I'll try to address both of you in one post, rather than double-posting....
Greg, thanks for the chart. I'm not sure if you meant that you consider a 1970's/80's MH to be "newer"--ours was built in 1975.
I have to confess, I worry about the electrician's work, because at one point, he didn't even bother shutting off the power. Even I do that, when taking off a faceplate to replace it! When I asked him about this, he just said, "Oh, yeah, I've been buzzed a few times." Then, when he replaced our kitchen switch, he found a wire he thought had no use, so he cut it off. After he left, we discovered it was somehow connected between that switch and the light switch in our pantry, so our pantry had no light until he came back and repaired the problem.
The real red flag for me was when he wasn't concerned that our bathrooms don't have GFCI outlets. Even I know better than that! And I've lived in other homes built in the 1970's, all of which had these in the bathrooms. So why isn't that the case in this MH?
cmanningjr wrote:When you say thicker wire, is it aluminum or copper? Why do you ask? In Older Mobile Homes and Houses that were wired in aluminum you have to upsize the wire for the ampacity. 12 gauge aluminum (thicker) is rated for 15 amps, where 14 gauge copper (thinner) is rated for 15 amps.
Our MH was built in 1975. I unscrewed the faceplate, and the grounding wire looks like copper (at least, in color), but I can't see what the other wires are--and don't worry, I won't pull the wires out to look at them.
cmanningjr wrote:It's leagal AND Code Compliant as long as the wire is rated for branch circuit overcurrent protection device. (Breaker or Fuse) Which do you have??
We have a breaker box.
cmanningjr wrote:NOW, we get into the question of WHY DID HE ADD WIRE? Too short to make the connections?
Because the light switches were shot, and the wire holes in the new ones were too small for the thicker gauge wire in our house. So he pigtailed (I think that's the term?) a short piece of thinner wire to the thicker wire, then connected the thin wire to the light switches.
IMHO, the existing wires were pretty short, and the electrical boxes looked awfully small to me. Yes, I was looking over his shoulder, because I was worried.
cmanningjr wrote:Did he use a divice/switch that was only rated for copper wire only? (Labeled CU ONLY) (CU/AL means you can use copper or aluminum wiring) AND if he did connect copper to aluminum did he use a wirenut that was approved or listed for the application? (There are some with nolox in them for this application) You will hear that you NEVER tie copper to aluminum. I don't, BUT there are methods that are code compliant that will allow you to do this.
I'm sorry, I have no idea what kind of wirenuts or switches he used.
cmanningjr wrote:As for your switches, light fixtures and such, there are no difference in them unless you have the kind that are made into the cover plate. (I hate those)
No, the faceplate is removeable. My one annoyance with the faceplates all over this MH is that they're not flush with the wall. The electrical boxes aren't set into the wall deeply enough. When I put insulating foam outlet/switch pads on them, it's even worse--but at least it keeps out the draft.
cmanningjr wrote:Maybe ask another electrician for a quote on the GFCI's and have them look at the switches while he's there..Most will give free estimates and recommendations.
I plan to do that, but I don't think they'll give us free estimates, since it's an hour's drive, round trip, from here to the city. Plus, I wanted to ask here first, so the second electrician doesn't think he can take advantage of an uninformed person, when I ask him questions.
cmanningjr wrote:I don't guess you snapped pictures of it?
I often take pictures when I'm doing my own work, but I had no way of doing so when the electrician was between me and the switch he was working on, unfortunately.
If you guys can help with these other questions, I hope it will help me find an electrician whom I trust more than this first guy. Thanks in advance!