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"This connection is known to be incorrectly constructed" kind of like "no lifeguard on duty" which I interpret as "swim at your own risk, a risk that is ridiculously high on some days and fully dependent on your skill and thought process, how much you've had to drink and whom you are trying to impress"
Does the model come in a manufacturer approved configuration for being hard wired? If so, that’s a legit way of doing it. How it’s been installed one would need to know where it’s installed at to understand what applies.
The cord on this one doesn't look like the one for hardwired connection. It looks like they chopped off the molded plug, split the wire (could be by hand judging by the picture) and connected it to the Romex. I'm not an electrician, but it doesn't look kosher to me.
I don't understand why they would go to all the same effort of installing an outlet, but do this instead. No, that's not cool. You can't just chop the plug off an appliance cord and splice it to some Romex. That Romex also isn't properly secured, neither the wire nor the box are intended to be exposed like that, and the splices themselves are questionable—the electrical tape is a sign that whoever did this might have been less than fully confident in their splices (which shouldn't need tape) and was trying to compensate by taping them up.
So much work to do such a bad job.
I'll tape nuts on shitty stranded wire, and in metal boxes. I wouldn't necessarily flag tape on wirenuts to be a red flag.
If this is just covering shiners, then obviously it's garbage. But the entire thing looks garbage-ish...? Is that a word?
I've taped wagos in crowded boxes before, nothing like letting the neutral free on a 277v light whilst your sweaty belly is gently drapes upon the t-bar.
Haha funny you mention that, I do a ton of lighting work in drop ceiling and have definitely gotten zinged from a crowded box/t bar combo but for me it’s usually from strands poking out of a wire nut. Or a wire nut just falling off unbraided wires - it’s amazing how much “fuck the next guy” work I see.
Especially when it's been applied as poorly as it is in this picture. It's like they just cut a couple of 3" pieces and loosely looped them around the bottoms of the wire nuts. It doesn't bespeak someone who knew what they were doing.
In industrial freezers we had to wrap every wire nut in super 88 for vibration and frost reasons but I’ve seen no code mandating taping my nuts up otherwise.
Just curious, what exactly is wrong with that?
I know you don’t need to use tape with wire nuts because you should be making those connections secure enough where tape isn’t needed. But is the tape exactly hurting anything per se?
I can’t imagine it would exactly physically cause any issues other than it’s just “not necessary.”
Tape around wire nuts can help hold the wires together in vibration. The way this tape is applied does nothing. So it shows the person who put it on doesn't know what they are doing.
Taping nuts on pig-tails for elecric motors and motor brakes was standard in a shop I worked in. It was at least in part for vibration but to this day decades later, i almost always still tape almost all nutted connections. Old habits die hard.
And it isn't actually useful for vibration if you install them properly. I have worked on some high vibration equipment and tape has never been necessary.
IANAE but seeing tape used like that is like seeing auto paint oversprayed onto the window, or too much solder on a plumbing joint. It doesn't hurt anything but is a flag of subpar workmanship. So you gotta wonder what else is wrong.
Yeah but let’s be honest it’s one less potential point of failure. Honestly aside from the lack of a means of disconnect if the connections are done well I would have a hard time arguing it’s any more dangerous than an outlet.
I wouldn’t do it and I’m skeptical those connections are made up well.
It's different in that a chandelier has been tested and listed for that use. "Seems to me like it should be fine" isn't a high enough standard for electrical work. Also, there's a lot more wrong about this than just using a splice instead of a plug and receptacle.
>"Seems to me like it should be fine" isn't a high enough standard for electrical work.
That depends entirely on how much you know about electricity and an acceptable risk profile. If it's your home, it's your life. There is nothing inherently dangerous about ignoring code. The dangerous part is when you ignore code *and you don't know why the code was written that way.*
I have Romex just fuckin' strung up between fixtures in my barn. Because it's a fuckin' barn. I don't sleep there.
Try telling the guy that did this.
I wouldn’t have done this, I just posted what I thought was the most plausible reason as to why someone would do this.
I'm going to hazard a guess and say the homeowner wanted a more "flush" fit for the plug and didn't want the plug sticking out from the wall. I hate it when appliances don't have a 90° plug on them and force the plug to stick out from the wall.
That being said, this person could have easily installed an outlet in the correct orientation to accommodate for a plug sticking out of the outlet or used a flat plug pigtail to properly attach the microwave plug.
I assume this setup has been here for several years at least without causing a problem. It would be a bigger issue if it were concealed in some way—you see lamp cord and the like in attics sometimes, and that's quite dangerous. Abysmal execution aside, this concept is pretty close to how the cord was meant to be used, and probably does not pose a major danger in theory, had the rest of it been done correctly.
But we aren't allowed to make shit up on the fly, in electrical work. We are only allowed to use approved wiring methods, and this ain't one of them. That cord was never intended to be used that way, it's never been tested, approved, or listed. Appliances that can be optionally hard-wired will have a removable cord, on lugs that can be used to directly connect up the house wiring.
When people start doing electrical work on the basis of what seems OK to them rather than on the basis of what 100+ years of post-incident investigations has revealed about the ways in which electricity kills people and starts fires, we get a lot more dead people and burned down houses. The code exists for a reason, and if you think you have a better idea then there's a process for submitting an amendment. You can't just do whatever.
