"Village officials told Fox 5 that wiring can be dangerous and that someone could get shocked."

This translates to....


Someone in the town government lives in the neighborhood and has made phone calls to get it closed down. Someone at the licensing/zoning office probably got a "do whatever it takes" phone call.

If only there was someway we could get more government involvment in our lives

WharrbOnChristmasgrble!!!!

ZAZ:

I assumed this was part of a national building code and would be the same in New York. I'm not sure.

The NEC has specified that outdoor outlets have to be weatherproof and on a GFCI for the last ten years or so, but of course that doesn't apply if the existing wiring is older than the requirement. No idea what the requirements are specific to her state.

I thought the #1 rule when visiting a huge display like this was KEEP OFF THE DAMN LAWN. Not only for your safety, but to prevent damage to the decorations.

If this rule was enforced in most cities, I'd bet 90% of Xmas lights would have to be shut off. What normal decorator doesn't cobble together every extension cord in the house? As long as they're plugged into GFI-protected outlets, it's not a problem. Not everyone has the money to develop an electrical system like, say, Toronto's Lindsay Lights (new window) uses.

Ehh, both are valid points. You can't encroach on town right-of-way with decorations. We've had that same problem around here.

The wiring is also a concern if they just have a shiatton of consumer-grade extension cords daisy-chained together - not only are they not meant to be left outside for extended periods but they've probably had to modify their circuit breakers to get that god-awful load to keep from tripping.

Simple answer: Get some pro-grade weather shielded power cables and stop encroaching on the right of way you sanctimonious coont. Nothing but a "news" story whipped out of a non-issue by bored reporters to stuff out the Sunday news...

/my lawn, get off it.

If it were just a concern about the electrical cords, I'd say "Yeah, it might be a good idea to have someone 'in the know' look it over, but the complaint about the soldiers and gingerbread houses gives credence to Con_Authority's comment.

My wiring this year, starting from one outlet

1 20 ft extenstion cord
1 20 ft extenstion cord
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights
1 10 ft length of small lights

1 25 ft length of big lights
1 25 ft length of big lights
1 25 ft length of big lights



I read something about only plugging 2 of these in to one outlet...

...I'm inclined to go with the "pissed-someone-off" theory, ran into a bunch of that when I lived in Cleveland years ago. As much fun as doing something like this is, the folks who put these displays together don't consider how badly they can fark up traffic in a given neighborhood. It gets compounded by the local tin-plated gods deciding to go all medieval on the folks with the lights, instead of sitting down with them from the get-go and explaining the problem.

destrip: I thought the #1 rule when visiting a huge display like this was KEEP OFF THE DAMN LAWN. Not only for your safety, but to prevent damage to the decorations.

If this rule was enforced in most cities, I'd bet 90% of Xmas lights would have to be shut off. What normal decorator doesn't cobble together every extension cord in the house? As long as they're plugged into GFI-protected outlets, it's not a problem. Not everyone has the money to develop an electrical system like, say, Toronto's Lindsay Lights (new window) uses.

"It's for the children."

Somehow this has me thinking she probably used a bunch of indoor extensions which aren't approved for outdoor use.

/slow news day, a trip to Walmart, and a non-story

They should just let people do whatever they want and then when someone gets hurt and the village gets sued for not enforcing duly promulgated regulations all the taxpayers can share the cost.

edmo:
- If it's illegal now, won't it be illegal when you're running that electric hedge trimmer next May?


Are you liable to be running that hedge trimmer in a rainstorm? Same concern.

If these are plugged into a GFI outlet who cares?

Nocens: Somehow this has me thinking she probably used a bunch of indoor extensions which aren't approved for outdoor use.

Not only that, they're probably the same ones she's been using for six years and the weather has rendered them dangerous. And they're all daisy-chained to one indoor outlet, with an oversize breaker fitted.

The NEC allows 90 days for "temporary" wiring...period.

/paid for by the village of Lindenhurst

Mein Fuhrer I Can Walk: edmo:
- If it's illegal now, won't it be illegal when you're running that electric hedge trimmer next May?


Are you liable to be running that hedge trimmer in a rainstorm? Same concern.

that is a stupid argument
are you going to use the same GFCI outlet?

Greydog: The NEC allows 90 days for "temporary" wiring...period.

Correct. The only issues I could see is if they used indoor-only wiring or lights, or if they used cords too small for the length and load plugged in. Either of these would be remedied by a quick (but possibly expensive) trip to the home center.

tenpoundsofcheese: Mein Fuhrer I Can Walk: edmo:
- If it's illegal now, won't it be illegal when you're running that electric hedge trimmer next May?


Are you liable to be running that hedge trimmer in a rainstorm? Same concern.

that is a stupid argument
are you going to use the same GFCI outlet?

This is assuming you have one. We only just installed our first after doing some outdoor renovations.

Fun fact: not everybody is "up to code".

