Enough of COVID...what are you doing to the house?

[48Connor]

I am not an electrician (work in engineering) but I have done many ESA permitted (notification) and passed rewires over the years. If you are in the west GTA I can come by, take a look and give you some tips.

On the existing ungrounded runs. They are likely not done correctly... Either they installed a standard three prong 5-15R with no ground or even worse did a bootleg ground (neutral to ground at the receptacle) to fool a tester. If they did all that wrong did they get hot and neutral correct?? The outlets get swapped for convenience (to be able to plug in devices with a ground) or just because the old two prong was worn out or broken and are hard to get... Three prong can be safely done on an ungrounded outlet by using a GFCI outlet.

Thanks for the offer - I'm in Oshawa so not a short drive for you hahaha

Yeah they are just regular plugs with no ground wire. I haven't seen any bootleg grounds yet, and as far as I know there is not a GFCI in the circuit, but could be wrong. I do want to look and see if anyone over the year has run a separate ground to the back of some of the boxes, but that's unlikely.

 

[48Connor]

So...I was going to reach out but since we're here...

I effectively finished all my CAT6 (thanks @oioioi) runs around the exterior of the house, and punched through into the house where I want everything...but now I think I screwed up which cable goes where...

Is there a way to confirm which cable goes where? I thought I labeled all of them with electrical tape (color coded, and 2x colors when I ran out) and just want to confirm which cable goes where...

Recommendations for testing before plugging anything in?

I have one of those $10 ethernet cable testers for when I make my own cables, you could use one of those to find out which line goes where if you have access to both ends

 

[oioioi]

So...I was going to reach out but since we're here...

I effectively finished all my CAT6 (thanks @oioioi) runs around the exterior of the house, and punched through into the house where I want everything...but now I think I screwed up which cable goes where...

Is there a way to confirm which cable goes where? I thought I labeled all of them with electrical tape (color coded, and 2x colors when I ran out) and just want to confirm which cable goes where...

Recommendations for testing before plugging anything in?

Just leave it.

I'll come by.
You go for a ride that you desperately need and I will identify them all for you.

 

[oioioi]

I have one of those $10 ethernet cable testers for when I make my own cables, you could use one of those to find out which line goes where.

Those will need the cables to be terminated.
Not sure if his are terminated yet.

 

[mimico_polak]

Just leave it.

I'll come by.
You go for a ride that you desperately need and I will identify them all for you.

While I appreciate it...there's zero chance of me going on a ride if someone's helping me out...that's just silly.

I have one of those $10 ethernet cable testers for when I make my own cables, you could use one of those to find out which line goes where if you have access to both ends

Never heard of those. Got a link?

 

[oioioi]

Brileine Network Cable Tester, Ethernet Cable Tester/Continuity Tester for RJ45 RJ11 RJ12 Data Cable Twisted Pair Connections, CAT5/CAT6/CAT7 UTP LAN Wire Test Tool https://a.co/d/dQDtR3I

 

[oioioi]

While I appreciate it...there's zero chance of me going on a ride if someone's helping me out...that's just silly.


Never heard of those. Got a link?

Fine.
You can stand back and hold my beer.

 

[mimico_polak]

Here is a representation of what I have right now...

Lines
- Orange (x2) / Red / Blue - CAT6
- Green - Cable Internet Connection

Boxes
- Green - new modem location
- Black - Camera locations
- Red - Wireless Access Points (proposed)
- Orange - Wireless Access Point (proposed - basement)

 

[GreyGhost]

Never heard of those. Got a link?

I can lend you the poverty version. Assuming both ends are terminated it tests each wire from continuity. It awesome it easy to see if you missed a wire or flipped two. The better versions test for speed capability. If the gar end has no lights, you probably have the wrong wire and should test a different far end. Oioiois let's ypu plug in 24 and then when you plug into the far end, it tells you what channel you have there. As I was unterminated, I used the dreaded tick tracer and a lot of walking.

 

[GreyGhost]

Here is a representation of what I have right now...

Lines
- Orange (x2) / Red / Blue - CAT6
- Green - Cable Internet Connection

Boxes
- Green - new modem location
- Black - Camera locations
- Red - Wireless Access Points (proposed)
- Orange - Wireless Access Point (proposed - basement)

View attachment 67857

You can probably save money and skip orange. The one at the top of my stairs allows connections is basement (not amazing but passable). I put one at the top of the stairs and one on the soffit in the backyard. Left wifi on in the garage router for front yard.