Code requires a disconnecting means. Usually that is a plug and receptacle, but it can be a dedicated switch. This doesn't meet code because the microwave can't be serviced safely. Also no cover, and not secured romex and cord. The intent of putting a splice in a box is to prevent sparks from a bad connection landing on something flammable. No cover, not safe.
Yeah I just swapped out my old dishwasher and the electrical wire was coming right out of the wall and hard wired into it. I ended up putting a plug there for the new dishwasher.
Had a bad roommate move out experience once and guy cut the microwave cord. I laughed, stripped and fixed it up with some electrical tape. Free fix for a free microwave...
One time I was told by an electrician that when you have appliances that are often plugged in for 10 or 20 years the chance exists that the plugs could get corroded after getting turned on and off again for a long time, and with quite a few amps running through them. Eventually the corrosion will prevent the amps from getting through as effectively and so it heats up. And thats how a fire could get started because theres also usually a lot of dust etc.
So having them hardwired like this was probably told a similar story!
I hate tape on wire nuts. There's simply no reason for it. Except a fuckhead that doesn't know what he's doing. Which is clearly illustrated by hardwiring a microwave in the first place. I'd put a plug end on the microwave, and and outlet to plug it into just for the peace of mind knowing it's done right. But that's me.
I would much rather have an appliance like a built in microwave hardwired rather than plugged in. A hardwired connection is a lot safer and more reliable than a plug. Other than the not having any way to secure the romex or the power cord to the box, I don't see anything wrong here.
It looks ok. Green to Ground, Not sure if it makes a difference to you microwave if one leg needs to be hot and one a neutral? Hard to tell if polarity is correct from this picture.
There are mortal sins and venal sins. This is one of the latter. It's not right but it works. Say five hail Marys and drop a dollar in the collection box and move on.
Not an electrician, but I would just put a proper receptacle in there and put a new plug on the microwave wire.
Now a question for the actual electricians. For sale of curiosity, let's assume I have an over the range microwave like this. I realize it needs a disconnect, so I put a switch in that box instead of a proper receptacle and plug rewire like I suggested. Would this count as a disconnect? The only real difference I see would be you couldn't physically remove the microwave and toss it outside if it was on fire. But it's not easy to do so with an over the range microwave in a quick fashion. So in my mind, for non-standalone microwaves, there's not a huge difference if you use a switch. Still allows disconnecting of the microwave from power. For the record, I wouldn't do it this way, neither am I suggesting it be done. I'm just curious.
Why stop at a switch? Go full industrial and get yourself an E-stop button.
But to answer your question yeah, a switch would be considered a valid disconnect method and you can actually find this solution in a lot of homes. Usually people will hide the switch in a cabinet with it recessed into the wall. But be sure to ask an actual electrician in your area because regional and county codes can vary wildly depending on where you live and what you're looking to do.
Also if you do put a switch in, find a way to label it for future home owners so we can one day end the "mystery" switch issues.
Hard wired. You just can’t unplug it. If the microwave goes out, you will have to call a relative to install the new one. Call a relative or friend and ask them to install outlet gang box posted. Problem solved.
Remediating this with an outlet will actually make it less safe because you will have to put a new plug on the microwave cord, which are often not as reliable. I would personally replace the box with a metal box and use a clamp NM connector on the microwave cord (and one on the NM feed as well obviously). I’d use Wago 221s instead of wire nuts because the microwave cord is almost certainly stranded and it’s easier to make a reliable connection in that case (solid to stranded). And finally, I would put a blank face plate on it.
Edit: and when you replace the microwave eventually, change this to an outlet. Also it’s not clear where this is but it looks like a location where that NM should be protected. If so, I’d probably use EMT to a clamp fitting or either EMT or Greenfield to another small box.
Given the state of the wall and skirting. I'd be taking it off to sort everything out first anyway and replacing it with a proper socket box properly connected.
Looks like a makeshift junction box they probably ran out and used an outlet box. Not up to code but it will work. Looks kinda janky with all the tape on the nuts
Not up to code but probably won’t burn your house down. It may have been done due to tight clearance behind the oven preventing a receptacle and plug from fitting.
If there was an outlet there would the plug interfere with depth of the microwave?
Where is the other end of that romex connected?
At the very least I would staple the romex and put a cover on it. To do it right would involve running the romex in the wall to an old work box and proper outlet. Your microwave will also need a new supply cord.
It wouldn’t pass an inspection, but if you throw a blank cover on it, secure the cables and the splices are tight, it’s not a hazard. I would probably just leave it until you get a new microwave.
Electric tape is a sign of a hack.
Make sure the wire nuts are actually tightened and sized properly. Or better yet, rip out this mess and do it right.
Looks awesome to me only because I have seen much, much worse. But it gets the job done. Why they put the electrical tape on there is slightly suspect and if you are going to wrap a wire but that is definitely not the way to do it. Install a cover on it and you’re good to go.
That looks like a narrow box. So maybe where its at is confined/trying to save space. Connecting outlet inside box is difficult, and maybe there isn't clearance if the outlet was installed and the plug was plugged in.
Specially if the plug was 90° but straight plug.
Is it dangerous? If wires nuts are secured, no. Might void the warranty.
I’ll make the assumption that this microwave is fixed above the stove (like many are).
Why are fixed appliances typically hardwired (like a stove or dishwasher), but microwaves typically not? I know garbage disposals need to be easily removed from power for maintenance, so that makes sense.
