EcoRenovator - View Single Post - Do you need an extra outlet for ice melt wires on the roof?

herlichka · 09-14-11, 06:34 AM

I see in Xringer's top photo that there is a "drip loop" in the cord under the receptacle. This is so important, as well as keeping all connections dry and away from the flow of the melting snow. These can be frustrating installations in that wet connections will repeatedly cause the GFI"s to trip, and out of frustration some people will remove the GFI and install a non-protected receptacle (I've seen it several times). This is so dangerous, in that there is the potential to energise metal eaves trough, aluminum siding and so on. An aluminum ladder against energised eaves trough could prove fatal!
I went to one house to clean the eaves trough, and the guy had a yellow 16/2, lawnmower cord running from the convenience receptacle (non GFI) beside the panel in the garage, out the door and up the downspout to the heating cables on the roof. The plugs were laying in the trough in the water and wet leaves. This was an accident waiting to happen! His explanation was that when the cables were plugged into the GFI protected receptacle under the eaves, his Christmas lights wouldn't stay on!!

09-14-11, 06:34 AM	#3
herlichka Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada Posts: 102 Thanks: 11 Thanked 15 Times in 10 Posts	I see in Xringer's top photo that there is a "drip loop" in the cord under the receptacle. This is so important, as well as keeping all connections dry and away from the flow of the melting snow. These can be frustrating installations in that wet connections will repeatedly cause the GFI"s to trip, and out of frustration some people will remove the GFI and install a non-protected receptacle (I've seen it several times). This is so dangerous, in that there is the potential to energise metal eaves trough, aluminum siding and so on. An aluminum ladder against energised eaves trough could prove fatal! I went to one house to clean the eaves trough, and the guy had a yellow 16/2, lawnmower cord running from the convenience receptacle (non GFI) beside the panel in the garage, out the door and up the downspout to the heating cables on the roof. The plugs were laying in the trough in the water and wet leaves. This was an accident waiting to happen! His explanation was that when the cables were plugged into the GFI protected receptacle under the eaves, his Christmas lights wouldn't stay on!!