Books Recalled - Safety Issue

[Jim Koepke]

Not sure if this is the best place to post this.

It appears some books sold with the Lowe's name and the Sunset books names may have errors in their information on electrical wiring that can cause damage.

These books have been sold for more than 30 years.

And they are just now being made aware?

Do a search on > books recall lowes < to find many articles on this.

jim

[Brian Effinger]

Do a search on > books recall lowes < to find many articles on this.

jim

Of course, right on the first page was an ambulance chaser. They don't waste any time when there is a buck to be made.

I read a few of the articles, but none said what the specific problem was. If the error has been circulating for 30+ years, it couldn't have been something too bad. Probably something that was acceptable back then, but is now against the NEC.

[Jim Koepke]

I read a few of the articles, but none said what the specific problem was. If the error has been circulating for 30+ years, it couldn't have been something too bad. Probably something that was acceptable back then, but is now against the NEC.

The Basic Electronics book I had in college had a drawing of a wall outlet with the neutral and hot switched. This can go on for years without causing a problem, but, it can cause an unsafe situation in some applications.

In the old days of tube radios and before printed circuit boards, it was common for one side of the line cord to be connected to the chassis. These often had an interlock to keep someone from taking the back off and touching the chassis. Some of them had polarized plugs.

Danger lurking where one least expects it is even more dangerous since one may let their guard down.

One news report did say there have not been any known cases of injury or damage. Of course, we do not know these things. Maybe someone who has a copy of the book knows what the error happens to be.

jim

[John Coloccia]

The Basic Electronics book I had in college had a drawing of a wall outlet with the neutral and hot switched. This can go on for years without causing a problem, but, it can cause an unsafe situation in some applications.

In the old days of tube radios and before printed circuit boards, it was common for one side of the line cord to be connected to the chassis. These often had an interlock to keep someone from taking the back off and touching the chassis. Some of them had polarized plugs.

Danger lurking where one least expects it is even more dangerous since one may let their guard down.

One news report did say there have not been any known cases of injury or damage. Of course, we do not know these things. Maybe someone who has a copy of the book knows what the error happens to be.

jim

Double trouble if you wire up a light switch that way. Don't know how many times I have to tell people not to assume a light socket is dead just because the switch is down and the light is off.