Serious question, my old boss in Tampa always said to never run alarm wire parallel to AC lines, but I just saw a 15-year-old system where they did exactly that and it's been fine.

Has anyone else found that some of those 'absolute' rules we learn early on might have more wiggle room than we think, or did I just get lucky with this one house?

2 comments

2 Comments

claire_fisher411mo ago

That old rule is more about avoiding problems than guaranteeing them. My first boss swore by a specific brand of wire that was basically rebranded junk. Sometimes the old ways are just what someone got used to.

kevin_bailey1mo ago

Hold up, "just what someone got used to" is a huge oversimplification. That experience with junk wire proves the old rule worked, it just got applied to the wrong brand. The point is to avoid the unknown that causes failures. Sticking with proven stuff, even if it's just a personal habit, stops you from wasting time and money on new problems. Throwing out all old rules because one was misapplied is how you end up with a garage full of cheap wire that melts.