ENFORCEMENT - Building Codes

kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
ptonsparky said:
The new requirement for a ‘service disconnect’ or ‘not a service disconnect‘ certainly makes it easier to bypass a SED inspection for those of us out in the boonies. No one knows.
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Just make sure it is truly out in the boonies. As in not visible from a public roadway:)

If new service from the POCO chances are they aren't energizing if there is no permit though. Existing service, you will have power as long as you don't need any upgrades from POCO to handle your new load.
 
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garbo

Senior Member
Before retiring I would try to save homeowners money and would talk small to medium houses that used natural gas for everything out of wasting money upgrading to a 200 amp service. Instead of costing existing homeowners what well over $600 to install an outdoor service disconnect why could they just add a device to open the contacts in smart meters to secure power that fire company could use. Same thing with electric dryers. Instead of making you use 10/3 to feed new dryer lines ( think it started about 16 years ago ) have manufacturers just use a 240 volt dryer motor and install a $12 control transformer to supply 120 or better yet 24 volts for timer & a LED drum luminare. It used to kill me on large coffee machines that ran off a 240 volt 30 or 50 amp circuit that only used the grounded conductor ( neutral ) to supply less then 0.5 amps for controls & a few light bulbs but required 10/3 or 6/3 cable. Would save a lot of money if they also had a control transformer and only needed 19/2 or 6/2 cable.
 
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Eddie702

Licensed Electrician
Location
Western Massachusetts
Occupation
Electrician
I don't understand States like PA & NY that don't have statewide permit system or code. MA does and they have for years. One permit form for the whole state. And the inspectors are told when they go to their code update classes that they" can't make up their own rules"they are supposed to follow the code.

Of course it still is not a perfect system. Inspectors still try to say "not in my town". But if you know the code (which a lot of guys don't) and never even look in the book unless they are in their code update class I can understand the inspectors frustration. The electricians ask inspector the "what do you want" or they ask the inspector how to do the job.

I had my Masters in 3 states until I retired. Now I just keep my Journeyman's in MA cause you can still pull a permit with that.

I found that when talking with most inspectors if you ask them legit questions and they know you know the code they respect that and you get along with 99% of them fine.

Rumor has it that MA & Rhode Island will begin to reciprocate. MA does with NH and used to with Vermont, don't know if they still do.

But some of the cities & towns make things difficult. Some require you to file for a permit on line but the state says that is ok but they must also take paper permit applications. And I know some town that you file for a permit but they don't issue permits all you have is a cancelled check
 
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garbo

Senior Member
Eddie702 said:
I don't understand States like PA & NY that don't have statewide permit system or code. MA does and they have for years. One permit form for the whole state. And the inspectors are told when they go to their code update classes that they" can't make up their own rules"they are supposed to follow the code.

Of course it still is not a perfect system. Inspectors still try to say "not in my town". But if you know the code (which a lot of guys don't) and never even look in the book unless they are in their code update class I can understand the inspectors frustration. The electricians ask inspector the "what do you want" or they ask the inspector how to do the job.

I had my Masters in 3 states until I retired. Now I just keep my Journeyman's in MA cause you can still pull a permit with that.

I found that when talking with most inspectors if you ask them legit questions and they know you know the code they respect that and you get along with 99% of them fine.

Rumor has it that MA & Rhode Island will begin to reciprocate. MA does with NH and used to with Vermont, don't know if they still do.

But some of the cities & towns make things difficult. Some require you to file for a permit on line but the state says that is ok but they must also take paper permit applications. And I know some town that you file for a permit but they don't issue permits all you have is a cancelled check
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My dad was the chief electrician for a company and when Philly started issuing electrical licenses back in 1964 the company was late sending in the check so my dad had to take a test to secure his city of Philadelphia electrical license. They to!d him that the politicians in Harrisburg where working on a state license. About 8 years ago the IAEI Philly chapter sent a group of their members to Harrisburg to talk to some politicians to push for a much needed state electrical license and were told they would look into it. Worse part when they first offered Philly e!ectrical license for anybody who said they had 4 years e!ectrical experience were issued a license and they had more very unqualified people get a license then qualified peop!e. I know several plumbers & a cement contractor who received a electrical license. One plumber owned a lot of houses and he would pull the permit for me to do a 100 amp service in them. When I secured an electrical license from the township next to Philly I went there and asked if they had any special codes and they let me read a 15 page booklet that was on insurance & permits. Had a EE sign off for a large job and my inspector passed over a mile of conduit work. The township inspector attempted to fail me because I did not install a receptacle in a existing bathroom in which I did no electrical work in. Told him that at that time a receptacle was not required in an factory restroom. The owner insisted he did not want the free receptacle install that I wanted to do because employees would place a crock pot on top of a toilet to cook meals at his old location. ( had a nice lunch room with several microwave items ). He passed the job but said he would return to make sure that I installed the bathroom receptacle.
 
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norcal

Senior Member
garbo said:
Maybe 7 years ago Philly gave a demolition permit to a unqualified contractor who had a pot head demoing a 3 story billing while people were in the old building attached to it. Building next store collapsed killing several people and of course law suites were started. Because of the cities poorly run L & I they now require all electricians , plumbers , HVAC and others to take an OSHA 10 class of. ( OSHA 30 if a boss ). They also require electricians to prove proof of vehicle insurance every year while renewing the $165 electrical license. In all my years never saw a sparky performing electrical work while driving.
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Was that the demo where a brick wall fell into a operating Salvation Army thrift store?
 
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Eddie702

Licensed Electrician
Location
Western Massachusetts
Occupation
Electrician
Don't know which state was the first to license electricians but MA was 1915 and my grandfather was issued a license that year. He would have been 20 or 21 years old I think. I actually e-mailed the state about 5 years ago I wanted to see if they could send me a copy of his license. They did not have that but the fellow was kind enough to look back in their records and send me his license #
 
Fred B

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
Who passed this plumbing. Friend sent from an actual elec inspection. Failed. Service is getting moved and updated now.

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