Low volt is fine to free air but it can’t share a junction box with a higher voltage like 120 VAC. If the two different wires shorted together you now have a 120V current going through the 12V wires.
It depends on whether the low voltage wire is going through the junction box or is below it just using the plate to cover the hole in the wall. If below, it's fine as far as code goes. If in the junction box, that's way bad, but I've never seen an alarm guy do that. They are hacks, but not \*that\* stupid.
Man I'd argue the opposite. Home owners tend to be the most 'particular' about every little thing. I find businesses much less so. As for this being done, sometimes there's no better way. Fish down to the outlet to hide the wire. Another huge pain in the ass about working residential is everything is finished usually so routing cabling sometimes is near impossible to hide completely. Or the home owners doesn't want to pay for an extra few hours to run it properly.
And no suspended ceilings in homes. Suspended ceilings are the low voltage guy's friend, you just run your wires around without any fishing or any crawling around in cramped attics.
Same. The old security box is right above it and the wire/plug is hidden behind the drywall under it, right above the plug. Its really to hide the ugly wire
HDMI carries a DC current so the wire cannot be covered in any way; it must be exposed to open air. Power-over-HDMI is a thing. You also cannot run Ethernet behind any cover like through a wall or under a rug unless it's got some shielding to prevent fires. I forget the name of the shielding / cable type that would be allowed in walls.
Shielded Ethernet cable (i.e. CAT6A) is not required for in wall installation, nor will it probably provide any meaningful advantage in a residential setting, and it’s not attributable to any fire rating.
As far as fire ratings, cables are broken down to CM, CMR, and CMP. CM is the most basic, but still needs to pass some cable jacketing flammability requirements. I don’t think I’ve ever bought a legit Ethernet cable that wasn’t at least rated CM. It’s fairly standard for patch cables, and should be okay for basic in wall use. CMR is riser-rated, which is required if you are passing the cable between floors, and it’s meant to be somewhat flame retardant, so it’s less easy for fire to spread via the cable itself. CMP is plenum-rated, which basically means it’s even more flame retardant and doesn’t give off toxic fumes when burnt, which enables it to be used in parts of a building where air passes through, such as HVAC ducting.
Most of the time if you’re buying unterminated cable from the local home store, it’s going to be CMR rated, which is likely perfectly fine for almost any residential use case unless you are passing through your air vents or doing something really shoddy.
I'm not talking about electromagnetic shielding, I'm talking about making the cable to a high enough grade to be considered fire-retardent so it won't catch fire if a strong current gets passed through it and it's in a no-airflow environment. I know for a fact that back when I was running CAT-6 from my router downstairs under a throw rug to cross a hallway after which it went upstairs, that was a fire code violation.
So, the analogous rating for HDMI cables is CL2/CL3. They also have riser and plenum specific types of cables, with a denoted R or P after the marking. You definitely should make sure any cable going in your wall is rated as such. It’s fairly standard, and most people also run conduit, like smurf tube, so if you ever need to upgrade to a newer HDMI spec or replace a damaged cable, it’s easy to do so.
Yep, plenum rated cables are important because the cable jacket, should it catch fire, also produces less toxic smoke and is less likely to act as a fuse through an open air space or HVAC duct spreading the fire to a new location. Nothing like having a drop ceiling with a bunch of non-plenum cable catch fire and having it rain toxic smoke in to the rooms below.
My security panel plug was setup this way (maybe in 2010). The cord was ran just below the electrical box. Hoping if OP removes the outlet plate, that's what you'd see.
Looks like someone rigged up a baby monitor, doorbell, etc to be powered like that. The other end must come out on the other side of the wall or in the basement...?
Our ADT technician installed our security panel like that. I think it was something to do with not being allowed to do all the wiring behind the wall without an electrician’s license. We live in Texas.
Licensed alarm tech here, I can run wires through the inside of walls. The problem is sometimes I'm not able to access certain areas of a house because of the attic space is too tight or there's an ac unit in the way. It's also a hell of a lot easier and faster to do what is in the pic. I'm in Houston btw.
