Sitting at my desk when the lights started flickering and then a loud buzzing noise. I thought the house had been hit by lightning or something. I checked everything out and it all seemed OK but then I smelled smoke. Never a good thing. Noticed smoke rising from a floor receptacle in the living room and ran to shut off the main.

It looks like this problem has been building for a while. It's damp inside the floor box, no doubt because of the rain. Over the years this dampness caused a connection to corrode and it finally let go. I'll replace it and the other one like it on Saturday.

I don't like the noise it made so I'll replace the circuit breaker as well.

I hate when that happens.

All kidding aside, that looks more than a bit scary.

Know any good electricians?

It's not really as scary as it looks. The receptacle was installed correctly in 1967 and the metal cover kept any flame from igniting the carpet, just like it's supposed to. The cover turned black (it's brass) but it contained the heat.

Cobbler's kid and all that, but I have been through every electrical connection and receptacle in this house over the years but somehow never thought to look at the two floor receptacles.

Yikes

What if you weren't home?

Holy carp. glad you were home!

Mrs Miller feels the same way.

Glad you caught the problem in time, Steve.

I always have an uneasy feeling about floor receptacles. It just seems easy for debris and liquid to drift or flow into floor receptacles. Is floor receptacle still code compliant for new residential buildings today?

The trades FTW.

Glad you're OK, Steve.

quote:

Originally posted by Axtremus:
Glad you caught the problem in time, Steve.

I always have an uneasy feeling about floor receptacles. It just seems easy for debris and liquid to drift or flow into floor receptacles. Is floor receptacle still code compliant for new residential buildings today?

Yes. The covers are gasketed to keep crud out of them but a lot of people leave them open.

Eeek! Glad you were around to catch it.

Steve Miller - Human Circuit Breaker!

Wishing I had a live-in electrician!

Apologies if (as I suspect) this question was recently answered on the Board), but what training do future electricians get? Where and are there state-wide differences? Cost?
(Thinking of a close relation...So much for Harvard! )

AFAIK only electricians among the trades are required to be properly licensed. In PA general contractors have recently been subject to some regulation but nowhere near as much.

quote:

Originally posted by Amanda:
Apologies if (as I suspect) this question was recently answered on the Board), but what training do future electricians get?

Mostly on-the-job or training through the union. There are a few trade schools but I have never run across anyone who went to one.

quote:

Where and are there state-wide differences?

Every state is different and so are some towns/counties.

quote:

Cost?

OJT and union training both involve getting paid while you learn.

quote:

AFAIK only electricians among the trades are required to be properly licensed.

Could be. In CA, contractors in all trades (but not necessarily tradesmen who work for contractors) have to be licensed.

If you are interested in learning more, there is probably a website for the local licensing board that will explain how it works in your area.

Thank you, Steve! I'll check MA rules and regs where the subject lives. (Might ask his thoughts too! )

Wondering how long it takes to train. I KNOW there are no electricians' unions where I live, and some of those whove been practicing a long time are complete sleazes. (Guess they were grandfathered and then had to take tests more recently).

Ask me about the firm that completely miswired my home, then sued me when I refused to pay after having to have all their "work" redone by a reputable (and expensive) firm.
Not only that, but they broke a nice handmade bannister spindle and statue, after which they carefully balanced the pieces together . I guess they hoped I wouldn't notice and think I did it.

(To complete the kvetch, apart from their getting ten citations, they gouged my oak floors by using such a ratty old work ladder it didn't even have rubber feet, nor did they bother to put a dropcloth underneath it.)

They were "special".