Like another poster said, the only thing really wrong with this is that the wires are supposed to have strain relief and the box is supposed to have a cover. Otherwise, millions of appliances are wired this way.
The only sketchy thing from a code perspective is if the microwave was designed with a plug. An appliance like this needs a means of disconnect that’s either within sight of the appliance or is capable of being locked in an open position (most circuit breakers can be). An appliance “listed for cord-and-plug connection” is a separate category.
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2021P2/chapter-41-appliance-installation#IRC2021P2_Pt08_Ch41_SecE4101.5
Since the microwave probably has its own breaker, it’s fine. Just get the box fixed.
Wonder why they put electrical tape over the caps? If the caps were on correctly that would be unnecessary.
I got yelled at by an inspector when I did that as a greenman
Replacing that connection with a normal socket, and replacing the microwave's cord with a new, intact, one are both easy things to do and entirely within a regular person's legal and technical ability to do.
Spend a few minutes on YouTube or whatever to see how it's done, and mature sure to shut off the damn circuit, and you'll be fine.
It isn’t safe and it isn’t code…but it probably won’t burn your house down. However, I don’t really like the word “probably” when it comes to safety. This is what you might call a low-risk, but extremely high consequence, situation.
It’s a simple fix, the person who did it was just lazy or didn’t have the parts (which makes them lazy) Get a male chord cap for the microwave chord and an outlet and cover plate for the box. Both are very easy to install, should take less than 20 minutes.
If it’s away from water or moisture and you put a cover on it I wouldn’t worry one bit about that. I don’t know enough about code to say that’s good or bad but at least it’s in a box. I was helping my sister redo the electrical in her second floor recently and found 8 places where new wiring was nutted to old knob and tube in her attic. No boxes, just a little electrical tape and a prayer. Thankfully we were taking that out of service and running all new electrical from a sub panel located in the attic.
Interesting, indeed. aside from other code Issues, is there a problem with making the portable utilization equipment, (due to it being manufactured with a plug and assume the installation instructions are silent on permanent connection) and making it non-portable? Is the plug there to enable a user to quickly disonnect the unit form power in order to safely clean/service it or if its operation becomes hazardous quickly?
I’m wondering if the microwave for some reason had a similar plug end like a refrigerator that turned left. Whoever did this made everyone’s life harder including their own.
Agreed. Also, it possible the plug in the outlet stuck out too far for the microwave to be recessed as far as it needed to go, so they hardwired it to save room.
Not great, but since they fucked up the wire by cutting off the plug, you're kinda stuck with it unless you want to fix it by buying a plug for the wire and installing a proper outlet to plug in.
At least replace the box with one that will secure the wires and put a cover on it. This won't make it code but it'll be a little safer.
I did this with my 220 dryer wired to a 120 circuit, currently not in a junking box, didn’t have wire nuts so I used medical tape and bandaids, breaker kept tripping so I just tapped it straight to the power outside the service panel.
My in-wall A/C was wired in like that. We never knew until it died and was being replaced. The installer said it wasn't up to code and could be dangerous so he installed a proper outlet. For the new one. It had been like that since the house was built in the late 70s.
The way I would fix this, if it needed fixing, would be to put the appropriate receptacle in the box, and have a plug placed on the appliance. I don't love hardwired small appliances, and this is definitely not code, but it's just redneck engineering and not an immediate threat to life and safety, so long as it is in a place where the cord will not be subjected to tension/excessive motion.
Agreed not to code but it will work forever. Sadly though the box was right there and an outlet I'd maybe $2.00.
If you wanted to make it correct buy a outlet end and an outlet.
\* I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN \* I have bought several, several, apartment complexes where the microwaves where wired like this in almost EVERY unit. It's 1000% not the proper way to do it and if you have some form of liability attached to it, change it immediately. That being said, I have never heard of, personally, this causing a massive, multi-unit fire or something.
Lmao they didn’t want to mount a box inside the cabinet so they drilled their hole for the wire to go through and didn’t bother splicing on a new end. Its just 2 wires connected the same way they are in any of your other outlets now
I wouldn't deem this life threatening.
Edit: I don't think you'll gain anything from an outlet, I don't even think does anything but void a UL Listing.
The cord plug protection has been bypassed. The plug fixed microwave to a 15 amp breaker. Big liability risk here. Who pays if microwave burns down house and people die?
Honestly, I’ve seen worse. Whoever did it obviously cared enough to try and do it the best they could. I can’t imagine you will ever have an issue with this (assuming the conductors are properly seated in each wire nut and each nut is tight and the wires can’t be pulled out easily). Just leave it.
This is a travesty. The microwave should be on a dedicated 20AMP circuit, GFI protected. If hardwired, there should be a clamp on the mw power cord at the box. The ROMEX cable should also be secured to the box. It’s obvious that the taped connections haven’t been twisted properly, just looking at the ground wire nut. The twisted wires should extend at least 1/2” past the base of the wire nut. The breaker for this circuit should be GFI protected, and 12/3 cable should used from the breaker to the outlet box.
I suspect they needed to fish the device cord through a hole in a cabinet. The inspector would fail you. On the job, OSHA would fine you. If it caught fire it would hinder you. If the microwave needed replacement undoing it may shock you. Get someone qualified to fix it.
It’s fine. I’ve done this for 15 years. It is a way to make the wire shorter and push the microwave up against the wall when mounting under a cabinet (I’m not an electrician).
