Pictures of Interest

[brian john]

As part of our IR Scans we do a visual inspection noting NEC violations and electrical issues. Just a few recent ones

Photo One is in a 12 story commercial office building where the engineers do their own electric work
Photo Two is obvious
Photo Three is a Bolted Pressure Switch that was not fully closed
Photo Four is a sub panel every subpanel in this building had this issue.
Photo Five is the old 1/2" too large for the termination connector so they put a steel washer between the connector and bus flag.

 

[JFletcher]

Oooh... what happened with pic #2? Wires wouldnt fit the terminal lugs so they chopped strands... wire too big or lugs too small (Im guessin the latter)?

Pic #1, what is the violation(s)? Can't use NM in commercial building over 4 stories?

 

[ActionDave]

Number three is the best IMO.

 

[brian john]

Oooh... what happened with pic #2? Wires wouldnt fit the terminal lugs so they chopped strands... wire too big or lugs too small (Im guessin the latter)?

Pic #1, what is the violation(s)? Can't use NM in commercial building over 4 stories?

#2 is SO cord being utilized for permanent wiring through plenums feeding permanent receptacles.

 

[norcal]

So, is a anything going to be done about the issues?

 

[brian john]

We supply a quotation with the report and then sometimes the issues are repaired other times we write up the same issues year after years.

We place a yellow sticker with the date and discrepancy number on the discrepancy and we have some customers with 4 and more stickers on the same discrepancy.

 

[ptonsparky]

We supply a quotation with the report and then sometimes the issues are repaired other times we write up the same issues year after years.

We place a yellow sticker with the date and discrepancy number on the discrepancy and we have some customers with 4 and more stickers on the same discrepancy.

Kind of hard to argue with "it's worked like that for years".

 

[Frank DuVal]

So, #2 looks sloppy, but it also seems there is not enough room to add proper clear taps (or Polaris) to change size of conductor into the lug. Should the installer do a better job of hiding the snipped strands? This situation comes up when you upsize the conductor for voltage drop, but there is no need to upsize the OCP or devices due to load current. We have cut hair lots of times dealing with rubber cord for temporary use in long runs.

 

[steve66]

To be honest, it took me a few minutes to figure out the violation on #4.
Sometimes I don't get all the details when I read something for the first time.

Photo Four is a sub panel every subpanel in this building had this issue.

Now I get it.

At some point you would think they would wonder "Why am I running a neutral and ground with every feeder when I'm just connecting them together at both ends everywhere?"

 

[mbrooke]

To be honest, it took me a few minutes to figure out the violation on #4.
Sometimes I don't get all the details when I read something for the first time.



Now I get it.

At some point you would think they would wonder "Why am I running a neutral and ground with every feeder when I'm just connecting them together at both ends everywhere?"

Well then why do they connect to the same place in a main panel?

 

[Jraef]

So, #2 looks sloppy, but it also seems there is not enough room to add proper clear taps (or Polaris) to change size of conductor into the lug. Should the installer do a better job of hiding the snipped strands? This situation comes up when you upsize the conductor for voltage drop, but there is no need to upsize the OCP or devices due to load current. We have cut hair lots of times dealing with rubber cord for temporary use in long runs.

As far as I know, there is no legal way to "cut hair " or "shave" strands from a conductor without violating 110.14(A).

(A) Terminals. Connection of conductors to terminal parts shall ensure a thoroughly good connection without damaging the conductors...

I don't know of any AHJ that would not bounce that, and most will do a pretty thorough job of making sure someone isn't trying to hide it.

If you can't fit something like a Polaris block, you can use what is called a "pin connector" that crimps onto the larger cable and provides a pin or short piece of stranded cable small enough to fit the lug.

 

[ActionDave]

View attachment 14013 View attachment 14012

Here is something just recently. Somebody decided this was the best way to provide GFCI protection to a float switch at our water treatment plant. Brand new work BTW.

 

[ptonsparky]

View attachment 14013 View attachment 14012

Here is something just recently. Somebody decided this was the best way to provide GFCI protection to a float switch at our water treatment plant. Brand new work BTW.

What, the cord is not big enough?

 

[ActionDave]

What, the cord is not big enough?

It was a half million dollar project, custom control cabinet, everything state of the art. Notice how the EGC is both green and labelled. That is how fussy the guy that worked on this was, yet he does this. I don't even think it was a new cord.

 

[Fulthrotl]

If you can't fit something like a Polaris block, you can use what is called a "pin connector" that crimps onto the larger cable and provides a pin or short piece of stranded cable small enough to fit the lug.
View attachment 14011

it's how i do all my aluminum feeders......
the heat shrink keeps any corrosion from forming.
no moisture wicking up under the insulation.

 

[GoldDigger]

Even if he did not want to go to the effort of finding a dead front GFCI, he could have used the load terminals and real wire.
I suspect that he did not really understand what was inside the GFCI receptacle device.

 

[ActionDave]

Even if he did not want to go to the effort of finding a dead front GFCI, he could have used the load terminals and real wire.
I suspect that he did not really understand what was inside the GFCI receptacle device.

I guess. I just couldn't get over the irony of that cord in the control panel. I should have taken a pic of the whole thing.

From what I could tell it went to a fancy float switch that should not even need GFCI protection.