Members hangwire Posted January 16, 2011 Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 so I was trying to actually get some use out of 2 electrical boxes [no outlet face but wires inside and capped] in my basement. I shut off the mains and went to work, but in one box there was a white, red, black... and in the box further down the conduit there is only red and white so red is HOT side white is the other black is ground??? in the one... but the other then has no ground??? I am an idiot with this stuff, so any help is cool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted January 16, 2011 Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 Most older houses do not have a ground wire with the other 2. If you have MC wire, then the MC wrapping is generally the ground. This ground the box, so run a bare wire from a screw in the box somewhere to your ground lug. If you have a plastic box, and no MC wire, then you're screwed. If you have a metal box, with no MC, then you're screwed. Otherwise, you should be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 wtf is mc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted January 16, 2011 Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 Metal Clad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 still nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted January 16, 2011 Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 If the wires coming in and out have a metal jacket around it, not plastic/rubber/cloth or anything else, is it metal clad. That metal wrapping is USUALLY connected to your grounding bus bar in your panel. It is your ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 looks plastic like regular wire like in a guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 16, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 so screwed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diocide Posted January 16, 2011 Members Share Posted January 16, 2011 If it's not obvious, I'd leave it alone. It sounds like someone tried to do something that they shouldn't have. Hire an electrician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fly135 Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 At least get a multimeter. The normal color code is.... White - NeutralBlack - HotGreen - Ground Red isn't in the picture. You shouldn't be doing anything without a meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpectralJulian Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 You shouldn't be doing anything without a meter. this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MoodyBluesKeys Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 By US Code - white is the neutral, which SHOULD be connected in only one place (at the meter or the main box depending on local code) to earth ground. Green or bare would be earth ground. On nornal 115 volt circuits, black is the hot wire. On 220 volt circuits, black is one hot side, red is the other hot side. Older wiring boxes, which are made of metal, are supposed to be connected to earth ground. If the boxes had blank cover plates, it is also possible that they may have been used as intermediate (splicing) points for something else, such as switching for an overhead room light, even separate wiring for room light and fan. One major problem in the US Code - while anyone besides the owner of the house doing wiring legally must be a licensed electrician (or working directly under a licensed electrician), the owner of the house is legally permitted to do wiring. This often results in wiring that is not color coded properly. There is significant danger - 110 volts from a typical 15 amp circuit is more than sufficient to be fatal. If you are not knowledgable about the dangers, your safest course of action is to hire a licensed electrician to wire it. If you do wish to do it yourself (and you are home owner, not a renter), a voltmeter can determine what is wired where - but great caution should be used to be sure you do not become part of an electrical circuit, which could result in anything from an annoying shock to electrocution. Body muscles exposed to electrical current will contract, so it is possible to shock yourself in a way that results in your muscles locking you to the connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 Would only the hot wire read on a meter, or do they all read something, just different amounts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BHz_econo Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 is it connected to a light switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TweedBassman Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 in my basement.I shut off the mains and went to work, but in one box there was a white, red, black... and in the box further down the conduit there is only red and white These are not electric outlet boxes, they are junction boxes. If the circuit is already stressed you do NOT want to add outlets to these as it could cause a fire. The red wire is most likely a 'switched' hot wire, to turn on a light or fan. i agree with everyone else, man... don't fugg with it if you're not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 is it connected to a light switch? No idea, nothing was there when we bought the place, just covered and capped wires Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RoboPimp Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 have you tried the tongue test to find the live wires? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 have you tried the tongue test to find the live wires? No I'll be right back though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members k tone Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wilsoneffectsll Posted January 17, 2011 Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 These are not electric outlet boxes, they are junction boxes. If the circuit is already stressed you do NOT want to add outlets to these as it could cause a fire. The red wire is most likely a 'switched' hot wire, to turn on a light or fan. i agree with everyone else, man... don't fugg with it if you're not sure. Sometimes people will pull a 3 conductor, Black, Red and white plus a bare ground as a home run to the panel. The Black and red possibly share the neutral. Chances are maybe they stopped one circuit at the box you are in and continued the other on down the line. If you don't have a bare ground you're wiring is probably dated. Unless it was a switched outlet like said above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hangwire Posted January 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted January 17, 2011 No bare ground, I guess sone diy sites list that I should be able to just take wire and solder it to the metal case to ground the green screw on the new outlet face I have Oh, and thanks to robo, my beard caught fire you owe me a beard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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