install a 3 prong 240V receptacle when you already ran the 3 conductor plus ground wire? As you can see, I've got two hots, a neutral, and a ground wire in the box. And the ground wire is just hanging out loose in the box. Is there any reason for this other than perhaps he was unable to make the investment in a 4 prong receptacle and appliance cord?
The previous owner was a union electrician. Which makes it that much stranger but there is a lot of that in this place. So much overkill and there is wire going everywhere here for all kinds of (usually) useful functions. All run fairly neatly, not a rats nest. But then you get down to the finishing details and you have to wonder what his thinking was that day?
was not code yet.......... saved 20 bucks?? did not want to go to Lowes..... I'll change it tomorrow......heck its safe........no one will know......
Well he was an electrician. It's like the plumbers faucet that leaks, the mechanics car that's alway broke, carpenters deck that's falling down. You get my drift.worst part is in my humble brain you only need 3 wires for 240. But in line work your neutral is your ground.
I tell ya, my buddy who own house was in same town as me, previous owner was a state licensed master electrician. We should have clued in when garage burnt down due to electrical issues or maybe when we were pulling off old siding and my hammer hit a live 4 inch box that was a sparking good time. Glad it was me and not someone else. box was live no cover under vinyl siding. the short of it a full third of people that do a job are to dumb to do it! promoted to the highest level of in competence...
Yea I know, but it's still just 3 wires to the house. I always tell people when they ask me about electric. I can get it to your house safely, what it does after that is up to you.
All you can do is make it right. Whatever he was thinking, or not, is a mystery. We just had a master electrician pull out all the old wiring I did in the lower level of the house and reinstall it all according to codes and our new needs. He told me I hadn't done anything bad, just that he would do it differently. I am pleased at how neat this guy is with his wiring. I sleep better knowing it is all new and up to codes.
Then the addition is slightly older than that (1990-something IIRC) but it's still whacky that he ran the ground but didn't use it! Knowing what I do about him I'm guessing he wanted to save a few bucks not buying another appliance pigtail and also probably had a 3 wire receptacle lying around a job site somewhere. My generator hook-up uses twist locks for 230V 3-phase. I'm guessing he didn't pick them up at Home Depot either.
I've fixed two or three in the exact same condition. Mine were rental houses so whatever used dryer someone could scrounge up got installed - most people don't know that replacement pigtails are available. Usually they wrap it around the screw in the back, but since that looks like a plastic box, wouldn't do anything anyways
I'm on the fence about the plastic boxes. Most days I'm fairly neutral about them, others I hate them for no apparent reason.
They can be a little too flexible(for getting receptacles flush/even) and strip out if the box is too full of excess wire(when a deeper gang box is required), metal boxes can strip out as well, you just don't need a drill to oversize for #10 screw in a plastic box Grounding a metal box is a super fail safe, should a wire come loose, or something builds a nest in it(ants/termites) The plastic is enough insulation to prevent the ground path should either occur, so the breaker won't trip and the circuit loses power/nuetral
