My neighbor's DIY patio lights almost started a fire last weekend

Last weekend, I was out in my yard when I saw smoke coming from my neighbor's patio. I mean, I rushed over and found him trying to put up string lights himself. He had used some old extension cords and hooked them up to an outlet without any cover. Idk what he was thinking, but the wires got hot and started melting. Maybe it's just me, but I see this a lot where folks don't realize how dangerous outdoor wiring can be. I helped him disconnect everything and explained why he needed proper weatherproof boxes and a GFCI. Has anyone else dealt with neighbors doing sketchy electrical projects? I feel like a quick chat about safety could prevent so many issues.

3 comments

3 Comments

martinez.kim5d ago

People freak out over the smallest DIY stuff fr. Seen way worse than some melted extension cords and nothing ever happened. Half the backyard grills and holiday lights out there are janky setups that never cause real fires. Unless he was running power tools through speaker wire or something, it was probably just gonna trip a breaker. Everyone acts like they're on an episode of safety patrol now.

drew_gonzalez5d ago

Seriously though, the amount of fear over basic wiring is wild. My old apartment had outlets that sparked when you plugged stuff in, and it never burned down. People see one picture of a frayed cord and start quoting electrical code like it's a life or death thing. Most of the time it just stops working, it doesn't turn into a fireball.

drew_reed624d ago

Sparking outlets are no joke! I had one and just replaced it myself. Been fine for years now!