Inspector uses $5 gadget to detect faulty neutral

[cowboyjwc]

If you think there is a problem then maybe you could help out by supplying the tools that the inspector needs.

All I carry and am supplied with is a cheap multi-head screwdriver that's not rated for anything, a GFI tester and a wiggy so I don't get killed if it's live and not supposed to be. If I need something opened then the EC opens it, if I need to get up to something then they supply the ladder, if I'm doing a neutral clear test they supply the continuity tester.

Now if he's not qualified to find the problem that you think or know exists then you should call his office and have the Chief Electrical Inspector come out.

 

[Physis 3]

Boy, if it were only that simple cowboyjwc. :grin: :grin: :grin:

I would truely not be suprised if sueing these agencies or otherwise generating a court order might not only be inefective but actually slow the possibility of a response.

 

[brian john]

Cowboy:

In the one instance where I had to call on an inspector, his boss told me "What did Bob say" I told him what Bob said, and he said "well Bob is the inspector and what he says goes", if you feel he is wrong write me a letter. I wote the letter and never got a response.


Later my boss told me to leave Bob alone, it was costing the company money seems Bob was remolding his basement at the contractors expense and we were getting hit harder than our owner expected. Shortly after that I QUIT.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

really, now! (snicker)

Inspectors that think they are above the law need removed or jailed,place yourself were ever you belong.

 

[George Stolz]

Jim, I think Augie has been around long enough, and displayed enough sense, to be above having to put up with that. C'mon. :roll:

 

[brian john]

I think it has been stated in the in this forum many times before.

There are good and bad in all walks of life, from laborers to CEO's and all in between, part of life is dealing with all those and keeping yourself sane.

 

[brian john]

Nobody's brought up what my point is about this dumb toy yet.

My question on this would be what is the specific issue?

or is at a long list of problems with this guy?

and how was it brought to your attention?

Where do you fit into the mix?

 

[iwire]

Nobody's brought up what my point is about this dumb toy yet. Plug in a hundred watt bulb on either side of a multi wire branch circuit and, presto, the toy detects a neutral whether there is one or not.

Wouldn't a $400.00 DMM make the same mistake?

I just really do not understand what you feel the inspector should be doing in regards to testing?

 

[lowryder88h]

5$'s

5$'s

Seems to me somebody has a chip on his shoulders for his slum lord and wants to take it out on everyone else in his way. Inspectors are humans also and not god's or know it alls. Physics should call his local board of health agents they're the ones who have the power locally to deal w/ slum lords.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Thank you Bob, that was kind of my thinking when I answered.

As inspectors we are not required to test your system to see if it works.

 

[Bob NH]

As inspectors we are not required to test your system to see if it works.

That is absolutely correct.

However, if you fail something based on a measurement with an instrument that you provide, you are responsible for ensuring that your instrument is not causing you to fail a compliant installation.

 

[Physis 3]

My question on this would be what is the specific issue?

or is at a long list of problems with this guy?

and how was it brought to your attention?

Where do you fit into the mix?

There is a long list but this is one specific issue. The "slum lord" is breaking the law by doing unpermitted work with unqualified people.

It came to my attention because I personally know several tenents. There light bulbs are blowing up every couple days. I've repaired a light fixture, it's control switch and a receptacle in a room afflicted with his problem. He's blaming me for his problems at a receptacle on a different circuit that I never touched. He refused to allow to me to ever look at that receptacle because the other work I had done costed almost a hundred dollars. He's screwing with my name now.

By lowryder88h:

Seems to me somebody has a chip on his shoulders for his slum lord and wants to take it out on everyone else in his way. Inspectors are humans also and not god's or know it alls. Physics should call his local board of health agents they're the ones who have the power locally to deal w/ slum lords.

Seems to me you'd get along just fine with both the slum lord and the enforecement agencies. The health department has already been called and responded to the fact that there's been no heat for the last four years, nor the electrical capacity to support space heaters.

By Bob:

Wouldn't a $400.00 DMM make the same mistake?

I just really do not understand what you feel the inspector should be doing in regards to testing?

You're right on both counts Bob. What my problem was with the inspector is his insistance that there could be no problem. There is a problem. This guys doing unpermitted work with unqualified people.

 

[brian john]

How often do you guys have your equipment calibrated?

 

[mpd]

physis 3

who have you notified about this problem? have any of the tenants reported the living conditions? did you also contact the building & fire inspector? if it is that bad, put your complaint in writing so it is on record

 

[cowboyjwc]

However, if you fail something based on a measurement with an instrument that you provide, you are responsible for ensuring that your instrument is not causing you to fail a compliant installation.[/QUOTE]


And that is absoulutely correct. And I have done that and so the EC brought in his own piece of equipmet to show me and that's how we knew to recheck mine and found out it was wrong.

I guess my problem with this whole thing is I still don't really understand the true problem. If the inspector plugged in his little Ideal tester and it showed correct wiring, then I too would say nothing is wrong. When it shows something like an open ground then if you use one of those enough you know that that could mean several things.

Now it sounds like people are saying he didn't pass the job because of faulty equipment, but it sounds more like he did pass the job and that's the problem.

Is that correct Physis 3?

 

[rcarroll]

My city has a rental code. I was the inspector to enforce it for the last 2 years. It's pretty effective. Cleaned up some real junk. I'll test a few receps, check for plumbing leaks, proper gas appliance venting, etc. We then make the slum lord hire licensed contractors to make repairs. The fines for noncompliance usually gets their attention.

 

[mayjong]

And that is absoulutely correct. And I have done that and so the EC brought in his own piece of equipmet to show me and that's how we knew to recheck mine and found out it was wrong.

has this been done?
it seems a "cross check" would/could verify a problem...

 

[cowboyjwc]

Yes. It was a problem that mine was too sensitive and it was showing that there was a ground to neutral connection somewhere. (There wasn't, it was actually reading through me.)

Now that I know it's that sensitive I don't use it to check continuity anymore.

 

[BossMan20]

i've used those bug eye testers hundreds of times, they do fail at some point and need replaced but usually work well at finding receptacles that were wired backwards. we use them on every receptacle in residential work. i was on a job aout 4 yrs ago where the contrator hired alot of green helpers, they sent me through to test all of their work and with a bug eye i found open neutrals in several condos. turns out nobody taught them the right way to wire a multi wire home run and to compound the problem they were just using a hot stick to test there work when they were done. in fact even after i pointed out what they were doing wrong they still didn't believe me- until i told them to plug in their battery charger for their drill and the little red light didn't come on.

 

[monkey]

All right I have to ask, what's a bug eye? Is it one of those 3 light testers you can buy for $5?