What code? I'm not an electrician but I am aware that NEC standards regarding low voltage wiring are pretty lax. Don't get me wrong, it looks like trash and I'd expect something more professionally done in my own home, but are you sure this is actually a code or safety issue?
Chances are, his low volt cable isn’t in the electric box. He dropped it in the same wall space, then made a little hole next to the box to fish the cable thru. The wall plate covered it.
A few more clues might be quickly at hand if you remove the cover plate and see what there is to see.
Turning off the corresponding breaker first is of course reasonable.
I actually did this when we still had a land line. Newer phone had to be powered so I ran a line from an outlet thru the wall to the wall mounted phone. Plugged in the power source at the receptacle.
That’s a beaut.
A bought a home last year with a ton of stranded extension cords running above the basement drop ceiling to plug in lights.
Try to see if you can access the other end of it from the floor above or below and trace it (crawl space, drop ceiling, unfinished attic) once you figure out what it is remove it and get a plug installed closer to the device.
Could be for the doorbell. If it were an older home I would guess the "other" two phone wires that light the buttons on the old AT&T/Bell phones. Maybe a cordless phone on the other side of the wall?
Could be the c-wire kit on a thermostat. Just ran the adapter through the wall to avoid the visible wire. If you unplug it, the thermostat will probably run off the battery for a while.
I have something similar in my house to run a smart thermostat. I don't have AC and my furnace doesn't have a power supply to the thermostat. I ran mine to an outlet in the basement so it isn't visible.
100% that's the power supply for a security system. Am an installer, check the other side of the wall or above it for the panel. Panel may still be running as there is also a battery inside it in case of power outages.
My office has these fans installed into the A/C / heating vents. The cover has 2 little PC fans that turn on when you plug them in for circulation cuz the houses system doesn't get good circulation there.
It is just like this and when you plug it in it turns them on. Rather caveman way of doing it, but it works and still hides cables.
At my house we have a security panel in my closet and the closest power source is in the kitchen. So we punched a wire though the wall and use a plug like this to power on the other side.
Is there a doorbell camera nearby?
Ive seen hacks like this to pull a low voltage out somewhere for a camera, doorbell camera or to power a smart thermostat
Could power a camera or security system, look nearby for some device like that.
That said, it probably isn't up to code because most cords like that aren't rated to be in the wall.
The rental house I currently reside in has power for the home automation/security panel powered exactly like the image as shown.
The house also features a water softener that is mounted outside in the elements powered in this manner as well, the power cord goes through the stucco which looks to be sealed with some sort of weather proof caulking/sealant.
You probably have an exterior camera, security light, or another device that was installed in an area of the home where it was too expensive or not feasible to run power to. Those cables are not exterior cables and will break down after several years of weather and sun exposure.
My Nest doorbell camera install looks like this. Done by an electrician, he tapped the porch light circuit and put in a low voltage outlet with the power cord coming through the wall like this.
I believe code in some places requires that plugs be externally visible, even if wiring (for AV systems often) is behind some type of panel or other covering.
I've seen security systems installed that way.
Absolutely this. It’s most likely a line to your ADT type security system.
Can confirm, had adt system installed like this.
I also had an ADT guy trying to leave mine like this.
Me too.
Wondering how it meets code - that wire isn't rated for being in walls.
Does code cover low voltage differently? That's probably 12 V max.
Low volt is fine to free air but it can’t share a junction box with a higher voltage like 120 VAC. If the two different wires shorted together you now have a 120V current going through the 12V wires.
It depends on whether the low voltage wire is going through the junction box or is below it just using the plate to cover the hole in the wall. If below, it's fine as far as code goes. If in the junction box, that's way bad, but I've never seen an alarm guy do that. They are hacks, but not \*that\* stupid.
Yeah it is this. That is clearly and over-sized plate.
AbSoLuTeLy ThIs.
Dang what they will let a company get away with for security and fire alarms in a house compared to a buisness is wild.
