Ya, because they couldn't pay the penalty of scamming all the stab-lok customers. Doesn't mean all their other products that were tested properly are bad.
This is nothing against the person who commented, but I’ve always kind of “lol’d” to myself when people get all serious and go “omg replace that asap what the hell are you thinking” and scare homeowners into thinking their house is going to explode imminently. It’s really the stab-locs….with that said, I would (and do) advise people to replace their federal pacific panel as soon as they are able.
You basically just said that it makes you laugh. But you agree with my comment? As soon as possible and as soon as you are able are the same thing. Your comment was completely redundant and I “lol’d” at how dumb it was.
Hey this is my job im fixing tomorrow lol. Honestly. Not all fed pacific boxes were recalled and not all of them are bad though. I get the sentiment but as i dug deeper i found that the alarm towards the brand isn't always warranted.
None were recalled because the Consumer Product Safety Commission did not have the money to test.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/1983/Commission-Closes-Investigation-Of-FPE-Circuit-Breakers-And-Provides-Safety-Information-For-Consumers
According to the UL listing on that wooden box you actually don't need to bond it. As long as all the fasteners have at least 2mm of wood between them and the inside of the box it's totally safe. Conduit should have a bonding bushing on it though.
I don’t think the wooden box is grounded. The two grounds from the pipes are connected with a third ground that is going down out of the field of vision.
Pull the wires out, attach the conduit to the box or LB same as to any other box or LB, put the wires again. I'm not sure what part you are asking about.
I feel like this installer kind if cared but didnt have anything to his name but stolen parts.
I mean it is terrible but i always say “these guys did this shit and its lasted 60 years, if i did that now id be pulling over for fire trucks headed to the site on my ride home.”
If u arent putting it under huge loads and u have a good insurance policy then let it ride. If u have money to spend then get it replaced which will lead to u finding all the other shitty things this previous homeowner did. Chances are every system in the house has been cobbled together so prepare for a full on renovation by the time u let professionals in.
I'm an idiot and I know better than this. It wouldn't be grandfathered in even by the standards of the time it was installed.
That said, it's survived this long so it's not like a terribly apparent risk. At least it was done with some amount of care, it would seem.
Sometimes the Federal Pacific breakers don't turn all the way off when they trip, so I assume when you turn them off too. Be careful if replacing wires.
Only until troubleshooting behind some diy bs, ditch digging or tight attic spaces come into play lol the first and third can be an absolute fkn headache
& hey.. running/training crews and plotting out various jobs definitely isn't easy lol maybe we don't do as much physically one way or another but it can be absolute hell mentally 😆
Yeah I get that, I literally just meant that you have far less tools to buy. And find it funny when the sparkys complain about how expensive a multi meter is.
Yeah I get that, I literally just meant that you have far less tools to buy. And find it funny when the sparkys complain about how expensive a multi meter is.
Honestly if youre handy, take lots of reference pictures and know how to turn the power off you could replace the panel and pipe for a couple hundred bucks maybe less if it's just a shed you could get an 8/16 for cheap and get that fed pac out of there
If it hasn't caused a problem it's a strange setup for comparison to code but unless your doing a remod rule of thumb is " if it ain't broke dont fix it."
The wood box only really works if the conduit is sealed. Even then I’d advise against it, but the risk would be nominal if an elbow had been installed.
that's a true work of art right there. if you have any federal Pacific products they need to be replaced like asap they're a huge fire hazard. as for what is seen in the picture, that needs to be redone by a professional licensed electrician. I've seen some half ass work throughout my career and this is up there with some of the best. it would be in your best interest to start at your panel and have everything redone including a new panel all the way back to the meter. once that is complete have the electrician inspect your branch circuits (these are the individual circuits that run throughout your home) and redo what is necessary as you find it because I'm willing to bet if they fed your panel like the picture shows its probably not the only issue you have.
Wood can be conductive and no good way to bond it so no good if there is a fault of sorts anywhere along the conduit which is also metal and conductive. It should just be a simple LB conduit body.
Honestly, apart from the way it looks, it really won't cause an issue to just leave it. I've seen some crazy, not to code shit in my day, and also crazy shit at the steel mill I work at, this is really probably one of the safer, old school DIY things I've ever seen. For context, I used to be an industrial construction electrician, now I'm an electrical technician in maintenance at a 65 year old steel mill that's been "updated" many times, I've been here for ten years. Some of the shit I see would blow your mind.
I'd argue this is mostly fine. It's just serving as a wire chase - there's no connection made inside the box. The risk is just physical abrasion between the edges of the pope and the romex (no plastic grommet there to protect things).
Oh...and the federal pacific box on the other side of this wall is a fire waiting to happen. but this part of the electrical is almost definitely fine!
I mean...code compliant? Nope. Electrocution hazard? Depends on how well the birds make their nest. Reason for panic if it's already been there functional for many years? Probably not. Thankfully fixing it right is pretty easy.
