Modular home built in '91

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James S.

James S.

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Mesa, Arizona
I was doing a service call in a modular home the other day (turned out to be a tripped breaker :slaphead:) But while I was there a couple of things piqued my curiosity.
First was the use of self contained outlets and switches. I had never seen these before and am wondering if they are or were widly used in modular homes.
Second was the fact that there were no GFI's in the kitchen but one for the bathroom/exterior outlets. The owner said the house was built in 1991 and I don't have any reason to doubt her. I was under the impression that in '91 you needed at least one GFI device in the kitchen to cover any outlets within 6' of the sink.
Third was that there were (I actually measured this) oultlet on the kitchen countertop more than 4' apart which is also a, in my opinion, pretty obvious code voilation.

Everything here looked original with the exception of the bathroom GFI (now that I am thinking about it) The bathroom GFI was a white while the rest of the house was ivory. Are modular homes not inspected or something. I just can't get my mind around this.
 
They are inspected in the factory by a third party inspecting agency. They inspect to HUD and NEC codes (susposed to). If you will look the sticker is on the panel door unless the HO has removed it or painted over. Once the sticker is in place and the home is set up the local inspector can only inspect the field installed service meter and feeders to the indoor panel, HVAC wiring and any other field installed wiring nothing else.
 
Think I remember that Hud electrical requirements differ from NEC?


As far as self-contained devices, they are very common in mobile homes and campers. Only way they could find to dis-improve on backstabbed devices. Good money in cutting in box and using conventional devices, but sometimes wall is too shallow for normal depth box.
 
Doesn't HUD inspect "mobile homes"? Manufactured homes are typically inspected, or should I say approved by the AHJ where they are built. But that doesn't mean they inspect every single home either. I am pretty certain that around here the AHJ will not automatically accept a manufactured home that was made out of state, but will not even question one made in state, even if it was not individually inspected.
 
kwired said:
Doesn't HUD inspect "mobile homes"? Manufactured homes are typically inspected, or should I say approved by the AHJ where they are built. But that doesn't mean they inspect every single home either. I am pretty certain that around here the AHJ will not automatically accept a manufactured home that was made out of state, but will not even question one made in state, even if it was not individually inspected.
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Around here the inspector's responsibility only extends to whether the site-built elements like foundation and utility connections are per code and the manufacturers instructions were followed in assembling the sections once they were on site.
For a factory kit rather than complete factory built sections, the situation is different. The engineering drawings of the factory kit are accepted, but the construction/installation must follow local code.
 
kwired said:
Doesn't HUD inspect "mobile homes"? Manufactured homes are typically inspected, or should I say approved by the AHJ where they are built. But that doesn't mean they inspect every single home either. I am pretty certain that around here the AHJ will not automatically accept a manufactured home that was made out of state, but will not even question one made in state, even if it was not individually inspected.
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Our communication buildings are made the same way. They are made in a plant in Va. The drawings have been approved by NC and the third party inspects to NC code. If the building is going some where else then it is inspected to that states code. The only thing the state inspectors can inspect on the buildings is the field installed pad and the field installed service.
 
jumper said:
The OP said modular home.

I believe modular homes must conform to local building codes, while mobile/manufactured homes are under HUD.
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Modular home is not a term used in the NEC. I don't think it is a term used in other building codes either.

What most people seem to call a modular home usually fits NEC definition of manufactured home.
 
kwired said:
Modular home is not a term used in the NEC. I don't think it is a term used in other building codes either.

What most people seem to call a modular home usually fits NEC definition of manufactured home.
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Although I didn't check I don't think it has a chassis.
 
James S. said:
Although I didn't check I don't think it has a chassis.
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A mobile home (as in RV) will have a chassis, and will continue to rest on the chassis when it is in place, even if the chassis is jacked up off the wheels.
A manufactured home will have the structure to allow it to be carried on a trailer and placed on a locally build foundation, potentially with more than one module joined together.
 
In Florida, if it comes down the street on wheels, it's a mobile home. Can't say what it's called elsewhere. We had big problems after the hurricanes and jurisdiction fell on the Dept of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles (FHP). AHJ just does the service and from the service to the MDP. As to the inside in any particular state, if you're an EC and want to be diligent to protect your liabilities, check with whatever agency regulates mobile homes and ask them what process exists as far as permits & inspections on mobile or manufactured homes.
 
GoldDigger said:
A mobile home (as in RV) will have a chassis, and will continue to rest on the chassis when it is in place, even if the chassis is jacked up off the wheels.
A manufactured home will have the structure to allow it to be carried on a trailer and placed on a locally build foundation, potentially with more than one module joined together.
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Around here we have manufactured homes set on permanent foundations and not. TTBOMK, all units are built on and attached to the trailer chassis. On site, the wheels and axles are in most cases removed, but the chassis remains. I believe all-on-one-chassis homes are classified as mobile homes.
 
550.2 definitions:

Manufactured Home. A structure, transportable in one or more sections, that, in the traveling mode, is 2.4 m (8 body-ft) or more in width or 12.2 m (40 body-ft) or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 29.7 m2 (320 ft2) or more and that is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling, with or without a permanent foundation, when connected therein. The term manufactured home includes any structure that meets all the provisions of this paragraph except the size requirements and with respect to which the manufacturer voluntarily files a certification required by the regulatory agency, and except that such term does not include any self-propelled recreational vehicle. Calculations used to determine the number of square meters (square feet) in a structure are based on the structure's exterior dimensions, measured at the largest horizontal projections when erected on site. These dimensions include all expandable rooms, cabinets, and other projections containing interior space but do not include bay windows.
For the purpose of this Code and unless otherwise indicated, the term mobile home includes manufactured homes.
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GoldDigger said:
A mobile home (as in RV) will have a chassis, and will continue to rest on the chassis when it is in place, even if the chassis is jacked up off the wheels.
A manufactured home will have the structure to allow it to be carried on a trailer and placed on a locally build foundation, potentially with more than one module joined together.
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Shoot, I read chassis and thought axle. I would bet that it is on a chassis so that would make it covered as a mobile home. So it IS wrong, just poorly inspected.
 
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