask. I was thinking about just cutting off the outside wire to the shed (electricity isn't used in the shed anymore, anyway), in hopes that eliminating this deteriorating

wire out to the shed would be the solution to the problem I'm having with the the circuit jumping every time I use the hot water or washing machine/dryer, but I'm looking for the best way to do it, as I don't want to cause a further problem or possible fire. so I'd appreciate some suggestions. As I mentioned before, the wire out to the shed was run out from an outside electrical outlet, which the electrician then rigged up so he could run the wire out to the shed. I was just thinking about unscrewing the cover and then cutting the wires with a cutter... But how should I best dead end it after cutting the wires?

I was thinking about just taping them up with the proper black tape after cutting them, and then screwing the plastic cover back over it. I think this would be safe enough as long as it's taped up right, but would appreciate any suggestions that would help.

Reply to
tysteel3000
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It should not cost much for an electrician to disconnect the wires. That, at least, would eliminate problems that the disconnected wiring could cause.

Do not consider this as professional level advice.

Bill

-- Fermez le Bush

Reply to
Salmon Egg

| What the electrician did was convert an outside electrical outlet and | ran live wiring out from it all the way down to the shed where he then | installed outlets and etc. But I later found out that when the wire | leading out to the shed had been buried, the electrician didn't even | bother to glue the pvc pipes together, and when it rained, water seeped | into the buried pipes and deteriorated the wiring. I then started to | notice problems with the circuit jumping out. . Trying to undo the | damage, my father had to dig it up and drained the water out of the | pvc pipes, they were actually flooded, and then let everything dry out

Outside conduits are presumed to be a wet environment. While not attaching them together properly is wrong, they can just break on their own if the ground shifts. And condensation can eventually build up water in there, anyway. Wet rated wire (THWN) or cable (UF) is needed in an outside conduit so it can remain functional even if perpetually flooded.

| and glued the pipes which housed the wiring back together as best as | possible before reburying it, but obviously the damage was done. The | circuit is still jumping out.

Sounds like the wiring needs to be replaced with the correct type.

| So, I have a question I'd like to ask. I was thinking about just | cutting off the outside wire to the shed (electricity isn't used in | the shed anymore, anyway), in hopes that eliminating this deteriorating | wire out to the shed would be the solution to the problem I'm having | with the the circuit jumping every time I use the hot water or washing | machine/dryer, but I'm looking for the best way to do it, as I don't | want to cause a further problem or possible fire. so I'd appreciate | some suggestions. As I mentioned before, the wire out to the shed was | run out from an outside electrical outlet, which the electrician then | rigged up so he could run the wire out to the shed. I was just | thinking about unscrewing the cover and then cutting the wires with a | cutter... But how should I best dead end it after cutting the wires?

Is there a separate circuit breaker for the wiring to the shed? Jsut shut that off. If not, it needs to be disconnected from where it is attached. But it sounds like you don't have the experienced to carry out that task safely.

| I was thinking about just taping them up with the proper black tape | after cutting them, and then screwing the plastic cover back over it. | I think this would be safe enough as long as it's taped up right, but | would appreciate any suggestions | that would help.

Use caps that are typically seen for splicing the wires on those ends. Then you can tape over that if you like.

If the wrong type of wire is in the conduit, maybe you can just pull it all out.

My father has a somewhat similar problem. In his case, the correct cable type (UF) was used as a direct burial to the post lights. But the soil shifted and snapped one of the cables somewhere. He just leaves the lights off. I taped down the switch for now. Eventually I'll put in some new cable with slack added throughout to deal with any future soil shifts.

Reply to
phil-news-nospam

is this a GFI breaker or a standard circuit breaker?

in any event my guess would be that you will eventfully trace the problem to the appliances or a defective breaker.

its time to call in a professional to troubleshoot this before something bad happens.

Reply to
TimPerry

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