If you were working on a remodel/renovation where you came across some code violations that were outside of your scope of work for the job you were hired to do how would you handle the situation?
This scenario seems to happen on about about every reno I've worked on, whether resi or commercial.
My process is to bring it to the attention of person in charge of project (HO or PM, and sometimes to AHJ), evaluate the situation, assess whether it done by an electrician or DYI'er, make sure there aren't any possible fire hazards (current or future), and make a coordinated effort to resolve the situation.
Sometimes the resolution involves an additional scope of work to fix the situation and sometimes it's a situation where the person in charge chooses not to deal with it (in which case if I feel that it's dangerous I'll involve the AHJ).
A recent Reno was a motel lobby that had existing PTAC units. They weren't part of my scope of work. Eventually I found that 2 30-amp PTAC units were on one branch circuit. The OCPD was 45-amp breaker. The wire in EMT was #8 or #6 (hard to read). The situation had been that way since the mid-80's. Everything was in conduit, so obviously done by an electrician. When I put and amp meter on the circuit while set on full hi-temp mode current draw was 43 amps (both units). The MOCP on the nameplate said 30 amps, so obviously a violation.
I felt like the primary concern was the MOCP issue. I let that situation slip under the radar and focused on some other more pressing violations that definitely needed to be addressed.
It's definitely one of those situations where I've wondered what other electricians would have done.
This scenario seems to happen on about about every reno I've worked on, whether resi or commercial.
My process is to bring it to the attention of person in charge of project (HO or PM, and sometimes to AHJ), evaluate the situation, assess whether it done by an electrician or DYI'er, make sure there aren't any possible fire hazards (current or future), and make a coordinated effort to resolve the situation.
Sometimes the resolution involves an additional scope of work to fix the situation and sometimes it's a situation where the person in charge chooses not to deal with it (in which case if I feel that it's dangerous I'll involve the AHJ).
A recent Reno was a motel lobby that had existing PTAC units. They weren't part of my scope of work. Eventually I found that 2 30-amp PTAC units were on one branch circuit. The OCPD was 45-amp breaker. The wire in EMT was #8 or #6 (hard to read). The situation had been that way since the mid-80's. Everything was in conduit, so obviously done by an electrician. When I put and amp meter on the circuit while set on full hi-temp mode current draw was 43 amps (both units). The MOCP on the nameplate said 30 amps, so obviously a violation.
I felt like the primary concern was the MOCP issue. I let that situation slip under the radar and focused on some other more pressing violations that definitely needed to be addressed.
It's definitely one of those situations where I've wondered what other electricians would have done.