05/07/2026
⚡️ A PLUMBER’S "CLOSE CALL" & THE DANGER OF THE FLOATING NEUTRAL ⚡️
Today I was called out to a situation that could have ended in a tragedy.
The Scene: A plumber was working under a house, doing a routine job of removing a section of copper pipe. The moment he cut the pipe, the house went haywire. Lights started flickering wildly and the dishwasher literally started smoking.
What happened? Because the main service neutral outside was broken (see the photos), the entire electrical system was using the home’s copper water pipes as the "return path" to get power back to the grid.
When that plumber cut the pipe, he broke the only path the electricity had left. Not only did this send a massive voltage spike through the house (frying appliances), but the plumber was inches away from becoming that path himself.
The Culprit (The "Cheap" Fix):
Slide over to see what caused this. ➡️
The Floating Neutral: The main neutral wire was left dangling and corroded, held together by a prayer.
The Romex Splice: Someone had used a basic zinc Romex connector—meant for a small junction box, not a main service line—to "splice" the power together.
The Melted Tape: Without a proper mechanical connection, the splice was arcing and melting the electrical tape from the inside out.
The Lesson for Illinois Homeowners:
Illinois does not have a statewide electrical license. This means anyone can show up and leave you with a "ticked-off" system like this.
At MerCo Electric, we do things differently:
✅ Iowa Master Licensed: I hold a Master License from the State of Iowa. That means I’ve passed the most rigorous testing and code exams in the region.
✅ Line-Side Safety: We know that "line-side" wires (before your breaker) are the most dangerous because there is no fuse to stop a fire if the work is shoddy.
✅ Code-Compliant Bonding: We ensure your grounding and bonding are done right so your plumbing never becomes "live."
Don't wait for your appliances to start smoking or a contractor to get hurt. If your service looks like a mess of tape and old wires, give us a call.
Stay grounded. Stay safe.