 

[oioioi]

The ones that test for speed are cable certifier. I don't have one of those but will gladly take donations towards one.

I have a several poverty and middle class versions.

 

[mimico_polak]

You can probably save money and skip orange. The one at the top of my stairs allows connections is basement (not amazing but passable). I put one at the top of the stairs and one on the soffit in the backyard. Left wifi on in the garage router for front yard.

Those cables are all in place already. The basement one is the simplest as that starts in an unfinished basement area so easy.

 

[Mad Mike]

While I appreciate it...there's zero chance of me going on a ride if someone's helping me out...that's just silly.


Never heard of those. Got a link?

It's ewasy to ID data cables with a 9V battery and a cheapo meter. Connect one strand to the +, the other to the - of one tristed pair. At the other end, check for voltage across the pair with your meter - voltage is ether there or not.

Another cheapo option from Amazon that does the same thing.

https://www.amazon.ca/Ethernet-Tracker-Network-Portable-Disorder/dp/B08L86JMB9/ref=sr_1_8?crid=1YZ2I66O2RKU2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TwZuweKwk7LqYecBdwfa-hhw5bThrpAy3NCM6tYbz5TSy2bwWnUnWl_y8gkuIWWnTOfx8RIaQV8i_4vNQJz8VRJnz0IvSXCcBhTAlSdWIA_2UJbYH5Iar5xjQ8fUgamZDgsbfmbHvhgf9mAYixC13hbfRTiH8o9hNm0xgsUn_5X1lOFIqct0Ux_bGrwtBL4te0_iZ-4Wf9eoaHbqwMk7wdkZO4jxBQZL1r02R5AGbbc.sbr81vOT0011j_Zr4ukJiMc-xmxrLN7hGU_Kpb1v-NQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=cable%2Btracer&qid=1716572757&sprefix=cable%2Btracer%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-8&th=1

 

[oioioi]

Or all you need is a multimeter.

Connect the 2 wires in a pair together (creating a short). Connect white/orange with orange. White/blue with blue, etc etc

Make note of which location is using which color pair.

Go to the other end and test for continuity on the same color pair. If your multimeter beeps, that means you have found the cable for said location.


Choose a different color pair for each locations.
Once you run out of the 4 different colours start to combine wires from other pairs to create a new color pair. Blue with orange, brown with blue, white/green with white/blue.

 

[mimico_polak]

This is why I love GTAMers. Y’all are awesome.

 

[mimico_polak]

Fine.
You can stand back and hold my beer.

Hell I'll get my MIL to make something delicious also!

 

[48Connor]

Update: Ok so I think what has been done is when the panel and a lot of the wiring was swapped out on the house, they left the old wiring in the walls/attic, but everything in the basement was swapped. So these receptacles have 3ft of old 1948 wiring, into a junction box in the basement ceiling where it hooks into 2002 Romex, and then back to the panel. Still debating what to do next with it - want to swap the old wiring out but don't want to do it today.

In other news I spent 2hrs in the attic today running ethernet. Found lots of interesting things. The plumbing vent from the shower to the main stack (which is all cast iron) has rotted off. I have a fix for it but it's odd that's happened. Also have decided to put in pot lights in the living room. Oh and the attic is huge, like ready for another bedroom up there... Lots of changes lol

 

[mimico_polak]

Cottage yard duty today. Mowing lawn as it’s up to the knees, now clearing all the needles and brush from the winter tree shedding…fun day after a lot of alcohol…

 

[backmarkerducati]

Update: Ok so I think what has been done is when the panel and a lot of the wiring was swapped out on the house, they left the old wiring in the walls/attic, but everything in the basement was swapped. So these receptacles have 3ft of old 1948 wiring, into a junction box in the basement ceiling where it hooks into 2002 Romex, and then back to the panel. Still debating what to do next with it - want to swap the old wiring out but don't want to do it today.

In other news I spent 2hrs in the attic today running ethernet. Found lots of interesting things. The plumbing vent from the shower to the main stack (which is all cast iron) has rotted off. I have a fix for it but it's odd that's happened. Also have decided to put in pot lights in the living room. Oh and the attic is huge, like ready for another bedroom up there... Lots of changes lol

Attic space like this... my (feels like) never ending project.

 

[GreyGhost]

Attic like this... my (feels like) never ending project.

It's looking good. This was just dead attic space before and it has become useful now?