Heating and ac contractors

[puckman]

How do these ac @ heating guys get to do electrical work. The company I work for lets these guys come in work in mcc wiring up vfd,s . A good friend of the boss?
The lead found a 10hp vfd was used to replace a 25hp vfd. The 10hp vfd burned out. When the ac guy was question about that his reasoning was that they would only run the 10hp at 50% so it would be ok. We're just glad they work on ac and heating .
What level of electrical work can these guys do legally? I would think maybe a remove and replace type of work.

 

[infinity]

IMO they should be working under an Electrical Contractors License and a Business Permit under the State of NJ.

 

[charlietuna]

We had to clean up a mess where an A/C contractor wired a cooling tower fan then didn't program the maximum motor speed limits correctly and spun the blades off the gear box! Then tried to blame it on the building engineers. We found the VFD's security code to be the last four digits of his company's phone number. On another install, an A/C contractor had nothing grounded...

 

[RICK NAPIER]

Under NJSA 45:5A-18 Exempt Work or Construction (m) The maintaining, installing or connection of automatic oil, gas or coal burning equipment, gasoline or diesel oil dispensing equipment and the lighting in connection therewith to a supply of adequate size at the load side of a distribution board.

This came with your contractor's license. It is the NJ licensed contractor's bylaws. This allow the heating a/c guys to take out permits provided the units use gas, oil or coal. If they do not then a licensed electrical contractor must take out the permit.

Notice this also allows those without a license to install gasoline pumps.

This same section is where you find exemptions for schools,municipalities, under 10 volts, landscape irrigation less than 30 volts and alarm work.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Here in CA they can do any electrical work related to the AC system, that includes running new circuits.

 

[GUNNING]

Ive seen more bad wiring from ac people than anyone else. Here they wont let the electrician run the thermostat wire let alone hook it up. "No control wiring". Flying joints on SE cable and wrong sized breakers illegal wiring methods and when I ask who did this owners say I dont know leaving me holding the bag....

 

[wireguru]

Here in CA they can do any electrical work related to the AC system, that includes running new circuits.

the ones around here dont even bother with permits most of the time. There have been alot of new air conditioners installed on homes with 60 year old 50 amp services with no main OCP.

 

[jwjrw]

Here they can get a special license to hook them back up.

 

[marti smith]

Found a heat pump once that had a fused disconnect. NBD, then opening it up and looking at it, it had some other funky things involved: a neutral was run to a recep for the condensate pump from the ground lug and the hot for it was from the line side of the disconnect. Good grief. Makes me want to hit them on the cheek with a flyswatter. Or sledgehammer. They just have no idea.

 

[LarryFine]

Makes me want to hit them on the cheek with a flyswatter. Or sledgehammer.

I'm thinking the latter.

I've seen them feed an outside AC unit through the wall from a baseboard heater inside.