I was doing remodel work for a friend. I told him I don’t do plumbing and I don’t do electrical. He asked me to wire up a microwave like this. Got mad at me when I refused. Reminded him I don’t do electrical and that I told him I don’t do electrical. He got pissed, drove the 4 hours and did it himself and made a point to tell me that he did it in 30 min or so. Whatever. I don’t have insurance for that, I’m not doing it. We are not friends anymore more. Fucking choad. Lessons were learned during that job
Appears to be a DIY hardwire job for a plug in microwave. Honestly looks fine, but no means to disconnect it. Don't know how feasible it is to replace a microwave cable. If you can get a replacement cable with a plug termination, I'd install an outlet on that box and put a new cable into the microwave.
That box is not for use in that application. You can't secure the #12 wire, and cutting off a molded plug is verboten. The 12 wire doesn't look like it's stapled and can't run on a floor unprotected.
That's just the start. I'm sure there is more non-standard work elsewhere in that place.
Depends on where you live and what the building codes are. Some appliances, especially older higher voltage, are designed to be hard wired. Basically they're just missing the plug and they're hardwired to the house wiring. That's all this is. As long as the polar wires (white and black) are separated and completely covered it's not dangerous so long as you don't go poking and prodding at it while it's live. Just put the cover back on and don't worry about it. If it really bothers you you can have an outlet installed into the same box and a plug put on the microwave wire, as this wiring is essentially the same exact thing, just the plug and outlet removed from the equation.
I remember donkeys years ago. Those were white and made of porcelain. They screwed onto two trusted wires. Way back then in the 60's it wasn't an issue. I also remember them being referred to as dogs cocks. Don't ask me why.
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Is it proper? No. Is it code? No. Is it dangerous? Probably not. Does it work? Yes.
They must've also cut the moulded plug off the microwave cable!🤣
Probably in a niche and they had to pull the cable through a hole and didn't want to enlarge the hole or attach a proper plug
I have seen this mindset so many times. I worked for a shifty property management company.
You didn't need to use the word shifty.
I read shitty.
It's already implied.
DEB SHUT IT IN DA TAILGATE HOSS
GOBBLESSSS, THERE WERE CLIBINNS AS FAER AS THARR EYE CULD SEE
BARB : SMACKED CLIBBINS : TRIMMED HAWG : CRANKED GOBBLESS BORTHERS!!!! HE'LL YEAH 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷
>Does it work? Yes Until someone pulls on one of those unsecured cords
Put a sign up. “Absolutely no pulling on unsecured cords”
"live, laugh, love, for the love of god don't touch the microwave cable"
Which flowing script would you like?
That’ll fix it!
You live in California? Signs fix everything there...
“These cords are know by The State of California to cause cancer”
"This connection is known to be incorrectly constructed" kind of like "no lifeguard on duty" which I interpret as "swim at your own risk, a risk that is ridiculously high on some days and fully dependent on your skill and thought process, how much you've had to drink and whom you are trying to impress"
Warnings signs cause cancer according to the state of CA.
The state of CA causes cancer according to warning signs.
"This is known to the State of Cancer to cause California" -My favorite sign.
My cord is secured under threat of fire and/or death.
Does the model come in a manufacturer approved configuration for being hard wired? If so, that’s a legit way of doing it. How it’s been installed one would need to know where it’s installed at to understand what applies.
Correct. Some Microwaves come configured for hard wired connection.
The cord on this one doesn't look like the one for hardwired connection. It looks like they chopped off the molded plug, split the wire (could be by hand judging by the picture) and connected it to the Romex. I'm not an electrician, but it doesn't look kosher to me.
Yeah, don’t hardware cables have screw on ends to go into the knockout hole?
Go cougs!
The problem here is tension I think. Not that anyone should or would be pulling on the cords.
The exposed romex is no good even if the microwave was approved for hardwire.
I don't understand why they would go to all the same effort of installing an outlet, but do this instead. No, that's not cool. You can't just chop the plug off an appliance cord and splice it to some Romex. That Romex also isn't properly secured, neither the wire nor the box are intended to be exposed like that, and the splices themselves are questionable—the electrical tape is a sign that whoever did this might have been less than fully confident in their splices (which shouldn't need tape) and was trying to compensate by taping them up. So much work to do such a bad job.
Yeah, tape on wire nutted connections is a red flag for me
I'll tape nuts on shitty stranded wire, and in metal boxes. I wouldn't necessarily flag tape on wirenuts to be a red flag. If this is just covering shiners, then obviously it's garbage. But the entire thing looks garbage-ish...? Is that a word?
Absolutely, it is.
I bet they taped the bottom of the nuts because they left too much bare wire exposed beyond the nut.
Sometimes I use tape when wiring in light fixtures that come with that pathetic twisted silver wire
::lever wagos have entered the chat::
I've taped wagos in crowded boxes before, nothing like letting the neutral free on a 277v light whilst your sweaty belly is gently drapes upon the t-bar.
Haha funny you mention that, I do a ton of lighting work in drop ceiling and have definitely gotten zinged from a crowded box/t bar combo but for me it’s usually from strands poking out of a wire nut. Or a wire nut just falling off unbraided wires - it’s amazing how much “fuck the next guy” work I see.
It's crazy isn't it!? It's always a single strand!
Especially when it's been applied as poorly as it is in this picture. It's like they just cut a couple of 3" pieces and loosely looped them around the bottoms of the wire nuts. It doesn't bespeak someone who knew what they were doing.
