Access is required by the National Electrical Code on splices, unless they use irreversible or welded connections. For the same reason that switches and receptacles in your home are connected inside junction boxes. Your ground connection at the ground rod uses a bolt threaded thru an acorn shaped nut to tighten the wire against the ground rod. If that came loose( or was never tightened in the first place), you would lose the primary ground path required in case of lightening strikes. The connection should have been visible from day one.
In addition, your home has ( like all modern wired homes after the mid 60's)) a three wire system of a hot( energized) wire, a neutral( grounded current carrying conductor) and a ground wire.The ground wire positively trips the hot( energized) wire thru the circuit breakers in case of a dead short.
.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gtorich
LOL, probably even a dumber question...……..why would I need access to it...….lived here 28 yrs and didn't even know it was under the wood deck...……
Rich
|