Warren Nicholson

Has this been a fire hazard?
A bit of context. Sorry for long question.

April 2025: new HVAC system installed.
Nov 2025: pictures 1 & 2 capacitor had to be replaced after system not working. You can see red line completely burnt and purple line is starting and has created enough heat to char the label in the air handler
May 2026: picture 3 wire nut completely melted/burnt out. Discovered after system again went down. Again located in the air handler.

Question to all. Has this been a serious risk of fire and we have been lucky to avoid a fire? What is the way forward I should ask of the company who supplied and fitted the system. They have sent a supervisor down to check all connections now I have insisted as such.

Located in Texas, hot summers and houses made of wood 🙈

Thanks in advance.

Trying to make this landscape lighting setup look less like a “temporary fix that accidentally became permanent.” I ran low-voltage wire from the house through underground conduit to the beds, and I used HVAC tape for now to keep water and bugs out, but I know there has to be a cleaner and more correct way to finish this.

What fitting, cap, or seal would you use here so it stays weatherproof and doesn’t look like a backyard hack job? ⚡🌿😂

Nothing says homeownership like trying to map out your basement wiring and finding a suspicious little metal box riding on top of a junction box like it pays rent. The small wires disappear up through the same hole as the shower plumbing, because apparently keeping water and electrical mysteries separate was too much to ask.

Anybody know what this thing is before I start blaming every previous owner and handyman involved? 🧰⚡💀

Found this open junction box in the attic, because apparently my house likes to leave little electrical surprises where only insulation, spiders, and bad decisions live. There’s a bare copper wire sticking out that I’m assuming is ground, and I’m wondering if this is as simple as killing the power and putting a proper cover on it.

Can I safely close this up myself, or is this one of those “call someone before the attic becomes spicy” situations? ⚡🕷️🏠

Breaker melted, Electrician said no to panel replacement?
This is an apartment rental, and he is a licensed electrician of 30+ years, not an on-call maintenance guy but is employed by management.

Pic 1-3 is initial damage, Pic 4 is "fixed". I smelled burning fish coming from the box over a week ago, and reported the possibility of an electrical fire to management. I was called crazy. At the same time, my central AC stopped cooling properly. Nothing they did fixed the AC, either. Lo and behold, I hear buzzing and sparking coming from the box, record it, and an electrician is sent out the next day. Everything in the box was hot enough to burn fingertips, hottest being all AC-related.

Electrician is using words like "i could do that, but i think this will be fine" when addressing a full panel replace. Instead, him and 2 regular maintenance guys agree that only the 4 visually effected slots need to be removed and that's it.
He only checked behind those 4 for damage as well, and said the AC isn't the electrical problem at a glance, this was a random failure. I've been told to worry that it's on 20amps by a family member who isn't an electrician.

2 days later, burning fish smell is back, AC not cooling again. Is his 30+ years of experience correct? I have been led to believe I am overreacting & crazy. Currently in here with 2 portable ACs in separate rooms given to me temporarily by management till he returns Monday. AC & Dryer power is shut off. I don't have electrician experience so forgive any odd verbiage.

TLDR: Breaker go boom boom, AC overloading maybe, no replace panel, problem return.

Light fixture brace removal?
I'm trying install a porch ceiling fan in my 1940s house. I removed the existing light and had access to the box, and went into the attic to remove the brace--but it seems to be under the joist on its ends. I can pick it up and it bends, but it's stuck and I can't get it out. I know it's hard to see, but the rod spans between the joists and seems to go underneath. How do I remove this??

Ran into this at a BESS yard and now we’re in full “how bad is this actually going to be?” mode. Five conduits in, five out, all terminated, not energized yet, and my foreman is debating a couple possible fixes. I’m hoping there’s a smarter repair before we end up taking everything apart and pulling the can like it personally offended us.

Has anyone dealt with this before and found an easy save? ⚡💀🔧

Found a melted breaker in the panel, and somehow the answer I got was “no panel replacement needed.” I get that not every ugly electrical issue means a full replacement, but this looks like the kind of thing that deserves more than a casual shrug and a new breaker.

Am I wrong for thinking this needs another electrician to look at it? ⚡💀🛠️

Tried to swap my front door LED for a programmable Govee light, and of course the wiring box decided it was built like a safe deposit box inside the stucco. The new light won’t sit right, the box won’t fit where it needs to go, and I’m trying not to turn this into a “small project became exterior wall surgery” situation.

What’s the cleanest way to remove or modify this box without destroying half the stucco? ⚡🏠😅

Nothing says “easy weekend project” like opening a box and realizing the wiring was done with vibes, confidence, and maybe a blindfold. I thought I had the hot and neutral figured out, but both are reading hot, the new Romex won’t make the recessed light work, and this whole setup is screaming “electrician is about to roast me and charge double.”

Do I keep chasing this mystery, or is this where YouTube University officially fails me? ⚡😂🔥