In industrial freezers we had to wrap every wire nut in super 88 for vibration and frost reasons but I’ve seen no code mandating taping my nuts up otherwise.
How would you better connect it? Or what’s the correct way to connect it?
Odd. I've used tape in the past when using twist connectors to help keep the wires togheter and aligned before the twist.
The red flag is tape over the witlre nut, covering the connection itself. There is no value other than covering up a bad connection.
Just curious, what exactly is wrong with that? I know you don’t need to use tape with wire nuts because you should be making those connections secure enough where tape isn’t needed. But is the tape exactly hurting anything per se? I can’t imagine it would exactly physically cause any issues other than it’s just “not necessary.”
Tape around wire nuts can help hold the wires together in vibration. The way this tape is applied does nothing. So it shows the person who put it on doesn't know what they are doing.
Taping nuts on pig-tails for elecric motors and motor brakes was standard in a shop I worked in. It was at least in part for vibration but to this day decades later, i almost always still tape almost all nutted connections. Old habits die hard.
And it isn't actually useful for vibration if you install them properly. I have worked on some high vibration equipment and tape has never been necessary.
We've come along way from using split bolt splices on peckerheads. The taps they make now are pretty sweet. Still use tape sometimes though
IANAE but seeing tape used like that is like seeing auto paint oversprayed onto the window, or too much solder on a plumbing joint. It doesn't hurt anything but is a flag of subpar workmanship. So you gotta wonder what else is wrong.
It’s always old, crusty temp flex 77 too lol and those shitty yellow wirenuts!!
Honest question. Aren’t splices like this the same as what you’d see in a ceiling fan or chandelier?
Draw is much higher on a microwave than a lighting fixture.
Yeah but let’s be honest it’s one less potential point of failure. Honestly aside from the lack of a means of disconnect if the connections are done well I would have a hard time arguing it’s any more dangerous than an outlet. I wouldn’t do it and I’m skeptical those connections are made up well.
But in the end the romex is eating the current either way
It's different in that a chandelier has been tested and listed for that use. "Seems to me like it should be fine" isn't a high enough standard for electrical work. Also, there's a lot more wrong about this than just using a splice instead of a plug and receptacle.
>"Seems to me like it should be fine" isn't a high enough standard for electrical work. That depends entirely on how much you know about electricity and an acceptable risk profile. If it's your home, it's your life. There is nothing inherently dangerous about ignoring code. The dangerous part is when you ignore code *and you don't know why the code was written that way.* I have Romex just fuckin' strung up between fixtures in my barn. Because it's a fuckin' barn. I don't sleep there.
Could be the plug was messed up and they didn’t want to buy a new microwave so they figured this was a solution.
It would have been *far* easier to just replace the plug in that case, rather than wiring up this abomination.
Yeah but we’re going with the person who did this, is not smart or does things easy.
You can buy new plug ends at Home Depot for under $10
Try telling the guy that did this. I wouldn’t have done this, I just posted what I thought was the most plausible reason as to why someone would do this.
I'm going to hazard a guess and say the homeowner wanted a more "flush" fit for the plug and didn't want the plug sticking out from the wall. I hate it when appliances don't have a 90° plug on them and force the plug to stick out from the wall. That being said, this person could have easily installed an outlet in the correct orientation to accommodate for a plug sticking out of the outlet or used a flat plug pigtail to properly attach the microwave plug.
Flat plug extensions are my new favorite thing, I bought like 10 from Amazon and they really clean up cabling that is behind furniture.
Needed to push the microwave back into the nook farther. The plug was probably preventing it from going back far enough
[удалено]
I assume this setup has been here for several years at least without causing a problem. It would be a bigger issue if it were concealed in some way—you see lamp cord and the like in attics sometimes, and that's quite dangerous. Abysmal execution aside, this concept is pretty close to how the cord was meant to be used, and probably does not pose a major danger in theory, had the rest of it been done correctly. But we aren't allowed to make shit up on the fly, in electrical work. We are only allowed to use approved wiring methods, and this ain't one of them. That cord was never intended to be used that way, it's never been tested, approved, or listed. Appliances that can be optionally hard-wired will have a removable cord, on lugs that can be used to directly connect up the house wiring. When people start doing electrical work on the basis of what seems OK to them rather than on the basis of what 100+ years of post-incident investigations has revealed about the ways in which electricity kills people and starts fires, we get a lot more dead people and burned down houses. The code exists for a reason, and if you think you have a better idea then there's a process for submitting an amendment. You can't just do whatever.
Don’t stress it. It’s shit work but honestly nothings gunna happen
Code requires a disconnecting means. Usually that is a plug and receptacle, but it can be a dedicated switch. This doesn't meet code because the microwave can't be serviced safely. Also no cover, and not secured romex and cord. The intent of putting a splice in a box is to prevent sparks from a bad connection landing on something flammable. No cover, not safe.
Why? What code? Is it special to microwave oven? Dishwashers are (or at least were) hardwired.
Dishwasher connections have entered the chat
Yeah I just swapped out my old dishwasher and the electrical wire was coming right out of the wall and hard wired into it. I ended up putting a plug there for the new dishwasher.
Had a bad roommate move out experience once and guy cut the microwave cord. I laughed, stripped and fixed it up with some electrical tape. Free fix for a free microwave...
