I live in an older house with small, exterior porch light fixtures outside 3 doors. Those fixtures need to be replaced. When I pulled the first one off, I found 2 wires coming thru the wall – no junction box containing the connections. I understand I cannot replace them this way as it doesn't meet code – I need the connections to be contained. Is there any type of box I can add to the exterior of the wall vs cutting a larger hole? Are there any exterior fixtures that have the box as part of the fixture itself so that a junction box isn't required? Suggestions?
Electrical – How to install an exterior porch light where there is no junction box
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We live with legacy ungrounded fixtures all the time, usually without incident. As I understand it, grounding is a backup system to give the high potential an easy path to ground (that is, a better path than YOU) if there is a short in the fixture.
Basically, grounding is a connection between the metal body of a fixture to a continuous ground (wire or metal shielding) that returns to the service panel and an earth ground. You could create a ground on a fixture by installing a screw in the metal body of the unit that could then take the ground wire. However, there could be more than one metal component in the fixture needing a ground, so it is by no means a sure fix.
The main issue is the likelihood of a user touching something metal on the fixture that could be accidentally live. If the fixture is out of reach, the lack of a ground is probably a low risk. If it is a pull chain light, use of a string pull rather than metal is a good idea.
That is called fan-fold insulation. Typical for under vinyl siding in older homes.
Very surprising that there is no sheathing, but not unheard of. What I would do is get a round cut-in style fixture box and mount it directly to the vinyl block. This seems like your only option, apart from removing some siding and replacing the vinyl block with a fixture box style piece from Arlington Industries.
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http://www.aifittings.com/catalog/siding-mounting-blocks/siding-mounting-block/
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Best Answer
At the hardware store, ask for an "old work" box, sometimes also called a "cut-in box", they are made to be added to existing walls / ceilings and have little clips on the side that allow you to anchor them into the hole. You will need to make the proper size hole as well, typically with what's called a "keyhole saw" if you are OK with a manual operation, otherwise you would use a "reciprocating saw" or now, a "roto-zip" saw. If you don't have one, you can often rent them.