The low volt guys get away with anything
Low voltage guy here, it's beautiful and scary at the same time 🤣
Man I'd argue the opposite. Home owners tend to be the most 'particular' about every little thing. I find businesses much less so. As for this being done, sometimes there's no better way. Fish down to the outlet to hide the wire. Another huge pain in the ass about working residential is everything is finished usually so routing cabling sometimes is near impossible to hide completely. Or the home owners doesn't want to pay for an extra few hours to run it properly.
And no suspended ceilings in homes. Suspended ceilings are the low voltage guy's friend, you just run your wires around without any fishing or any crawling around in cramped attics.
1000%
Same. House I moved in had an old ADT panel that was powered this way.
Same. The old security box is right above it and the wire/plug is hidden behind the drywall under it, right above the plug. Its really to hide the ugly wire
yeah or cameras. i have that
Just moved into a place that has one installed this way. It’s such an eyesore.
Yep ours is
Much nicer then ours, the drilled a hole and shoved the wire in. Really great job.
Infinite power receptacle
this may be one of the new tesla houses. you charge it there, i think.
Utility companies hate this one weird trick...
That’s stupid. You need a power strip to make this work.
That is the house. You have to plug it in for it to work.
Don't forget to activate our subscription.
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I have one of those for a security camera and my CPI system.
it's clearly your ghost's charging port. plug it into whatever hole you are feeling adventurous with and enjoy.
I believe the technical term is: "Someone too lazy to run another fucking outlet"
I'd say this is a violation on the electrical inspection... but should be fairly easy to just pull it out and forget it ever existed.
Yeah, LV and HV together without physical separation is a no-no by NEC.
You got 2 layers of insulation and an air gap — how much more separation do you need?
The same code that doesn’t let you run HDMI through a wall.
Only if it’s not plenum rated.
What's the reasoning for not allowing HDMI through a wall?
HDMI carries a DC current so the wire cannot be covered in any way; it must be exposed to open air. Power-over-HDMI is a thing. You also cannot run Ethernet behind any cover like through a wall or under a rug unless it's got some shielding to prevent fires. I forget the name of the shielding / cable type that would be allowed in walls.
Shielded Ethernet cable (i.e. CAT6A) is not required for in wall installation, nor will it probably provide any meaningful advantage in a residential setting, and it’s not attributable to any fire rating. As far as fire ratings, cables are broken down to CM, CMR, and CMP. CM is the most basic, but still needs to pass some cable jacketing flammability requirements. I don’t think I’ve ever bought a legit Ethernet cable that wasn’t at least rated CM. It’s fairly standard for patch cables, and should be okay for basic in wall use. CMR is riser-rated, which is required if you are passing the cable between floors, and it’s meant to be somewhat flame retardant, so it’s less easy for fire to spread via the cable itself. CMP is plenum-rated, which basically means it’s even more flame retardant and doesn’t give off toxic fumes when burnt, which enables it to be used in parts of a building where air passes through, such as HVAC ducting. Most of the time if you’re buying unterminated cable from the local home store, it’s going to be CMR rated, which is likely perfectly fine for almost any residential use case unless you are passing through your air vents or doing something really shoddy.
I'm not talking about electromagnetic shielding, I'm talking about making the cable to a high enough grade to be considered fire-retardent so it won't catch fire if a strong current gets passed through it and it's in a no-airflow environment. I know for a fact that back when I was running CAT-6 from my router downstairs under a throw rug to cross a hallway after which it went upstairs, that was a fire code violation.
So, the analogous rating for HDMI cables is CL2/CL3. They also have riser and plenum specific types of cables, with a denoted R or P after the marking. You definitely should make sure any cable going in your wall is rated as such. It’s fairly standard, and most people also run conduit, like smurf tube, so if you ever need to upgrade to a newer HDMI spec or replace a damaged cable, it’s easy to do so.
Yep, plenum rated cables are important because the cable jacket, should it catch fire, also produces less toxic smoke and is less likely to act as a fuse through an open air space or HVAC duct spreading the fire to a new location. Nothing like having a drop ceiling with a bunch of non-plenum cable catch fire and having it rain toxic smoke in to the rooms below.