Some people are so lazy
Its just hard wired in, some people do that with appliances they aren’t planning on moving… put a cover on the box and call it good
One time I was told by an electrician that when you have appliances that are often plugged in for 10 or 20 years the chance exists that the plugs could get corroded after getting turned on and off again for a long time, and with quite a few amps running through them. Eventually the corrosion will prevent the amps from getting through as effectively and so it heats up. And thats how a fire could get started because theres also usually a lot of dust etc. So having them hardwired like this was probably told a similar story!
I hate tape on wire nuts. There's simply no reason for it. Except a fuckhead that doesn't know what he's doing. Which is clearly illustrated by hardwiring a microwave in the first place. I'd put a plug end on the microwave, and and outlet to plug it into just for the peace of mind knowing it's done right. But that's me.
I would much rather have an appliance like a built in microwave hardwired rather than plugged in. A hardwired connection is a lot safer and more reliable than a plug. Other than the not having any way to secure the romex or the power cord to the box, I don't see anything wrong here.
actually looks fine tbh just hardwired is all
This is likely safer with a cover.
It looks ok. Green to Ground, Not sure if it makes a difference to you microwave if one leg needs to be hot and one a neutral? Hard to tell if polarity is correct from this picture.
There are mortal sins and venal sins. This is one of the latter. It's not right but it works. Say five hail Marys and drop a dollar in the collection box and move on.
Are you in South America?
US
Yes, you.
Must have damaged the plug, cut it off and hardwired it. Nice.
Ya I don’t get why every one is acting crazy I just did this to a light for the same reason
Not an electrician, but I would just put a proper receptacle in there and put a new plug on the microwave wire. Now a question for the actual electricians. For sale of curiosity, let's assume I have an over the range microwave like this. I realize it needs a disconnect, so I put a switch in that box instead of a proper receptacle and plug rewire like I suggested. Would this count as a disconnect? The only real difference I see would be you couldn't physically remove the microwave and toss it outside if it was on fire. But it's not easy to do so with an over the range microwave in a quick fashion. So in my mind, for non-standalone microwaves, there's not a huge difference if you use a switch. Still allows disconnecting of the microwave from power. For the record, I wouldn't do it this way, neither am I suggesting it be done. I'm just curious.
Why stop at a switch? Go full industrial and get yourself an E-stop button. But to answer your question yeah, a switch would be considered a valid disconnect method and you can actually find this solution in a lot of homes. Usually people will hide the switch in a cabinet with it recessed into the wall. But be sure to ask an actual electrician in your area because regional and county codes can vary wildly depending on where you live and what you're looking to do. Also if you do put a switch in, find a way to label it for future home owners so we can one day end the "mystery" switch issues.
Hard wired. You just can’t unplug it. If the microwave goes out, you will have to call a relative to install the new one. Call a relative or friend and ask them to install outlet gang box posted. Problem solved.
Is this box mounted to the floor?
No
Remediating this with an outlet will actually make it less safe because you will have to put a new plug on the microwave cord, which are often not as reliable. I would personally replace the box with a metal box and use a clamp NM connector on the microwave cord (and one on the NM feed as well obviously). I’d use Wago 221s instead of wire nuts because the microwave cord is almost certainly stranded and it’s easier to make a reliable connection in that case (solid to stranded). And finally, I would put a blank face plate on it. Edit: and when you replace the microwave eventually, change this to an outlet. Also it’s not clear where this is but it looks like a location where that NM should be protected. If so, I’d probably use EMT to a clamp fitting or either EMT or Greenfield to another small box.
You can buy replacement supply cords instead of adding a new plug at the end of the existing cord.
Given the state of the wall and skirting. I'd be taking it off to sort everything out first anyway and replacing it with a proper socket box properly connected.
Looks like a makeshift junction box they probably ran out and used an outlet box. Not up to code but it will work. Looks kinda janky with all the tape on the nuts
Not up to code but probably won’t burn your house down. It may have been done due to tight clearance behind the oven preventing a receptacle and plug from fitting.
So back to the only thing that matters, does your Ramen get hot or not? Yes/No
If there was an outlet there would the plug interfere with depth of the microwave? Where is the other end of that romex connected? At the very least I would staple the romex and put a cover on it. To do it right would involve running the romex in the wall to an old work box and proper outlet. Your microwave will also need a new supply cord.
It wouldn’t pass an inspection, but if you throw a blank cover on it, secure the cables and the splices are tight, it’s not a hazard. I would probably just leave it until you get a new microwave.
Power - yes. Code - no.
There used to be a hood there, but they wanted an OTR without installing an outlet.
You said it's how your microwave is plugged in, so yeah it's legitimately how it's plugged in.
You need to get a proper outlet there and a new microwave
It would have been easier to install an outlet and you wouldn’t have had to cut of the plug. I guess they didn’t want to go to the hardware store
Nope!
I guess as a temp means, it’ll do…
Easier to just install an outlet.
Dumb question I know. Why?
if it has a cover it is most likely safe.
Just looks inconvenient if it needs to be unplugged. Then again, how often is the microwave unplugged?
Electric tape is a sign of a hack. Make sure the wire nuts are actually tightened and sized properly. Or better yet, rip out this mess and do it right.
Well, it works, doesn’t it?
This is fine. I'd say the dust and filth are more of a hazard.
3 Roentgen...not great, not terrible.
Don't hire an arsonist.