ZAZ: In Connecticut there's a building code requirement that new houses have outlets on the outside, and I think they have to be special outdoor-rated sockets. The theory is people are going to plug things in outside so you might as well make it safe to do so. It would be silly to mandate outlets that you aren't allowed to use.

I assumed this was part of a national building code and would be the same in New York. I'm not sure.
-------------------------------
Yes, but they're talking about the extension cords to get power from those outlets to the lights.

lajimi: When was Long Island taken over by the United Kingdom?

August 22, 1776 (new window)

It always amuses me that the term 'village' is still applied in First World Countries.

It amuses me, in a good way.

CygnusDarius: It always amuses me that the term 'village' is still applied in First World Countries.

It amuses me, in a good way.

Trust me, there are still plenty of one-stoplight-and-a-horse hovels 'round my way that easily fit the definition of Village.

Picturing a Griswaldian mess of tangled cords and a single receptacle. I'm guessing some neighbour turned them in, making specific complaints. The city can't ignore it (think about the children!!). Non-story though, find a sympathetic electrician and make it safe.

CygnusDarius: It always amuses me that the term 'village' is still applied in First World Countries.

It amuses me, in a good way.
---------------------------------
Village, in official Federal/ census bureau guidelines, refers to any incorporated municipal area having less than 6,000 permanent residents. Anything over that is considered a city.

And there's a suburb of Cincinnati called "Indian Hill," which is one of the most expensive areas there- it's where all the corporate CEOs live, etc. Very pretentious area. Absolutely NO businesses are allowed to be there, either. Anyhow, they were officially known as "The Village of Indian Hill." They used this entire designation on town signs and the like. When their population went above 6,000 people, and their official designation became "City," they actually changed the name to "The Village of Indian Hill, so that they could continue using that on their signage. Their new official designation, therefore, is "The City of the Village of Indian Hill." Like I said... Pretentious farkers.

/Approves.....
//OR HE DISAPPROVES...

Opposite: My wiring this year...

You are being reported...

This is either the city's way of digging up free permit money or some city inspector's way of throwing work to his electrician buddies.

Holy shiat, are we really teetering towards English level nanny-stateism?

I expected this would have been an article from the Daily Mail or some such . . . .

This house is about a half mile from my house, and it is a major eyesore.
They leave a lot of the decorations up for a good portion of the year.
In August, the Santa and reindeeer hanging from the front of the house were still up. It looks ridiculous.

bronyaur1:

What a bunch of jerks! Everyone knows that the physics of electricity understands that it is the holiday season, and changes itself to prevent deadly fires during this time of year.

Having worked for several years as an electrician, I can say that we view holiday lighting in much the same way firemen view home fireworks and turkey fryers.

zulius: /Approves.....
//OR HE DISAPPROVES...

Came for Clark Griswold, leaving satisfied.

/shiatter's full...

how to pass a griswald house display before the fact:
take down the right-of-way enchroaching decorations.
plug extension cords into outside approved sockets.
design load to conform to circuit breaker.
use u.l. approved outdoor extension cords and lighting.
call town fire marshal for free inspection if he knee jerk won't pass it for a good reason have your lawyer write him a certified letter. towns hate lawsuits.

Oh_Enough_Already: Holy shiat, are we really teetering towards English level nanny-stateism?

I expected this would have been an article from the Daily Mail or some such . . . .

Nah, she can still keep her head level hanging planters and the swiss army knife she used for wire stripping.

SuburbanCowboy: This house is about a half mile from my house, and it is a major eyesore.
They leave a lot of the decorations up for a good portion of the year.
In August, the Santa and reindeeer hanging from the front of the house were still up. It looks ridiculous.

I suspect this may be the real problem. It's a semi-permanent eyesore.

Something similar happened here. Some jackhole neighbor reported a nice lady who did charity lights, since they were a nuisance to them. The city gave her 30 days to bring it into compliance. On Dec 5.

Needless to say, the lights were down Jan 2.

I thought GFI had been code for outdoor outlets since the 70s.

I just watched the video. She has power cords and splitters right up against the freaking curb. It's a liability nightmare.

Ten to one she burns her house down, freaking idiot...

Greek: CygnusDarius: It always amuses me that the term 'village' is still applied in First World Countries.

It amuses me, in a good way.
---------------------------------
Village, in official Federal/ census bureau guidelines, refers to any incorporated municipal area having less than 6,000 permanent residents. Anything over that is considered a city.

And there's a suburb of Cincinnati called "Indian Hill," which is one of the most expensive areas there- it's where all the corporate CEOs live, etc. Very pretentious area. Absolutely NO businesses are allowed to be there, either. Anyhow, they were officially known as "The Village of Indian Hill." They used this entire designation on town signs and the like. When their population went above 6,000 people, and their official designation became "City," they actually changed the name to "The Village of Indian Hill, so that they could continue using that on their signage. Their new official designation, therefore, is "The City of the Village of Indian Hill." Like I said... Pretentious farkers.

Why keep the term? Besides, "The City of the Village of Indian Hill" sounds more like a grammatical suicide.