Okay, I just started tearing into my partially finished basement of the home I bought last week. Some of the electrical wiring is interesting to say the least.I have a junction box in the basement. One wire connects directly to the panel, another out to an outlet, and the third goes up and out to half the house. All of this is 14/2 except the quot;thirdthat runs up and out. This is wired with 14/3 but the third wire isn't connected to anything. Should I be concerned considering every outlet in the house works?
That spare wire (red) in the 14-3 is just that. A spare. Just keep the wire-nut on the end of the wire and you'll be fine.
I'm going to contradict some other answers here... Your handyman is wrong about being able to easily add a grounded receptacle (another reason why 'handymen' should not be touching electrical work). Please hire a licensed electrician for electrical work. The metal jacket on old BX cable is NOT approved as a grounding means. This is known in the National Electrical Code as Type AC (armored cable) wire. The old BX version of this does not meet the specifications called for by current codes. Therefore its metal jacket cannot be used as a grounding means. Since you do not have a grounding means at the receptacle, the only Code-approved replacements are either a non-grounding receptacle (2-prongs), or a GFI receptacle that is marked as No Equipment Ground on the cover plate. Unfortunately, neither is likely to solve your particular problem. The surge protectors usually have to be grounded to perform their job and even installing the GFI will not give you one. I'm afraid that your only good answer is to have a licensed electrician run a new wire and install a new receptacle for you. UPDATE: Sorry Fred, I will not put my code book away. I make part of my living fixing the work of handymen who thought they knew what they were doing. This is the second time, recently, that I have seen you giving out bad electrical advice that you are obviously not qualified to give. Please stop before someone gets hurt from your advice. I wish I could give your update another thumbs down.
My entire House is wired with 14/3....and besides the previous owner doin it all by him/her self and making a few of the neutral lines live and vice-versa, everything works, if the third wire isnt connected to an outlet or another junction, etc., the last owner just removed an outlet or junction, and didnt cut the third wire(im assuming its a live wire) and as long as its not connected in your panel, you should be alright to either cut it and forget, or to maybe take out the 14/3 wire entirely, but if its still connected to your panel, try to find out where it went to and if it can be removed and not disrupt power flow elsewhere, as long as all the fuses are on, you can just test it and if it has no power, cut it, but always test for power, and from my lovely wiring mess, try connecting it with what should be a live(red or black) and what should be a neutral(White), just in case they aint.....else youll be zapped, and that aint to fun Or You can add a new outlet(s) if its still connected in your panel, or just make sure to cap it off, and remember the tape, it seems useless, but it prevents future problems if the cap becomes loose
Are you saying the 14/3 is being used as 14/2? Sometimes that is done because if at some later time you need the third line you have it. Or the electrician had extra wire and just used 14/3. 14/3 can be used for switched receptacle. a
14/2 wire with a ground is what is used for most all typical electrical outlets and switches. 14/3 wire with a ground comes with an extra wire for 3-way switches. Sounds like he ran out of the 14/2 and used the 14/3 instead. For peace of mind, you could locate the loose end (probably a red wire), and install a wire nut so it can never become energized. Be carefull. Make sure you shut off the breaker before you work on any electrical.
