Just For Laughs

[myoung2165]

Hope it's ok to post this message. Just wanted to hear some horror stories from you guys about getting rejected by an inspector. My first one. I was feeding a detached garage one time. I came out of the basement and ran the wire up the outside of the house i used 3/4 pvc to protect it. i used a 10 foot section of pipe came out of the pvc to a clevis then went over to a mast pipe on the garage. The pipe was not connected to anything at the top or bottom. The inspector turned me down. She wanted an expansion joint in the pipe. The clevis and top of the pvc were about 2 feet apart.

 

[ptonsparky]

A few years previous another electrician had started a service change on a house and for whatever reason it was never finished. When I finished the project the code required a marking tape in the trench. The inspector seriously considered making me dig it up and put in the tape.

 

[480sparky]

I once failed for not having a 3-way switch at the bottom of a stairway. I asked if I needed one at the top of the stairs, and the inspector said no.

 

[mcclary's electrical]

Hope it's ok to post this message. Just wanted to hear some horror stories from you guys about getting rejected by an inspector. My first one. I was feeding a detached garage one time. I came out of the basement and ran the wire up the outside of the house i used 3/4 pvc to protect it. i used a 10 foot section of pipe came out of the pvc to a clevis then went over to a mast pipe on the garage. The pipe was not connected to anything at the top or bottom. The inspector turned me down. She wanted an expansion joint in the pipe. The clevis and top of the pvc were about 2 feet apart.

Had an inspector tell me I had to put 3 screws in a bracket box. I had two screws in all boxes.
I asked him where to put the third nail in a nail on box

 

[LarryFine]

Adding bonding jumpers between cover-mounted receptacles and the EMT-fed 4" sq. boxes. I planned to challenge.

At the customer's request (and expense) to expedite the job, I complied; then the inspector apologized to both of us.

 

[ptonsparky]

I certainly wouldn't mind hearing some of the dumbest comments inspectors have heard from electricians. Other than "I always do it this way in...."

 

[ActionDave]

This reminds me of an pre-game interview that Bob Costas did with Tommy Lasorda during the '85 World Series- Dodgers vs. A's.

Bob asked Tommy what he thought of the umpiring in the series so far.

Tommy replied, "Those umpires are the best! They are the best people in the world!":grin:

 

[480sparky]

This reminds me of an pre-game interview that Bob Costas did with Tommy Lasorda during the '85 World Series- Dodgers vs. A's.

Bob asked Tommy what he thought of the umpiring in the series so far.

Tommy replied, "Those umpires are the best! They are the best people in the world!":grin:

And you think umping the WS was their first rodeo?

 

[ActionDave]

No. Tommy was funny. The response to the question was funny. This was supposed to be analogous to inspectors and electricians.

Somebody help me out here.

 

[Jraef]

As a new apprentice, I was left to wire a family room addition on my own while the journeyman I worked with went drinking (I know, I know...). I read in the code book that there was to be no more than 6 ft of wall space to a receptacle. So I put a receptacle every 6 ft; that room was WIRED... The inspector made me tear out every other receptacle, stating that I had overloaded the circuit. That of course meant re-running the Romex, all the while the sheet rockers were waiting there kibitzing and griping at me for holding them up. When I finished, a different inspector came by to do the re-inspection (because of the time I guess) and said it would have been fine to leave it like it was. I decided there and then not to work in the residential market...

 

[brantmacga]

had an inspector try and make me rewire a house because i used #14, and they "require" #12.

State requires such amendments to go through them first.

They weren't so cocky when I called the state construction authority. Head of inspections threw a fit like a 12yr old girl.

He came within inches of getting crowhopped.

Anyhow, that was the incident that led me to this forum. They still hate my guts in that jurisdiction. But every other fool complies with their ridiculous "amendments".

 

[hurk27]

I dumbest rejection I have ever got was on a chandelier, 28 sockets, and he counted them each as 180 va and said I had to many openings, I went to bat and won hands down on two accounts, it was a dwelling, and you only count receptacle openings, not light openings.:roll:

 

[LarryFine]

The inspector made me tear out every other receptacle, stating that I had overloaded the circuit.

As if the family would plug twice as many things in. :roll:

He came within inches of getting crowhopped.

Crowhopped? It's obviously not good, but . . .

. . . a chandelier, 28 sockets, and he counted them each as 180 va and said I had to many openings, . . . you only count receptacle openings, not light openings.:roll:

Besides, the lamp socket isn't the outlet, the hole in the ceiling is. (Capt. Obvious)

 

[hkme]

Wired my son's new house in rural Georgia, I used a SqD meterpack with a 200A main breaker on the outside, and a 200A MLO panel on the inside. When I called for a rough inspection the young inspector told me I had done a fine job. However he insisted that I install a main breaker inside the house as well. I argued to no avail, he couldn't find it in the "code book" since they "keep moving that stuff around in there, but he told me that Mike Holt told him that the panel inside was the "main panel" since it had 40 breakers in it and the one outside only had 4 breakers and a "service disconnect" I changed the panel!

 

[480sparky]

........I changed the panel!

So you ended up caving in, thus furthering the 'I know I'm right I just don't need to prove it' mentality of the inspector.

 

[jeremysterling]

After I installed a 45 kVA XFMR on allthread and strut above a suspended ceiling, the inspector insisted that it meet all the requirements of 110.26.

 

[hkme]

Practical Installations

Practical Installations

So you ended up caving in, thus furthering the 'I know I'm right I just don't need to prove it' mentality of the inspector.

I know I couldn't win this one, he was adament. Not the first time I have given in to an inspector when I knew he was wrong, but I have to get the job done. How much time and money should you spend trying to flog a dead horse on principle!

 

[LarryFine]

How much time and money should you spend trying to flog a dead horse on principle!

How many times should you have to go through it?

 

[mivey]

How much time and money should you spend trying to flog a dead horse on principle!

As much time and money as the customer wants to spend (I'm here for you man: it's you & me vs the stupid inspector). But, if they are ok with covering the cost for stupid changes, it's ok by me. If they want me to spend my money to make an un-required change: I just don't see that happening unless it is penny-ante stuff and I don't feel like making the effort.

 

[myoung2165]

same thing happened to me

same thing happened to me

had an inspector try and make me rewire a house because i used #14, and they "require" #12.

State requires such amendments to go through them first.

They weren't so cocky when I called the state construction authority. Head of inspections threw a fit like a 12yr old girl.

He came within inches of getting crowhopped.

Anyhow, that was the incident that led me to this forum. They still hate my guts in that jurisdiction. But every other fool complies with their ridiculous "amendments".

I worked in a new area for one huge house. When I went in to pull the permit they were supposed to give me a list of their special requirements (i found that out later) but they didn't. I wired the house as usual. Called for my inspection but I was not there to meet the inspector. The plumber who I knew very well called me and told me I was turned down and why. I about died. I had over 7000 feet of 14/2 in that place. I called the inspector right then but he had already left for the day. Needless to say I didn't sleep well that night. Called the next day and met him on the job. Because I had wired the exercise room, garage and some other key areas in 12/2 (which I know was not required by the NEC) he let it go.