Short Ground

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sb1280

Member
I had previously inspected this subpanel and reported it needed a grounding conductor. Only 3 wires had been ran from main disconnect. The electrician called today and said he was complete. It had only been about hour from his call about starting the work to his call asking for inspection. It is about 100' to disconnect from panel. Upon inspection the grounding conductor looked loose in conduit. A little tug and like magic I had the newly installed grounding conductor. All 4' feet of it. See photo.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
That would be out right fraud, we had a few in this area that would try to pull that over on the inspectors and they would land before the building commission with possibility of loosing their licenses and of a fine.
 

ericgold

Member
Wheres the violation, is the ground not long enough? Thats how a ground wire works, the extra electrons just sit on the wire until their needed. :grin:
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
You should take all steps you can to get his license yanked. If you can't i would not blame you for making all his future inspections so tough that he moves away. That is worse than a hack.
 

acrwc10

Master Code Professional
Location
CA
Occupation
Building inspector
I had previously inspected this subpanel and reported it needed a grounding conductor. Only 3 wires had been ran from main disconnect. The electrician called today and said he was complete. It had only been about hour from his call about starting the work to his call asking for inspection. It is about 100' to disconnect from panel. Upon inspection the grounding conductor looked loose in conduit. A little tug and like magic I had the newly installed grounding conductor. All 4' feet of it. See photo.

Was this a "jack of all trades" guy doing the job? Maybe you could suggest he stick to plumbing.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
H'mmm I might have this wrong, if the feeders are less then 60 amps, it might be rated up to 60 amps, I always though it had to be less then 6':confused:

EGC might not even be needed, but of course that would depend upon why they were required in the first plase, but still no excuse for the hack of trying to slip one over on the inspector.
Oh and its 250.118(6)(c) in the 2008
 
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iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
A little tug and like magic I had the newly installed grounding conductor. All 4' feet of it. See photo.

What an idiot, we all know enough to use some liquid nail on the conductor before stuffing it in the pipe.:grin:

Did he do the same on the other end?

Really is there any fine that can be given to this dangerous hack?
 

kspifldorf

Senior Member
That burns me up!! Literally, I was on a mission because an operators said they were being shocked. I don't take that lightly.
Joking around a little with the operator I said it couldn't be that bad, as I went to throw the disconnect.
Sure enough, it was "that bad".
After digging around a little I found the very same thing. I was so PI..ED off I bout wooped my buddy and kicked my dog for it.
And btw it was in rigid, I guess that's why I always pull that extra green mile.:D
277 floating around just sucks.
 

Split Bolt

Senior Member
Wow! He could have at least stripped some of the green insulation off so that it could possibly make some contact with the metal inner part of the liquidtight! Unless of course it is nonmetallic! Kudos to you for digging into it!
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
And btw it was in rigid, I guess that's why I always pull that extra green mile.:D.

FWIW the NFPA considers the steel conduit the primary grounding means when two EGCs are required in Article 517.

Obviously the conduit was not GRC all the way back or was not installed correctly but carry on with that green mile. :cool:
 

kspifldorf

Senior Member
Why didn't I see that coming? tehehe.. but Bob after equiptment gets a few years and gets banged around, the conduit seems to fail. Didn't mean to get sidetracked, the coverup is not acceptable.
 
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LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
If you can't i would not blame you for making all his future inspections so tough that he moves away.
I'd be satisfied to just inspect him properly and thoroughly in the future. He's proven that he'll intentionally break the rules if he deems it convenient, so you can never presume he'll do even the basics properly anymore.
 

pete m.

Senior Member
Location
Ohio
I'd be satisfied to just inspect him properly and thoroughly in the future. He's proven that he'll intentionally break the rules if he deems it convenient, so you can never presume he'll do even the basics properly anymore.


Agreed!

Pete
 

Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Problem is if this is how he operates then customers are getting cheated. Is no way to inspect every thing on a job without spending a day. Guess you could keep finding just 1 thing at a time. Might take 2 weeks to pass.
 

sb1280

Member
Follow-up

Follow-up

NEC 2005 is used here. The liquid tight runs to PVC back to service panel at house. The neutrals and grounds had been separated on different buss bars. This panel is the form of disconnect on shore for residential dock. We require a four wire system on multiple circuits, 3 wire on single circuit. The electrician just called, "one of his employees did this and is now fired." That is not the first time I have heard that common phrase. It's always those employees.
 
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