Residential final inspection.

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nizak

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Had a final inspection completed today on a single family new build with a 2 car attached garage.

Couple of concerns from inspector.

- AHJ said that I needed to have a 120v receptacle located on the front wall of each vehicle space.

One side had one on the front wall, the other side had one on a sidewall . He said the sidewall one did not meet the requirement.

In addition to the two mentioned, there were a total of 3 more placed throughout the garage.

I could not find any mention of " front wall" in the code.

He also said that on a stairway in the garage leading down to the basement ,that there needed to be a light that was switched along with the lights above the steps inside the room in the basement.

The area he speaks of is located on the opposite side of a door.

I currently have 3 way switching for the lights above the steps in the garage, and a switch for the lights in the room once you open and pass through the door.

Have set up this type of switching on numerous houses through the years and never been called on it.
 
nizak said:
Had a final inspection completed today on a single family new build with a 2 car attached garage.

Couple of concerns from inspector.

- AHJ said that I needed to have a 120v receptacle located on the front wall of each vehicle space.

One side had one on the front wall, the other side had one on a sidewall . He said the sidewall one did not meet the requirement.

In addition to the two mentioned, there were a total of 3 more placed throughout the garage.

I could not find any mention of " front wall" in the code.

He also said that on a stairway in the garage leading down to the basement ,that there needed to be a light that was switched along with the lights above the steps inside the room in the basement.

The area he speaks of is located on the opposite side of a door.

I currently have 3 way switching for the lights above the steps in the garage, and a switch for the lights in the room once you open and pass through the door.

Have set up this type of switching on numerous houses through the years and never been called on it.
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Where was he at the roughin inspection?

I know the examples of vehicle space show the devices to the front of the vehicle, but I back mine in and, other than the sidewall, there is no wall for another 40'.

Do I need to have a light come on in each of the rooms at the bottom of the stairs if I have multiple doors?

Politely ask for the specific section he is using. I think he is stretching things.







edit: I lied, I pull in and the front wall is close but why make me trip over a cord if the sidewall is more suited to my layout?
 
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Depends on which code cycle you are on -- 2011 says at least one so a single receptacle would be in compliance for a 2 car garage --- 2014 says for each garage bay which implies a duplex receptacle any where in the garage would satisfy a 2 car garage -- 2017 says in each bay so IMO receptacle on each side wall would be good for a two car garage but if there was a three car example another would need to be placed on the middle 1/3 of the front wall.
Stair lighting only requires a single lighting outlet for the stairs as long as it emits enough lumens per the IRC does not mention illumination of the landing -- location of switching mentions landings. I calm conversation with the inspector should hopefully clear this up unless there is some sort of amended policy for your area.
 
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kwired said:
Exactly, no matter what was going to end up being acceptable this should have been resolved at rough in.
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Not all roughs & finals are done by the same inspector -- & generally the EC usually has a few items to complete when they call in for rough in -- so should the inspector fail the inspection if rough is not entirely completed??
there is not a perfect installer/inspector we all can miss something -- my point is he is compliant in all cases with a 2 car garage not letting the inspector use the "cause I said so rule"
 
mwm1752 said:
Not all roughs & finals are done by the same inspector -- & generally the EC usually has a few items to complete when they call in for rough in -- so should the inspector fail the inspection if rough is not entirely completed??
there is not a perfect installer/inspector we all can miss something -- my point is he is compliant in all cases with a 2 car garage not letting the inspector use the "cause I said so rule"
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In lower population density areas - one inspector from start to finish, unless one of them quits, retires, gets fired before the project is finished, or maybe is on vacation when rough in was requested. With those inspectors though you get instances where you get permission to cover occasionally without it being looked at, particularly if you have gotten to know each other and the inspector trusts your general work practices. In that case I could see him asking for a receptacle that needs to be there even though he never saw it at the rough in stage.

Some places it sounds like they don't trust anyone to do anything without it being looked at, they simply don't have enough staff to catch every detail in a timely manner and focus more on those repeat offenders or new and unproven installers.

I don't make up device boxes before rough in. Inspectors don't normally remove device covers to look at my connections, but occasionally they do pull one and take a look inside, but is pretty random. They do use a non contact voltage tester, hold it up to switches with the cover plate on, if it indicates voltage there is very likely a switch strap that did not get connected to the EGC. That is a quick easy test without taking anything apart. They do take the cover off and check if they get a signal on such a thing, only had a couple rare occasions where the item tested was grounded but couldn't figure why the tester activated.
 
