Another amazing installation.........

[Richard D. Slocum]

Supposedly this was done by a licensed electrician and sign off by the City inspector. ( this was a flip) # 14-2 wire out of the main service panel through a weather head, tied into 2 awg AL triplex , only 8 feet off the ground running through the back yard then re-attached to #14-2 and run through a pipe into the garage. This cannot be right ! Right?
The #14-2 w / ground was typical interior rated NM (Romex) . Also, this # 14 wire was protected by a 20 amp breaker in the panel.

How would you word this in a report , besides just saying that it was FUBAR and recommending eval by a qualified electrical contractor?

[Mike Whitt]

It is really hard to tell from the picture but the branch circuit supplying the garage seems to be as high as the service drop so in one is bad the other is bad.

20 amps on a #14 is bad but other than that there is nothing wrong with the installation. It is okay to upsize a conductor but it is wrong to down size one.

[Richard D. Slocum]

Thanks Mike. Actually the service drop is quite a bit higher, hard to tell from the pic though. So , is it ok for the #14 wire to be exposed to the elements like that? And should the point where the wire enters the garage also run through a weather head?

[Mike Whitt]

Originally Posted by rslocum

Thanks Mike. Actually the service drop is quite a bit higher, hard to tell from the pic though.

Originally Posted by rslocum

So , is it ok for the #14 wire to be exposed to the elements like that?

That could be debatable as they are supposed to be sunlight resistant

Originally Posted by rslocum

And should the point where the wire enters the garage also run through a weather head?

Yes or something equivalent

[Richard D. Slocum]

Thanks Mike ! Appeciate the help as always.

[Bruce Erny]

If 14/2 is NM-B than the exposed wire is thhn/thwn and is good per code.
20 amp breaker is not to code. Must be 15 amp.