I like the shampoo bottle used as a shield for the extension cord socket. Never seen that before. I've heard of one or two occasions where the home handyman here has used a piggyback plug as an extension cord socket which has resulted in their electrocution. Hence, all wireable piggyback plugs are now illegal to manufacture or import - a case of the few spoiling it for the many.

For interest I did wrap a clamp meter around this sheds earth stake, I was not really surprised to find next to nothing, several of the other neutral grounding points will be better. The pole grid for one is close to an old creek bed and the ground around here is wet, to the point that a neighbour managed to get his tractor to bog easily.

Marc

I used my Fluke 33 True RMS Clamp Meter with 0v at the water meter and 0v at the earth stake.

I meant to say 0 amps on both.

Peter

I assume you guys performed those earth tests with a significant load powered up?

At the stages I checked mine the shed load should have been in the order of a KW and the panels on top of it were Just starting to bask in the sun. Similar when they weren't.

Marc

Failed inspection sticker:


Likely used for this panel installation, because the gas main is in the way of installing the proper panel cover...


There was another picture of a circuit breaker panel installed in the shower in a bathroom, but I can't find it...

Two things in the last photo are naughty here. The first is the gas stop valve in the same cavity as a switchboard. The second is that because the cover is not on the switchboard, the plywood door counts as part of it and it is inflammable. Wiring in the board is neat and tidy though.

Here is a photo of the rusty earthing rod that I mentioned earlier. If it were my house I would not be happy with the condition of it.

There wouldn't be less than 2Ω on that connection, that is for sure.

The gas shutoff in picture is old brass type may be seized, break when turned, not like new approved design, and old brass flex coupling also scary. I just replaced an old brass shutoff, didn't bother to turn off gas at meter, just quickly switched to new one with pre doped thread (low pressure domestic gas)(still not approved procedure no doubt, but saves extra work and relighting hot water pilot).

Once was at a central market in Mexican city where permanent electrical wiring was jerry-rigged using Speaker Wire! and other various junk wiring! Also Cuba has lax electrical standards, minimal/corrupt inspectors. How is Bali/ Indonesia for electrical?

Speaker wire must be the cable of choice. I was in the roof of a friends house recently. Speaker wire was run as the earth wire in the lighting circuit. Needless to say they called a sparky and had the place re-wired.

A good mate spent a number of years in the Philipines. It was nothing to see figure 8 flex just twisted together as an extension cord. The other trick was lengths of bamboo with hooks on them to connect to power lines after dark.

The stove was run by BBQ gas bottle and garden hose..

scary stuff indeeed


ben

Once had a building in run down rustbelt city of Racine. After buying, Found out it shared water with small next door building that was a Barber shop! (He would not help pay for water) Copper pipe ran underground to his little property. One day I decided to install a jump wire across water meter thinking every meter should have one? Got a shock! That's weird! Went out to look at his electrical drop and see his restraining wire had broken loose (was once held by screw-in hook to rotting wood) - this resultant strain had broken supply neutral wire, but he was still happily operating using my water meter as neutral. Called Electric Co, they seemed embarrassed and quickly fixed situation!
Must see: look at the buildings today (720 High St) you can see the electric drop in question going to little building.

Should have cut him off if he didn't cough up the readies. The original tenant in the extension probably paid for water with his rent. A barber who can't wash his comb and scissors would start to run short on customers I would imagine.

There are lots of images on the Web of examples of atrocious DIY mains power wiring.

Must see: look at the buildings today (720 High St) you can see the electric drop in question going to little building.

Here's street view of that Racine address:

http://tinyurl.com/mdkhrx7.

Someone wanted me to run about thirty 50 watt downlights in speaker wire about 20 years ago and he spewed when I said no. I explained that I'd have to run an extra circuit to begin with as only 20 light fittings are permitted on each circuit and I said there is no way I'd ever run any hard wiring in speaker wire, not for anyone and not at any price. This bloke wouldn't listen so I just packed my tools and left.