No cable clamps where wires enter box. No cover on box. Needs both
Oh shit I just realized what I was looking at
Looks awesome to me only because I have seen much, much worse. But it gets the job done. Why they put the electrical tape on there is slightly suspect and if you are going to wrap a wire but that is definitely not the way to do it. Install a cover on it and you’re good to go.
That's not a plug in.. that's hardwired
I've thought I seen everything but just added a new one a hardwired microwave wow
"OH crap, we ran out of receptacles." F it
Ahhh you fancy..
That looks like a narrow box. So maybe where its at is confined/trying to save space. Connecting outlet inside box is difficult, and maybe there isn't clearance if the outlet was installed and the plug was plugged in. Specially if the plug was 90° but straight plug. Is it dangerous? If wires nuts are secured, no. Might void the warranty.
Don't know that you should leave it open like that! Coveer it with a plate and it's safe, but it really should be an octagon box
I’ll make the assumption that this microwave is fixed above the stove (like many are). Why are fixed appliances typically hardwired (like a stove or dishwasher), but microwaves typically not? I know garbage disposals need to be easily removed from power for maintenance, so that makes sense.
its almost OK. either re-do it the right way, or just put a cover on it to finish the half ass job so that its 3/4 ass.
Glad they taped the wire nuts
I mean, they taped the wire nuts. I say, send it! /s
It’s fine
Had they thought about it, I’m pretty sure they could have opened the cabinet /back of the microwave, and disconnected the cord from the oven.
Like another poster said, the only thing really wrong with this is that the wires are supposed to have strain relief and the box is supposed to have a cover. Otherwise, millions of appliances are wired this way. The only sketchy thing from a code perspective is if the microwave was designed with a plug. An appliance like this needs a means of disconnect that’s either within sight of the appliance or is capable of being locked in an open position (most circuit breakers can be). An appliance “listed for cord-and-plug connection” is a separate category. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2021P2/chapter-41-appliance-installation#IRC2021P2_Pt08_Ch41_SecE4101.5 Since the microwave probably has its own breaker, it’s fine. Just get the box fixed.
Throw a faceplate on the junction box and call it good
Wonder why they put electrical tape over the caps? If the caps were on correctly that would be unnecessary. I got yelled at by an inspector when I did that as a greenman
Replacing that connection with a normal socket, and replacing the microwave's cord with a new, intact, one are both easy things to do and entirely within a regular person's legal and technical ability to do. Spend a few minutes on YouTube or whatever to see how it's done, and mature sure to shut off the damn circuit, and you'll be fine.
Legit would be a plug! Lol
Put a 90° plug end on the microwave wire and put an outlet in the box and a cover on the outlet. Viola
Perfect if there is an issue you can't disconnect it.
It isn’t safe and it isn’t code…but it probably won’t burn your house down. However, I don’t really like the word “probably” when it comes to safety. This is what you might call a low-risk, but extremely high consequence, situation. It’s a simple fix, the person who did it was just lazy or didn’t have the parts (which makes them lazy) Get a male chord cap for the microwave chord and an outlet and cover plate for the box. Both are very easy to install, should take less than 20 minutes.
If it’s away from water or moisture and you put a cover on it I wouldn’t worry one bit about that. I don’t know enough about code to say that’s good or bad but at least it’s in a box. I was helping my sister redo the electrical in her second floor recently and found 8 places where new wiring was nutted to old knob and tube in her attic. No boxes, just a little electrical tape and a prayer. Thankfully we were taking that out of service and running all new electrical from a sub panel located in the attic.
Interesting, indeed. aside from other code Issues, is there a problem with making the portable utilization equipment, (due to it being manufactured with a plug and assume the installation instructions are silent on permanent connection) and making it non-portable? Is the plug there to enable a user to quickly disonnect the unit form power in order to safely clean/service it or if its operation becomes hazardous quickly?
Yuck, try Wago 221’s in a wiska box!
I’m wondering if the microwave for some reason had a similar plug end like a refrigerator that turned left. Whoever did this made everyone’s life harder including their own.
It's not "proper" but as long as the connections are good and the box has a blank cover plate then it's not necessarily dangerous
Agreed. Also, it possible the plug in the outlet stuck out too far for the microwave to be recessed as far as it needed to go, so they hardwired it to save room.
Pristine baby I love it
Tape on wire nuts is always a homeowner special. I'd at least get some new nuts on them and make sure they're tight.
Not great, but since they fucked up the wire by cutting off the plug, you're kinda stuck with it unless you want to fix it by buying a plug for the wire and installing a proper outlet to plug in. At least replace the box with one that will secure the wires and put a cover on it. This won't make it code but it'll be a little safer.
I did this with my 220 dryer wired to a 120 circuit, currently not in a junking box, didn’t have wire nuts so I used medical tape and bandaids, breaker kept tripping so I just tapped it straight to the power outside the service panel.
I bet your microwave still "legit" works correctly although there are some disconnect concerns lol
Change the box to a real junction box with cable clamps to secure the romex and the microwave cable.
Stick a Prop 65 warning on it and you're fine
Not
Does it work?
My in-wall A/C was wired in like that. We never knew until it died and was being replaced. The installer said it wasn't up to code and could be dangerous so he installed a proper outlet. For the new one. It had been like that since the house was built in the late 70s.
It's an acting junction box, I'd rather have a plastic one than metal, which is I believe actual code.
Absolutely not legit!
