Branch Circuits

Photographs of branch circuits found during home inspections.

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painted electrical outlet
Painted
outlets can cause problems for plugs. You do not want paint in the
holes.

Missing outlet cover
When
an outlet is loose, the cover can be removed to tighten the two
screws on the tabs.

outlet removed from box
Pulling
the outlet away from the box. Black wires are hot, while whites are
neutrals. The bare copper is the ground (this can also be green).

This was the best picture that I could take of a knob and tube style of wiring. This is the knob. It is a porcelain fixture attached to a rafter in the attic which holds the bare wire in a groove. This one was not active. On older homes, this wiring system is sometimes left as part of the wiring system, which does not meet current safety standards.

Since late 2009, you began to see this safety feature in new homes, the tamper resistant (TR) outlet. In Texas, a home inspector should be reporting on the presence or lack there of. Some TR outlets have the marking stamped on the face of the plug. In the picture on the right, there is no mark, but you do see the plates which prevent children from sticking items into the outlet. Taking the coverplate off, you will see the TR stamped on the tab of the plug.

You see a light fixture in the room, but you look at the wall plate, and there are two switches. This is not a problem by itself, but I wanted this here, because people do not understand what is happening. The builder has a set of general plans for this house, which shows that each room will have a light and a fan. The buyer decides not to have a ceiling fan, so the builder simply places a light fixture. If you want, you can replace this fixture with a ceiling fan and light, and you can have them operate on their own switch, since the wiring is in place.

With exterior fixtures, you have to think about how they can be effected by the weather, and are there safety issues. As long as the fixture was designed for outdoor use, we are probably good with the fixture. However, further problems can arise. This fixture was meant for outdoor use, but the bulb is not meant for this location. When the light is on, this incandescent bulb will become hot. If there is rain, the bulb can explode. We need a lamp designed for exterior use in this location. This bulb could be used in a covered fixture. In that case, we have to ensure that the fixture has glass protecting the bulb.