Under the 2014 you only need a receptacle for each car bay, they can be anywhere in the garage.
 
GoldDigger said:
An interesting point.
A receptacle outlet is by definition connected to the premises wiring system. But I guess you do not have to turn the breaker on....

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
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My problem is the addition of 210.64. As I mentioned before I do a lot of work on irrigation equipment, it is almost always 480 volt equipment. Now they want a 125 volt receptacle at the service equipment. People that service this equipment almost always have vehicle mounted generators to use if necessary when working on that equipment - so IMO totally unnecessary to require a 125 volt receptacle.

Now if I put one there do I have to supply it with voltage?

If I do I suppose it needs to be 125 volts, but what VA for the source is necessary? Control transformers on some of that equipment is no more then 150 VA, but even if that is enough it is useless if you have the machine disconnect off when you need the 125 volt power for a tool.

Can I put a small solar panel, a battery and inverter there even though it may not run much for tools that would be typically used for repairs on this equipment?

Now that said, sometimes the actual service equipment is on a pole all by itself when the equipment that may need power tools for servicing is hundreds to thousands of feet away.
 
kwired said:
I don't make up device boxes before rough in.
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I find that an interesting comment -- when using cable type wiring methods I prefer to have the boxes made up by EC prior to inspection as a conformation of grounding system being complete -- this also confirms the location of required receptacles & switches that are in place -- on occasions some recepts need to be cut into a baseboard or backsplash in which I may comment the wiring is stubbed out, this helps in determining if an actual require location for recepts - lights- switches was discussed prior to final. Seems as though it is far to easy to move wiring that has not been made up. Would also fit into having a complete piping system as a conformation of grounding system being complete.
 
mwm1752 said:
. Would also fit into having a complete piping system as a conformation of grounding system being complete.
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This would be nice, but on commercial jobs here, (I know this is a residential topic), the EC's usually have to stub out of the walls first. Then at some point, they will complete the piping in the ceiling of which we'll sign off on the rough inspection.
 
rcarroll said:
This would be nice, but on commercial jobs here, (I know this is a residential topic), the EC's usually have to stub out of the walls first. Then at some point, they will complete the piping in the ceiling of which we'll sign off on the rough inspection.
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I agree with that as well -- partial inspections are a must in those situations -- nice catch on my comments
 
mwm1752 said:
I find that an interesting comment -- when using cable type wiring methods I prefer to have the boxes made up by EC prior to inspection as a conformation of grounding system being complete -- this also confirms the location of required receptacles & switches that are in place -- on occasions some recepts need to be cut into a baseboard or backsplash in which I may comment the wiring is stubbed out, this helps in determining if an actual require location for recepts - lights- switches was discussed prior to final. Seems as though it is far to easy to move wiring that has not been made up. Would also fit into having a complete piping system as a conformation of grounding system being complete.
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IMO the concept of "rough-in inspection" is for the inspector to look at what he can not access to inspect at a later time. You may not want to pull covers or devices to inspect but what is behind them certainly is accessible and could be inspected at any time later on.

If a jurisdiction wants to make a rule that said connections need made for "rough-in" inspection, then so be it. I also expect equal enforcement across the board of any rule.
 
kwired said:
IMO the concept of "rough-in inspection" is for the inspector to look at what he can not access to inspect at a later time. You may not want to pull covers or devices to inspect but what is behind them certainly is accessible and could be inspected at any time later on.

If a jurisdiction wants to make a rule that said connections need made for "rough-in" inspection, then so be it. I also expect equal enforcement across the board of any rule.
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I think following the concept within Article 110 is a proper perspective --- you seem to have something in mind with your comments of "equal enforcement across the board of any rule" Please share.
 
mwm1752 said:
I think following the concept within Article 110 is a proper perspective --- you seem to have something in mind with your comments of "equal enforcement across the board of any rule" Please share.
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No problems myself, but some of the comments that get made here seems that some inspectors have contractors that they are buddies with and might let them slide on certain things but some outsider is going to get hit hard with every small detail. The topic of discussion here seems to be one area this could be more common to let the connections in outlet boxes slide for those you know well but have no leniency on with someone you don't know. It is just a fact that kind of thing happens.
 
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