generator techs

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pgordon

Senior Member
Location
Maine
Occupation
Electrician
How much wiring can a non licensed electrician - generator tech do on a generator ?
can they install or hook up a load bank ? hooking up condutors ? , cam locks conections ?
or a roll up connection with out a electrical license or electrical permit .
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
How much wiring can a non licensed electrician - generator tech do on a generator ?
can they install or hook up a load bank ? hooking up condutors ? , cam locks conections ?
or a roll up connection with out a electrical license or electrical permit .

There is no one answer for that, each of Massachusetts 350+ cities and towns will have their own veiw.

Most would have no issue with an unlicensed person hooking up a small cord and plug connected generator but bring in a semi-trailer unit connected with cam locs and they very well ask for a permit and inspections.

It seems in general Mass allows techs of any kind to work on the equipment they are trained on up to the disconnecting means. So for you everything directly on the generator but likely not the line voltage wiring of the ATS.

But again, you would have to call the inspector in the town you are working in to get a precise answer.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
How much wiring can a non licensed electrician - generator tech do on a generator ?
can they install or hook up a load bank ? hooking up condutors ? , cam locks conections ?
or a roll up connection with out a electrical license or electrical permit .

I agree with what Bob (Iwire) has said. Its different depending on where you are. IMO you could connect a load bank and test the unit with out a license. On a permanently installed unit I would say that any thing past the load side of the generator breaker would require a licensed person.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
There is no one answer for that, each of Massachusetts 350+ cities and towns will have their own veiw.

Most would have no issue with an unlicensed person hooking up a small cord and plug connected generator but bring in a semi-trailer unit connected with cam locs and they very well ask for a permit and inspections.

It seems in general Mass allows techs of any kind to work on the equipment they are trained on up to the disconnecting means. So for you everything directly on the generator but likely not the line voltage wiring of the ATS.

But again, you would have to call the inspector in the town you are working in to get a precise answer.

Not to drift too far off topic, but your reply suggests that cities and towns in Massachusetts can make their own rules independent of the state. Is that really the case or is it just variability in enforcement?
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Not to drift too far off topic, but your reply suggests that cities and towns in Massachusetts can make their own rules independent of the state. Is that really the case or is it just variability in enforcement?

We have a state electrical code but the interpretation of enforcement procedures varies greatly.

For one thing our state laws governing the need for permits and inspections are very vague.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
NJ has a manual for code enforcement agencies detailing responsibilities, who does what when, and a list of about 40 forms that are used statewide. See this: http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/codes/publications/pdf_licensing/co_comment.pdf

In contrast, Illinois has no statewide code or enforcement. Most counties and towns adopt some version of the NEC, but inspections and permit requirements vary widely.

To make matters worse, we have many layers of goverements including towns and cities, townships, and counties. You may have one particular NEC adopted by a county, but a City inside that County may separate codes and rules and inspectors.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
In contrast, Illinois has no statewide code or enforcement. Most counties and towns adopt some version of the NEC, but inspections and permit requirements vary widely.

To make matters worse, we have many layers of goverements including towns and cities, townships, and counties. You may have one particular NEC adopted by a county, but a City inside that County may separate codes and rules and inspectors.

there are even a few places in IL that have adopted no electrical code at all (at least there were a few years back). one would think that such places would be having fires and electrocutions on an almost daily basis, but it does not seem to work that way.
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Nothing I have heard about NJ has ever suggested to me that it is a business friendly state.:D

True, but at least it'll be the same type and degree of agony from one jurisdiction to the other.:roll:
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
there are even a few places in IL that have adopted no electrical code at all (at least there were a few years back). one would think that such places would be having fires and electrocutions on an almost daily basis, but it does not seem to work that way.

Yes, when I was about 14 (I won't say how long ago that was) my dad built the house we lived in. It was a very nice, modern, split level house. But I'm sure there were no permits and no inspections for anything including electrical, plumbing, etc.

I remember being forced to spend many hours helping. I helped install conduits for basement receptacles, and I helped pull wires. But mostly I remember blisters from hours of hammering nails in plywood flooring.

I wish I had time and the ability to give my kids the same experience.
 
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