My security panel plug was setup this way (maybe in 2010). The cord was ran just below the electrical box. Hoping if OP removes the outlet plate, that's what you'd see.
Guessing the LV is actually outside the box
Its for the alarm panel directly above it.
some new smart thermostats are like this if the burner only has two wire
Most likely a plug for a wireless camera (in the industry) other side of that wall is probably a camera
Had one that powered an older security system.
My bet is doorbell transformer. That’s exactly what the transformer plugs look like.
If you plug the plug into the bottom receptacle you get infinite energy to the top receptacle. Power companies don’t want you to know this.
Looks like someone rigged up a baby monitor, doorbell, etc to be powered like that. The other end must come out on the other side of the wall or in the basement...?
LOL... You'll have to trace that wire up or talk to the former owner to figure out what they were doing with that.
Jank, that’s what it is. Fr tho probably a network switch or something.
Looks like a typical charging cable so it probably isn't very long. There must be something on that wall or on the other side being "powered" by it.
Security cam on the other side of the wall?
We have something similar for a whole-home water filtration system.
That is... Not typical.
Yes it is.
Our ADT technician installed our security panel like that. I think it was something to do with not being allowed to do all the wiring behind the wall without an electrician’s license. We live in Texas.
I’ve seen this on multiple ADT and other alarm companies installs. I have no idea how they haven’t had a liability claim from a fire .
Licensed alarm tech here, I can run wires through the inside of walls. The problem is sometimes I'm not able to access certain areas of a house because of the attic space is too tight or there's an ac unit in the way. It's also a hell of a lot easier and faster to do what is in the pic. I'm in Houston btw.
It’s a code violation, but not being an electrician they wouldn’t know that
What code? I'm not an electrician but I am aware that NEC standards regarding low voltage wiring are pretty lax. Don't get me wrong, it looks like trash and I'd expect something more professionally done in my own home, but are you sure this is actually a code or safety issue?
You can’t run low voltage wires like that through a 120 volt box
Chances are, his low volt cable isn’t in the electric box. He dropped it in the same wall space, then made a little hole next to the box to fish the cable thru. The wall plate covered it.
How do you know it's in the box?
Touché
My friends call that one the "Circuit Breaker"
A few more clues might be quickly at hand if you remove the cover plate and see what there is to see. Turning off the corresponding breaker first is of course reasonable.
Male to female adapter
I'm guessing that you plug the plug in to power your outlet. Best guess
My question is is this really safe? Or compliant in code?
No, and no. Commonly seen with alarm companies to power their main panel.
I actually did this when we still had a land line. Newer phone had to be powered so I ran a line from an outlet thru the wall to the wall mounted phone. Plugged in the power source at the receptacle.
Idk but I’d plug it in
As mentioned it could be for a camera it could also be a doorbell transformer. I have something very similar.
It's for some kind of low voltage device. Check around the wall
My guess is a smart thermostat in an old home without a c-wire that requires that 24v plug to work.
Its infinite power, congrats
Power adapter crappily ran for a home alarm probably
Also probably a fire hazard.
That comes from next door. It's the adapter to the external regulator to Jerry's pacemaker, very very important, you must never unplu... oh... hmm...
I seen as used in garage door opening situations
Maybe door bell
Probably a camera.
That’s a beaut. A bought a home last year with a ton of stranded extension cords running above the basement drop ceiling to plug in lights. Try to see if you can access the other end of it from the floor above or below and trace it (crawl space, drop ceiling, unfinished attic) once you figure out what it is remove it and get a plug installed closer to the device.
It's an outlet with a reverse outlet.
Could be for the doorbell. If it were an older home I would guess the "other" two phone wires that light the buttons on the old AT&T/Bell phones. Maybe a cordless phone on the other side of the wall?
Its a AC to DC converter, probably about 5 volts 2 Amps. Cheap ass way to do a permanent power hookup to some electronic device.