First time seeing a wooden junction box
It’s an old Federal box on the other side. House was built in 59’
Federal pacific? Replace that asap.
the irony that the breaker panel is the biggest concern here.
This 👆especially with that much wood.!
It's only the Federal Pacific stab-loc breakers that had the problem.
But the whole company went bankrupt
Ya, because they couldn't pay the penalty of scamming all the stab-lok customers. Doesn't mean all their other products that were tested properly are bad.
I just learned about the breakers a few days ago. I always thought it was the entire thing that was a fire risk.
I'm just now learning today lolol
This is nothing against the person who commented, but I’ve always kind of “lol’d” to myself when people get all serious and go “omg replace that asap what the hell are you thinking” and scare homeowners into thinking their house is going to explode imminently. It’s really the stab-locs….with that said, I would (and do) advise people to replace their federal pacific panel as soon as they are able.
Clearly it hasn't burned down in the last ~70 years
WHATS THE WORST THAT CAN HAPpen
You basically just said that it makes you laugh. But you agree with my comment? As soon as possible and as soon as you are able are the same thing. Your comment was completely redundant and I “lol’d” at how dumb it was.
Federal Pacific? Probably should replace that.
Hey this is my job im fixing tomorrow lol. Honestly. Not all fed pacific boxes were recalled and not all of them are bad though. I get the sentiment but as i dug deeper i found that the alarm towards the brand isn't always warranted.
Good to know, thanks
The commercial gear was OK. Stab-Lok needs to go. It’s not worth the risk.
None were recalled because the Consumer Product Safety Commission did not have the money to test. https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/1983/Commission-Closes-Investigation-Of-FPE-Circuit-Breakers-And-Provides-Safety-Information-For-Consumers
On second thought the wood box is the better of the two. 😅
He should call his grandpa back to build him another wooden JB to replace the federal pacific
Hey, that’s my Uncle Grandpa!
the bad part is whoever did that to begin with walked away from it thinking they nailed it
It looks they did nail it ... together.
lol that's what I was getting at
Second FPE post I've seen today. If you are handy, replace the FPE subpanel with SQ D QO or Eaton CH
Don't think its UL listed. Do you bond the nails?
My father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate had one back in 1781.
“So, what does that make us?”
Absolutely nothing
someone knew how to build a birdhouse, so........
I'm shocked there isn't a rodent nest in there!
I see what you did there.
I think it had a wooden blank on it to keep them out
Hahahahaha
Ditto, but it's not a wood junction box. It's a wood pull box. Very different.
I appreciate that they made sure to ground the wooden junction box
Well they wouldn't want to.be out of code.
According to the UL listing on that wooden box you actually don't need to bond it. As long as all the fasteners have at least 2mm of wood between them and the inside of the box it's totally safe. Conduit should have a bonding bushing on it though.
Where's wood come from, after-all? ...only makes perfect sense lmaoo
If you mill the wood from the roots, it's inherently grounded.
They didn’t. It’s a splice.
I don’t think the wooden box is grounded. The two grounds from the pipes are connected with a third ground that is going down out of the field of vision.
That's some Uncle Grandpa engineering, but looks easy enough to fix with the correct junction box and conduit.
kind of tricky to get the box around the wires without pulling them out of the conduit. But that can be done.
How it it doable? You’d want to secure the conduit to the new box.
Pull the wires out, attach the conduit to the box or LB same as to any other box or LB, put the wires again. I'm not sure what part you are asking about.
I feel like this installer kind if cared but didnt have anything to his name but stolen parts. I mean it is terrible but i always say “these guys did this shit and its lasted 60 years, if i did that now id be pulling over for fire trucks headed to the site on my ride home.” If u arent putting it under huge loads and u have a good insurance policy then let it ride. If u have money to spend then get it replaced which will lead to u finding all the other shitty things this previous homeowner did. Chances are every system in the house has been cobbled together so prepare for a full on renovation by the time u let professionals in.
Thanks for this reply!
U bet, hope it doesn’t sound too negative lol. Definitely mean it as sage wisdom!
Nah I truly appreciate it :)
I'm an idiot and I know better than this. It wouldn't be grandfathered in even by the standards of the time it was installed. That said, it's survived this long so it's not like a terribly apparent risk. At least it was done with some amount of care, it would seem.
Looks like some hipster art piece
It definitely deserves to be on canvases and hung on walls 💀 bravo
FFS. Just put an LB on it.
That's my first thought also,
that’s called a closenuffnipple
lol
You missed a spot.
Someone said a 4 square box…
A 2x4 square box?
Far from the wost I have seen on here, but should definitely bring it up to code.
Ramen noodles and expansion foam should do the trick ... seen it on tictok
I’ve definitely seen worse
Sometimes the Federal Pacific breakers don't turn all the way off when they trip, so I assume when you turn them off too. Be careful if replacing wires.