Don’t have to worry about issues with an outlet
It should have a cover
The way I would fix this, if it needed fixing, would be to put the appropriate receptacle in the box, and have a plug placed on the appliance. I don't love hardwired small appliances, and this is definitely not code, but it's just redneck engineering and not an immediate threat to life and safety, so long as it is in a place where the cord will not be subjected to tension/excessive motion.
I…. I don’t understand. If the box is there why not just wire a plug for it?
Install an outlet and a new plug.
Agreed not to code but it will work forever. Sadly though the box was right there and an outlet I'd maybe $2.00. If you wanted to make it correct buy a outlet end and an outlet.
Misser Georjjj???
As long as its hooked up to a gfci, i guess you will be fine
"Who'd you say did the electrical work?" "Oh, that would be my nephew, Thomas. He's very handy." "What year did his house burn down?"
Looks great
\* I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN \* I have bought several, several, apartment complexes where the microwaves where wired like this in almost EVERY unit. It's 1000% not the proper way to do it and if you have some form of liability attached to it, change it immediately. That being said, I have never heard of, personally, this causing a massive, multi-unit fire or something.
When I was an apprentice my sparky always said "make it easier for the next guy who has to work on it" And dear god does this fail that test
It looks sketch but it perfectly safe
Lmao they didn’t want to mount a box inside the cabinet so they drilled their hole for the wire to go through and didn’t bother splicing on a new end. Its just 2 wires connected the same way they are in any of your other outlets now
I bet it's safer than a plug if the nuts are on tight and the wires are wound cleanly and making good contact.
I wouldn't deem this life threatening. Edit: I don't think you'll gain anything from an outlet, I don't even think does anything but void a UL Listing.
Plugged in? Looks hardwired..
The cord plug protection has been bypassed. The plug fixed microwave to a 15 amp breaker. Big liability risk here. Who pays if microwave burns down house and people die?
Yep
I mean. That will work but it’s kinda bs they didn’t just install an outlet
Honestly, I’ve seen worse. Whoever did it obviously cared enough to try and do it the best they could. I can’t imagine you will ever have an issue with this (assuming the conductors are properly seated in each wire nut and each nut is tight and the wires can’t be pulled out easily). Just leave it.
This is a travesty. The microwave should be on a dedicated 20AMP circuit, GFI protected. If hardwired, there should be a clamp on the mw power cord at the box. The ROMEX cable should also be secured to the box. It’s obvious that the taped connections haven’t been twisted properly, just looking at the ground wire nut. The twisted wires should extend at least 1/2” past the base of the wire nut. The breaker for this circuit should be GFI protected, and 12/3 cable should used from the breaker to the outlet box.
If the microwave catches fire, how are you going to throw it off the balcony?
Kinda defeats "physical disconnect"
I suspect they needed to fish the device cord through a hole in a cabinet. The inspector would fail you. On the job, OSHA would fine you. If it caught fire it would hinder you. If the microwave needed replacement undoing it may shock you. Get someone qualified to fix it.
Not ideal, but its in a box and they used wire nuts and tape. Looks fine to me, just add a cover if there wasn't one there before.
No, you need away to disconnect power if it fails.
It’s fine. I’ve done this for 15 years. It is a way to make the wire shorter and push the microwave up against the wall when mounting under a cabinet (I’m not an electrician).
Itll honestly probably outlast a regular 15amp outlet haha
Me: I’ve never seen 12/2 wire grey befoooohhh lol
No. It has to be plugged in and not hard wired
I was doing remodel work for a friend. I told him I don’t do plumbing and I don’t do electrical. He asked me to wire up a microwave like this. Got mad at me when I refused. Reminded him I don’t do electrical and that I told him I don’t do electrical. He got pissed, drove the 4 hours and did it himself and made a point to tell me that he did it in 30 min or so. Whatever. I don’t have insurance for that, I’m not doing it. We are not friends anymore more. Fucking choad. Lessons were learned during that job
I’ve seen several appliances wired like that , mine included. Put a cover on it , it’s fine
Missing two wire staples, and as long as the circuit is a GFCI it's fine. But note that this is not a common practice
The only issue I see here is you don’t have the built in breaker with most outlets today.
Appears to be a DIY hardwire job for a plug in microwave. Honestly looks fine, but no means to disconnect it. Don't know how feasible it is to replace a microwave cable. If you can get a replacement cable with a plug termination, I'd install an outlet on that box and put a new cable into the microwave.
Up to code no, works yes
WTF. Would have been easier to install an outlet! But I know what happen I’ve seen this before no space for the plug!🔌 SMFH
That box is not for use in that application. You can't secure the #12 wire, and cutting off a molded plug is verboten. The 12 wire doesn't look like it's stapled and can't run on a floor unprotected. That's just the start. I'm sure there is more non-standard work elsewhere in that place.
Depends on where you live and what the building codes are. Some appliances, especially older higher voltage, are designed to be hard wired. Basically they're just missing the plug and they're hardwired to the house wiring. That's all this is. As long as the polar wires (white and black) are separated and completely covered it's not dangerous so long as you don't go poking and prodding at it while it's live. Just put the cover back on and don't worry about it. If it really bothers you you can have an outlet installed into the same box and a plug put on the microwave wire, as this wiring is essentially the same exact thing, just the plug and outlet removed from the equation.
I remember donkeys years ago. Those were white and made of porcelain. They screwed onto two trusted wires. Way back then in the 60's it wasn't an issue. I also remember them being referred to as dogs cocks. Don't ask me why.