[Hughski]

My house used to have a swamp cooler on the roof and the outlet is still sticking up there though I don't if its live. I used my mulitmeter and, set on v-a/c, I came up with readings of .5 to 1.9. This was switching up the prongs in the four different holes, too. Is this just the battery power going through the plug? Its supposed to be around 115V, correct?

I want the wire/plug gone due to the roof being replaced on Wednesday and one less hole is a good thing.



On a side note, while checking out the plug up there I find out my neighbor of 10 years like to enjoy his backyard al fresco. Not on the list of things I really wanted to see:noway:.

 

[quikss]

Its dead. It's very unlikely with any kind of quality meter to get a zero reading, as you will always read a miniscule amount of voltage. Most often its from the neutral wire. Go ahead and get rid of it.

Jeff

 

[Ed.Camino]

I'd tend to agree with quikss, but I have no idea what a swamp cooler is, or where a battery comes into play.
If you've got a 4 hole receptacle its more than likely a 3 wire 220v circuit - 2 hot wires, neutral and ground (the grnd is not a current carrying conductor so its not counted)
If your getting those readings with the probes making good contact with the contacts behind the face of the receptacle, meter set read 230 v or better, meter lead in 1 hole (stationary) and check the other 3, then move the stationary probe 1 hole clockwise and check the other 3 holes, repeat till you've had the stationary probe in all 4 holes.
It's probably dead.
If this was some kind of solar array it could well have been a DC circuit, so if you aint sure do the same test with the meter set to DC Volts.
Is there a NEMA number on the face of the receptacle, or any other markings?

 

[Ed.Camino]

oh ... and dont look in my yard.

 

[Dean]

"swamp cooler" is a nick name for an evaporative water cooler that has cool water running over a media and air blowing through to put cool humid air into the conditioned area.

The ones that I've seen ran on 120 volts but I haven't seen that many because they put out too much humidity for my area.

I do wonder about the 4 terminals on the outlet too though.

It might possibly be just turned off at the breaker so make sure you keep in mind that it might possibly get turned on again some day.

(I think he's probably talking about the battery in the meter Ed.)

What is "al fresco"? nude? I never heard that term before.

 

[Hughski]

Well, as I've done a very small amount of electrical work I decided to give it a shot.
Took it apart and pulled the wire through into the attic. Then used a wire nut on each end, taped that up and then all four together. Safe enough?

Ed: swamp cooler = evap. Thought the power from the meter might be giving the low reading. I didn't bother looking at the old partsas they were aged and painted over (1959 house).

Dean: It looks like the breaker has been replaced sometime during the house's history and there is no breaker labeled as such.

Another side note: Its been years since I've been in the attic (was electrical tasks, in fact). New things I've found up there:
1. Old galvanized plumbing is still there - I thought it was in the foundation (Copper was installed before I got here)
2. I have less insulation than I thought
3. Previous workers have left a bunch of scraps up there and that is going to be a fun day cleaning that up.
4. Whoever rewired the place (don't know if it was all done) obviously didn't care about doing an orderly, clean job and removing the old wires. Did know this already.

Thanks, all, for the info!:thumbsup:

 

[quikss]

Well, as I've done a very small amount of electrical work I decided to give it a shot.
Took it apart and pulled the wire through into the attic. Then used a wire nut on each end, taped that up and then all four together. Safe enough?

I'd prefer to see it put in a junction box with a blank plate over it. Actually NEC requires that.

Jeff

 

[Ed.Camino]

Had'nt heard them called swamp coolers before.
Sounds like your good to go.
Been in attics like yours, be careful - what looks like a scrap of wire could still be hot, especially with the kind of workers it seems been up there before. I once found a hot abandoned 3phase 200 amp circuit just hanging out the end of a pipe in an airport terminal ceiling. That sure coulda turned out bad.
With a Digital Multi Meter (DVM) the battery is electrically isolated from the probes when in Volt mode. You were seeing what quikss was talking about. With a DVM you might get that between your bench vise and the tool box.
Round here we dont care about Al's fresco, we just get nekkid

 

[Hughski]

quikss: I did trace it back to a box, but I didn't know what to do at that point. Considering what wiring hads been done, I would guess its not live and was just left behind. I ain't touchin' it!:noway:

Ed: Yeah I'm watching every move I make up there. Not only for wires and putting my foot/knee through the ceiling, but the nails overhead. The roof has a shallow pitch and they stick downward over an inch from the roof. Got slightly poked by one today. Don't know why such long ones were used. Back's going to be sore tomorrow from all the gymnastics I had to do up there to get around.

 

[Jim Mac]

another thing you might want to check out is the switch to turn the waterpump and motor on and off. Wire going to the switch is probably hot on one side. jim

 

[Gene McGill]

Four prongs for either 1) a two speed motor: gnd, Low, high, neutral, or 2) a single speed motor and water pump: gnd, motor hot, pump hot, neutral.

Mine is four prong for two speed motor , with a seperate pump circuit.

 

[Hughski]

Jim: This was the last piece of equipment that needed to be removed from the roof. Attic is another story!

 

[blm]

quikss: I did trace it back to a box, but I didn't know what to do at that point. Considering what wiring hads been done, I would guess its not live and was just left behind. I ain't touchin' it!:noway:

If you traced it back to a box your almost home. I would take the cover off the box/ probe the wires inside with your meter to find out if they are hot/if they are hot shut off breakers till you confirm they are not hot with your meter/ disconnect and remove the wires that had been running out to the roof/ remake your connections/ put the box cover back on/turn the power back on/job done.