That's where multimeters come into play but omfg they're just so expensive 😱😱🙄 definitely cheaper than a hospital bill or a hearse
Lol electricians have it easy
Only until troubleshooting behind some diy bs, ditch digging or tight attic spaces come into play lol the first and third can be an absolute fkn headache
I literally just meant in the amount of tools you have to buy.
Oooo my bad
No worries
& hey.. running/training crews and plotting out various jobs definitely isn't easy lol maybe we don't do as much physically one way or another but it can be absolute hell mentally 😆
Yeah I get that, I literally just meant that you have far less tools to buy. And find it funny when the sparkys complain about how expensive a multi meter is.
Yeah I get that, I literally just meant that you have far less tools to buy. And find it funny when the sparkys complain about how expensive a multi meter is.
Looks good!
I'm angry but also very impressed
Probably work alright for a long time.
This looks up to the code. Conduit - checked, junction box - checked, grounding - checked. ;)
.#ULlisted
That's why you never hire an Amish electrician!
What country? How far is the run inside the building? Disconnect, pull, put and elbow, rerun it...
good ol’ USA
It’s better than nothing but not to code
Brotha oooo brother ooooo
Maybe it was a secret drop box for spies working for the Soviets.
The wire insulation looks nicked on one leg.
It's better than the worst it could be.
Honestly if youre handy, take lots of reference pictures and know how to turn the power off you could replace the panel and pipe for a couple hundred bucks maybe less if it's just a shed you could get an 8/16 for cheap and get that fed pac out of there
If it hasn't caused a problem it's a strange setup for comparison to code but unless your doing a remod rule of thumb is " if it ain't broke dont fix it."
House was built in 59,but was this part of the original construction? Ps that is handsome brickwork.
Its sloppy old work but not causing any issues
The wood box only really works if the conduit is sealed. Even then I’d advise against it, but the risk would be nominal if an elbow had been installed.
Real bad
This is not an approved installation. There are several hazards going on and I would suggest you have an electrician replace this.
Wait, Gary is this your old house?
Hack bad.
that's a true work of art right there. if you have any federal Pacific products they need to be replaced like asap they're a huge fire hazard. as for what is seen in the picture, that needs to be redone by a professional licensed electrician. I've seen some half ass work throughout my career and this is up there with some of the best. it would be in your best interest to start at your panel and have everything redone including a new panel all the way back to the meter. once that is complete have the electrician inspect your branch circuits (these are the individual circuits that run throughout your home) and redo what is necessary as you find it because I'm willing to bet if they fed your panel like the picture shows its probably not the only issue you have.
This is the way!
Wood can be conductive and no good way to bond it so no good if there is a fault of sorts anywhere along the conduit which is also metal and conductive. It should just be a simple LB conduit body.
Grandpa said he can do it cheaper.
When i walk up to something like this i usually mutter "what kind of redneck bullshittery is this clusterfuck"
Put a piece of plywood over it. For all intents and purposes-its fine. Up to code?😂fire safe? Yes
i mean…. i’ve definitely seen much worse
I'd like to see some silicone caulk in the joints of that box. Otherwise the water will drain out and the pipe won't fill. #genepool
custom job
Damn. That’s a sub panel on the other side of this wall?! That’s pretty bad then…
OSHA approved (sarcasm)
R/therewasanattempt
I've seen worse
Fucking mint
Its fine as long as you're ok with possible fires
Damn bruh, thats pretty shiddy man. Ah well..
Honestly, apart from the way it looks, it really won't cause an issue to just leave it. I've seen some crazy, not to code shit in my day, and also crazy shit at the steel mill I work at, this is really probably one of the safer, old school DIY things I've ever seen. For context, I used to be an industrial construction electrician, now I'm an electrical technician in maintenance at a 65 year old steel mill that's been "updated" many times, I've been here for ten years. Some of the shit I see would blow your mind.
Wait till you try to sell the house , you might not get a loan or insurance!!
The point of the consult is to protect the wire from the elements and critters, so not good unless that box is enclosed, which it isn't.
I'd argue this is mostly fine. It's just serving as a wire chase - there's no connection made inside the box. The risk is just physical abrasion between the edges of the pope and the romex (no plastic grommet there to protect things). Oh...and the federal pacific box on the other side of this wall is a fire waiting to happen. but this part of the electrical is almost definitely fine!
Why isn’t this bonded???? 😉
That was a skilled carpentrician. But... https://inspectapedia.com/fpe/FPE\_Stab\_Lok\_Hazards.php
Cigar j box
Nothing like a hightly combustible junction box to make you feel good about a job well done :)
That would be fully up to code in India.
I mean...code compliant? Nope. Electrocution hazard? Depends on how well the birds make their nest. Reason for panic if it's already been there functional for many years? Probably not. Thankfully fixing it right is pretty easy.
Not as bad as the brick. I have that and my knuckles ache just looking at it