Odd Wire type

Daltex

I feel your pain !! I wouldn't worry about the wire as it's fine for a 120 duplex but if it were me.... I'd splice a new 12-2 (in a J box) and run it down a stud space beside the window and then just pull the old receptical and put a cover plate over the old box. I don't think you'll have much luck running a new wire to the existing location without some plaster removal.

Good luck !!

hpmaxim

I have an unfinished basement. If I were going to replace the line, I'd probably drill a hole from the basement, up, fish a 10 gauge solid wire through it (I doub its more than a 2 foot run through the wall), and then pull some new 12-2 through that. Anything else would be a royal PITA.

Did I mention that I have two layers of siding? One is nice, easy vinyl, the other is one of the following: stone, stucco, or asbestos tile)-- NONE of which I want to attempt to go through.

Oso954

It is not listed for the purpose, and never has been. So, it is a code violation. Opinions of how hazardous it may or may not be, don't count.
Your safest course of action is find the box where that well wire starts, and disconnect it.

Then you can debate whether you pull new wire to that box, or install another box elsewhere.

hpmaxim

Thanks for your advice. In case you didn't notice, the box is inside an insulated wall with plaster on one side and something very nasty on the other -- I don't know where exactly it is and don't know any non-destructive way of finding it. It would be much easier to run a new line than to find the place where the well wire starts.

My house is 65 years old, there are tons of things in it that do not meet current code. For example, I don't have a single GFI circuits inside the house, I have no AFI breakers. I have wire in there that does not have ground. I'm doing my best to correct what I can, but I'm not going to go crazy to disconnect a wire that I have no reason to believe has failed and is protected by a circuit breaker.

What is the catastrophic failure mode? The wire insulation fails, shorts between hot and ground or got and neutral, the circuit breaker fails to open the circuit and the insulation catches on fire from the heat? Pretty unlikely. The breaker is either Square D QO or Cutler Hammer CH breaker -- both of which have a pretty good reputation imho.

Techy

The issue is in case of a fire, that type of wire is not required to have insulation than does not give off toxic fumes, because it's not allowed indoors.

Jim Port

Just about everything in a fire will give off a toxic gas. NM cable has PVC insulation that gives off toxic fumes.

This is part of the reason that surviving a fire is less than years ago. Todays fires are hotter, the gases more toxic and the lightweight construction fails quicker than older dimensional lumber. One is the few saving graces are better detection like smoke alarms and sprinklers.

__________________
Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

jlmran

It is my opinion that the style of well pump wire shown is rather new, so I suspect that a recent installation has occurred. Plus it is an exterior receptacle and the copper looks great. Even with the protection offered from the best cover used, I would still be surprised if that install was over a few years old, and certainly not 65 years old.

How long have you lived there?

My point being...it wouldn't think it would be too difficult to trace and replace, simply because of how recently it appears to have been installed. IMO.

hpmaxim

Jlmran... I've owned the house for about 10 years. So its older than that. How would you recommend tracing it?

Techy, as Jim pointed out burning PVC (which is what insulates all modern NM) will give off toxic gasses. The house, undoubtedly contains lots of things that give off toxic fumes if they are on fire. I'm not really all that concerned about the small amount of toxic gas that might be released by a small run of that wire should the house catch on fire, in the grand scheme of things I really doubt it would make any difference. My biggest concern is if an insulator is more prone to failure (i.e. breaking down, possibly because of the exposure to something it might come in contact with) and allowing a short, or periodic arcing that could start a fire.

jlmran

You mentioned it goes to the attic. Disconnect the receptacle, loosen the box clamp, tie on a fish tape or a new NM cable, and pull the old cable in the attic, dragging the new cable to a good electrical connection point.

hpmaxim

You're assuming that the cable runs direct into the attic and there is no junction box in the wall. Highly unlikely, because I haven't seen anything other than NM in the attic, and I used a tone generator and inductive amp, so I'm pretty sure I know which wire in the attic it is, and it looks like old NM there. You're also assuming it isn't stapled inside the wall, and to be blunt -- most of it is.

There's a lot of old wiring in the wall that I don't like and want to replace, but I have found replacing it is no where near as easy as you'd think it should be.

jlmran

DIY is not always like shopping at Staples. Good luck.