Stairwell Deck...

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1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
I have been asked to look at a job where I need to bore a 1" hole in a concrete/steel deck of a stairwell in a Condo. I would have to bore holes in at least three decks.

I'm looking to see how others have either done this in the past or would do this.



As always, thanks in advance.
 

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don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
What is the conduit for? Building codes often prohibit conduit in stairwells unless it serves something in the stairwell itself?
If you can install the conduit in the stairwell, I would probably look at a wet core drill.
 

1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
What is the conduit for? Building codes often prohibit conduit in stairwells unless it serves something in the stairwell itself?
If you can install the conduit in the stairwell, I would probably look at a wet core drill.

Customer lives on what would be the top or third floor and needs to get a 40A 240V circuit from their Unit to the Garage/Carport on the ground level for their new Volt charging unit.
 
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97catintenn

Senior Member
Location
Columbia, TN
drilling a 1" hole isn't that big of deal. you want to use a nice* hammer drill with a $50 bit though. I'd do it dry because that's the way I've been drilling for years. I thought water was used to keep the dust down, like with a concrete saw. With a drill, it's not that bad.

*nice meaning that you probably want to rent this tool
 

cmreschke

Senior Member
drilling a 1" hole isn't that big of deal. you want to use a nice* hammer drill with a $50 bit though. I'd do it dry because that's the way I've been drilling for years. I thought water was used to keep the dust down, like with a concrete saw. With a drill, it's not that bad.

*nice meaning that you probably want to rent this tool

The hammer drill might give you a really bad looking hole on bottom side if not done properly.
The purpose of the wet core bit is in fact not for dust control although that is a by product of using a wet core bit. The reason for the water is to help keep the bit cool while drilling and preventing the bit from expanding and contracting from heat, also preventing the slug from getting stuck in bit and or bit from getting stuck in the hole.
Imo I think also the wet core gives you a nicer hole not blowing out the bottom of the hole.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Customer lives on what would be the top or third floor and needs to get a 40A 240V circuit from their Unit to the Garage/Carport on the ground level for their new Volt charging unit.

I would just sub the drilling to a concrete coring guy. In my area I could get 3 perfect and clean holes for a couple hundred bucks. As others noted, I would want an engineers letter of approval though.
Now as far as this being for a Volt, .........never mind, better not go there.
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
I would just sub the drilling to a concrete coring guy. In my area I could get 3 perfect and clean holes for a couple hundred bucks. As others noted, I would want an engineers letter of approval though.
Now as far as this being for a Volt, .........never mind, better not go there.

'Nuff said right there. No doubt I would hire out the drilling.

I would be as interested in a sign off from the Home Owner 's Association as much or more than an engineer.
 

acrwc10

Master Code Professional
Location
CA
Occupation
Building inspector
'Nuff said right there. No doubt I would hire out the drilling.

I would be as interested in a sign off from the Home Owner 's Association as much or more than an engineer.

I would check with your insurance carrier too, many policy exclude condo and town house work.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Customer lives on what would be the top or third floor and needs to get a 40A 240V circuit from their Unit to the Garage/Carport on the ground level for their new Volt charging unit.
I don't think the building codes will permit that conduit to be run in the stairwell. You need to check with the building official. In general conduits that do not serve loads in the stairwell cannot be run in the stairwell.
 

1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
I don't think the building codes will permit that conduit to be run in the stairwell. You need to check with the building official. In general conduits that do not serve loads in the stairwell cannot be run in the stairwell.

I have a call into the chief building inspector about this. I did talk with the chief electrical inspector and he did not see a problem, electrically that is.
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
I would check with your insurance carrier too, many policy exclude condo and town house work.

Not to derail the thread but which carrier does that? I pay my agent to know what I need because he knows what we do and for what types of customers. I would be pissed if I had to buy a 'condo' rider.
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
If you get the go ahead on this, I would absolutely wet core this. Hire it done if you have to. Using a rotohammer with a dry core bit leaves a ragged blown out edge. Not something I'd want tenants looking at for years in a stairwell. I use a dry core a fair amount, but this isn't the place for it, in my opinion.
 

acrwc10

Master Code Professional
Location
CA
Occupation
Building inspector
Not to derail the thread but which carrier does that? I pay my agent to know what I need because he knows what we do and for what types of customers. I would be pissed if I had to buy a 'condo' rider.

Like the code book, you need to read your policy. If you do mostly residential (single houses) to get you a better rate most carriers will put a rider of "no codo, no town houses". My policy goes into all sorts of things they will not cover including "acts of terrorism".
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
Like the code book, you need to read your policy. If you do mostly residential (single houses) to get you a better rate most carriers will put a rider of "no codo, no town houses". My policy goes into all sorts of things they will not cover including "acts of terrorism".

Ah I see, I'm not much of a resi guy, but we do everything/anything that pays (almost). Our policies has blanket terminology, almost no exclusions, except committing a crime, or work without a permit if required. Our work has to be normal and customary done under generally accepted practices, or something a lawyer wrote. My agent said no one gets the terrorism rider, it almost doubles policy costs.
 
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1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
Update...

Update...

I may have found another way to get power to the charging station.

There is a 240V circuit already run in the area that I can tap onto. I'm planning on using a DPDT switch. This way only one of the loads will be energized at one time.

Much easier and less labor intensive going this route.
 

John120/240

Senior Member
Location
Olathe, Kansas
Norb 1793, If I understood correctly the reason going from the tennants panel on the third

floor was so that they were responsible for the electric bill ? So what is the new setup ?
 
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