Inspectors interpretations

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steelersman said:
While I appreciate your honesty, I can't say that I appreciate you backing him up even when he is wrong!! I guess it's the good 'ole boy system that you guys operate in huh? :)
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I agree. Inspectors make mistakes too and they should be made aware of them when they make them. I recently took a CEU class where the teacher, an inspector, said something that he enforced but was IMO not in the code book. During a break I approached him privately to ask him about it and we looked it up. Sure enough he was incorrect and had been enforcing it that way for years. Sometimes a little diplomacy can go a long way.
 
infinity said:
I agree. Inspectors make mistakes too and they should be made aware of them when they make them. I recently took a CEU class where the teacher, an inspector, said something that he enforced but was IMO not in the code book. During a break I approached him privately to ask him about it and we looked it up. Sure enough he was incorrect and had been enforcing it that way for years. Sometimes a little diplomacy can go a long way.
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Wow!! Someone actually agrees with me. :)
 
I haven't had enough coffee this morning to follow this entire string. I note that it started over a month ago. I don't remember whether I had commented yet, and I haven't the energy to look back to find out. Let me just say, without much fear of being contradicted, that you don't need a receptacle behind a door. That is not itself the rule. The space behind the door has to be included in the measurements, but I would rather put the first receptacle beyond the door's swing. It will still be within 6 feet of the door's frame.
 
charlie b said:
I haven't had enough coffee this morning to follow this entire string. I note that it started over a month ago. I don't remember whether I had commented yet, and I haven't the energy to look back to find out. Let me just say, without much fear of being contradicted, that you don't need a receptacle behind a door. That is not itself the rule. The space behind the door has to be included in the measurements, but I would rather put the first receptacle beyond the door's swing. It will still be within 6 feet of the door's frame.
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There are many occasions that the wall behind the doors swing is a short wall (2 feet or slightly more) between the door and the closet door. This would require an outlet.
 
steelersman said:
There are many occasions that the wall behind the doors swing is a short wall (2 feet or slightly more) between the door and the closet door. This would require an outlet.
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Agreed. But I seemed to get the impression that the inspector in question was saying the space behind the door needed a receptacle, regardless of all other considerations (such as additional wall space around the corner), simply because the door swing area exceeded 2 feet. That is what I was taking issue with.
 
cowboyjwc said:
If this is a final inspection (I've never seen doors hung at rough) then I would say the inspector missed it and maybe should have to live with it. At rough I always measure from the opening, doors don't always swing the way they are drawn on the plans.

To truly answer your question, if one of my inspectors made the call, I would back him up.
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If it's missed on rough and caught on final it still is a violation and must be corrected.

Arguments that it is a hall are easy to win,so you say its a hall then i need a light and switch.

The distance starts at door frame and can be up to but not over 6 feet
It follows the wall and even if it wacky 10 inches turns right for 5 inches and returns 10 more that is 24 and requires outlet.

As to if its solid studs, makes no differance ,still required.

Sticking up for a wrong man makes you lose respect.
 
charlie b said:

Agreed. But I seemed to get the impression that the inspector in question was saying the space behind the door needed a receptacle, regardless of all other considerations (such as additional wall space around the corner), simply because the door swing area exceeded 2 feet. That is what I was taking issue with.
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I agree. :)
 
Bottom line is that the space behind the door has to count as wall space period. If it's only a 2 foot long wall, then it needs a receptacle. If it's a 6 foot wall then it needs one receptacle, but the receptacle doesn't have to be behind the door. The door has nothing to do with the situation. When roughing in a house the door isn't installed. The only reason I eveer care to know which way the door will swing is to locate the switch so that it won't be behind the door swing. Other than that it doesn't matter how wide the door is or which way it swings or what material the door is made of or anything else. All that is cared about is that the walls are completely framed up so that the receptacles can be properly placed. End of story. Bottom line. If the inspector was saying that you need to have one behind the door then he could be right if the wall is only 2-3 feet long. Or he could be wrong if the wall is let's say 8 feet long. In that case it doesn't have to be behind the door. It could be 6 feet from the door and be kosher. :)
 
I might be wrong but i think inspectors need pass a harder test than the EC . While i don't exspect him to be perfect he should be 99.9% correct. On something as simple as receptacle space i would hope the inspector has a tape and knows how to use it.
If i understand the OP his inspector wants the receptacle behind door even thow he has one within 6 feet of frame. I hope he fights this to the bitter end. Only problem is by winning he might have future problems with this man. I would try to get him to understand his mistake by showing him exactly what nec said and handbook if you have. Also invite him to this forum. Backing down will just be allowing more wrong judgements.
 
Micksbroke said:
The recep started at the 6'...Its there.
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In a nutshell, you must space receptacles as if the door will never be installed. If your 6' is measured with the door closed, you're okay as is. If your 6' is only with the door opened, you're out of luck.

If the latter is the case, there needs to be one more receptacle. It need not be behind the door (it may be), but it needs to be located to serve the wall behind the door, meaning within 6' of the hinges.


Edited for spelling error. (That is, to remove one, not add one. :D)
 
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Jim W in Tampa said:
I might be wrong but i think inspectors need pass a harder test than the EC.
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In my opinion, an inspector needs to have been an electrician.

If i understand the OP his inspector wants the receptacle behind door even thow he has one within 6 feet of frame.
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I'm not 100% sure yet. Mick's 6' claim may still be from the open door's edge. Mick?

I hope he fights this to the bitter end. Only problem is by winning he might have future problems with this man.
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That's one thing I would expect a professional to not do. If we are expected to handle disagreements maturely, so should inspectors be.

I would try to get him to understand his mistake by showing him exactly what nec said and handbook if you have. Also invite him to this forum. Backing down will just be allowing more wrong judgements.
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Again, as long as his work is indeed in compliance, I agree with you.
 
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We really do need a picture even of low quality. He says he is within 6 feet but lets hope he started from frame not the open door. Hard to believe an inspector is reading it wrong.
 
You know what is funny, I got chewed out once by an inspector because I put the receptacle outlet behind the door.(13'long wall, had another about 8 or 9 ft down from the first. Codes did not matter much to him, opinion did.
 
If you have two feet of wall space it has to have a recepticle no matter where it is located! However I have talked to inspectors ahead of time and have had them give me the OK not to put an outlet in a stupid place provided there was adequate coverage in the room from other outlets.
 
Cool it worked !!!My first ever.

See no outlet behind the door in this bedroom.

Lets kick this around awhile.
 
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