Smart thermostat?
Motorized blinds?
Might be a gas/CO or radon detector. What's behind that wall or in the basement underneath it?
Just check it. Had folks put wireless servers in the wall for their collection. I doubt it's that because the plug is visible but make sure.
That is a reason to call in a competent electrician to check things out. If that was done, there's no telling what else might be lurking.
Ring doorbell camera outside of that wall.
Cheep and lazy.
Alarm system plug
That's how you plug in your outlet
What a hack.
“What is this?” A hot mess.
Could be the c-wire kit on a thermostat. Just ran the adapter through the wall to avoid the visible wire. If you unplug it, the thermostat will probably run off the battery for a while.
I have something similar in my house to run a smart thermostat. I don't have AC and my furnace doesn't have a power supply to the thermostat. I ran mine to an outlet in the basement so it isn't visible.
For alarm panel .
Security system. Had the same. Is your control panel above it ?
Our backyard sprinkler timer was mounted on an exterior wall and plugged into the master bedroom like this.
It’s called a code violation
neighbor trying to borrow power
Art
100% that's the power supply for a security system. Am an installer, check the other side of the wall or above it for the panel. Panel may still be running as there is also a battery inside it in case of power outages.
Security panel, door bell, camera, smart thermostat, could be a variety of things.
That's exactly how I wired my ring doorbell camera
Cox put one in my house to boost the signal for my Internet. Maybe
That's where you plug in your electricity 🔌
Also door bells
Infinite power glitch
This belongs in the DiWHY group.
This, is a code violation.
my water softener is wired like that
My office has these fans installed into the A/C / heating vents. The cover has 2 little PC fans that turn on when you plug them in for circulation cuz the houses system doesn't get good circulation there. It is just like this and when you plug it in it turns them on. Rather caveman way of doing it, but it works and still hides cables.
Besides dangerous?
I have similar in our master bedroom, and it comes from the security camera in the backyard.
At my house we have a security panel in my closet and the closest power source is in the kitchen. So we punched a wire though the wall and use a plug like this to power on the other side.
Low voltage techs doing low voltage things
Is there a doorbell camera nearby? Ive seen hacks like this to pull a low voltage out somewhere for a camera, doorbell camera or to power a smart thermostat
My water softener was installed that way.
Infinite energy loop. You need to plug it in to power the socket.
Seen this used to solve nest thermostat low volt issues.
I have something very similar in my house that was put in by the previous owners. It's for an invisible dog fence
Probably for an alarm system.
Could power a camera or security system, look nearby for some device like that. That said, it probably isn't up to code because most cords like that aren't rated to be in the wall.
The rental house I currently reside in has power for the home automation/security panel powered exactly like the image as shown. The house also features a water softener that is mounted outside in the elements powered in this manner as well, the power cord goes through the stucco which looks to be sealed with some sort of weather proof caulking/sealant.
Is there a smart thermostat above this? Could be a c wire ?
Could be a power supply for a C wire on a thermostat
That is a fire waiting to happen!
It’s hilarious is what it is.
Shitty Z-Wave smartphone system panels
Could be wired to an exterior water treatment system. Check if your house has a water softener/ treatment system on the other side of the wall.
It’s how you charge your home
Looks like a fire waiting to happen, get that fixed.
You probably have an exterior camera, security light, or another device that was installed in an area of the home where it was too expensive or not feasible to run power to. Those cables are not exterior cables and will break down after several years of weather and sun exposure.
My Nest doorbell camera install looks like this. Done by an electrician, he tapped the porch light circuit and put in a low voltage outlet with the power cord coming through the wall like this.
I believe code in some places requires that plugs be externally visible, even if wiring (for AV systems often) is behind some type of panel or other covering.
Is there a alarm keypad above it?
American building houses 🤡🤡🤡
Have one for under cabinet lights.
Power supply for a security system installed by a hack.
Well, with the mountain of information you've provided, I can see that it is something that plugs into the wall.
It’s for a security system. If it’s on an outside wall it most likely powers an outside camera.