Rough in

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finster1

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How do I know how much is expected of me on a rough in? I've always worked in the commercial/industrial market and have just started doing residential...The inspector insulted me to my customer because I didn't pigtail all the neutrals/grounded conductors in the boxes on a home remodel / addition before the inspection and he also told my customer Ishould have left the ground rods for the new service exposed. I'VE ALREADY HAD TWO OTHER INSPECTORS TELL ME TO DRIVE THEM INTO THE GROUND AND THEY WILL FIND THEM. Who or where are the rules for roughing in.I know what is expected of me for the final inspection but am sometimes confused on how far to go roughing in...Are there any guidlines or is this up to each AHJ individually.I've have been to date a little upset with the way the AHJ has handled himself in my absence (just homeowner present)and when you are there it it is a totally different story...

Jimmy

Licensed Electrical Contractor NJ
 
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finster1 said:
The inspector insulted me to my customer because I didn't pigtail all the neutrals/grounded conductors in the boxes.
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Jimmy, I have never seen the rules for rough-in written down. They may be in NJ but not here. The good thing is that there is not really very much to remember. If it gets cover up then it should be done at rough-in. Even in the south the inspector would have wanted the grounds made up on the rough. We are not allowed in this area to use multi-wire branch circuits for residential so they don't worry about the neutrals. As far as to how far to drive a ground rod, that's a matter of opinion and I think your inspector is wrong. The code say's 8 ft driven and not 7' 10" driven.

The best advice I can give is to get to know the inspectors and then they don't worry about the minor stuff so much. What I did at first was to let the inspector know that I didn't have residential experience ( residential is not a requirement for getting a masters ).

In a different jurisdiction they always try to show off for the first couple of inspections and then it's business as usual.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Romex Monkeys. :grin:
 
I'm not trying to hijack this thread.
Dale, is that a local admenment on the use of multi-wire circuits?
I don't do any work north of Fayette and Coweta counties, and I know that they are not restricted in these areas.
Thanks
Keith
 
Unforuneately you can never know local requirements from one jurisdiction to the next. I remember taking classes when I first started and we discussed places such as Chicago and NY where nm wiring is not permitted, and how I would hate to go someplace like that and submit a bid not knowing so used to pulling romex here in NC. I have never heard of requiring neutrals to be tied together on anything other than MWBC. He would not be the first to ask for what he likes without it being on the books. Regardless, there is no excuse to badmouth you to the customer.
 
Finster,
I just accept the fact that some inspectors require their personal opinions to be the rules for any given inspection, however they are the AHJ and we live to please, so... But when I am roughing in a residential job I try to get everything as complete as possible right down to the splices and wire nut. Make sure it's all secure and stacked properly and you should have no problems, plus once you get the rough in sticker all that's left to do is device out and put on trims. As far as the inspector bad mouthing you to the customer, he wasn't being very professional, IMHO the only time an inspector should offer an OPINION on the work done to the owner is if it's shoddy or unsafe, but once again it is the AHJ so what are you gonna do.
 
bonding and grounding are probibly the most important thing the inspector looks at. now after the rough inspection the next inspection that the inspector see's that outlet --the plate will be "on". i agree that all splices should be made up for the rough inspection and also to protect the wires from the follow-up trades. ground rods ---- there could be circumstances where the ground rods need to be installed after the rough ---but again this is something he can make a note of and inspect them on the power up inspection---they will not be covered up like the outlets... biggest problem with inspectors is COMMUNICATION and they all don't think alike
 
jbfan74 said:
I'm not trying to hijack this thread.
Dale, is that a local admenment on the use of multi-wire circuits?
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I'm not even sure it's an official amendment but you won't see any multi-wire branch circuits in Cobb County ( residential wiring ). I think they are allowed in Fulton but most people have gotten in the habit of not useing them, Just in case.

I try to stay on the North side of Atlanta. I have done service calls on the south side but they were all commercial.

When I go to an unfamiliar area I always ask how the feel about certain things like #14 Romex, Muti-wire branch circuits , Romex used for commercial. They may all say that we go by the NEC but I never let that fool me. If their jurisdiction has any weird little quirks I just want to know about them so I can comply. I don't want to spent any time trying to fight the powers that be, just do the job and get paid with nothing to slow down the process.
 
Finster-I usually get around it by calling the AHJ and ask to see what they want. I know no two inspectors think/act the same (well...acting maybe), but I have saved some heartache and headache over things like that.

If he is still questioning the groundrod, ask him where it is written in either the local ammendments or the NEC. Dollars to donuts he can't. :)
 
I always ask how the feel about certain things like #14 Romex, Muti-wire branch circuits ,
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i will fight anything that's going to cost more money; i know you can say "pass it on to your customer", but i don't believe in that. it shouldn't cost any more than it has to. a lot of work has gone into creating the NEC, and it should be good enough for any jurisdiction. i've had these fights a couple of times, and usually it just takes one call to the DCA in atl to clear up any 'misunderstanding'.
 
finster1 said:
How do I know how much is expected of me on a rough in?



Who or where are the rules for roughing in.


Are there any guidlines or is this up to each AHJ individually.
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That's a guess that is answered best a Magic 8-Ball.



finster1 said:
I've have been to date a little upset with the way the AHJ has handled himself in my absence (just homeowner present)and when you are there it it is a totally different story...
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Many EI's will "assume" you just signed off on the permits for the HO, give them a courtesy "walk-through", tell the HO if it'll pass or not(and what changes to make to pass), collect a fee, and tell them to call for their inspection/s. All w/o never having performed ANY of the work on the permit.

This may not be the story in your case....or course, it might also be the exact story :)

When I start a job(of any size) in a town where I am unfamiliar with the EI....I'll ask him what he wants ~ I don't care one way or the other if the grounds are /are not required to be "made up" for a rough inspection ...it costs the same to me (maybe a little less on the roughing end). The EI gets to "know" me AND my work.
 
All I can add about the ground rods is that you aren't supposed to cover them up. Drive them into the ground, attach your acorn and grounding electrode. Make sure the inspector can see the that you didn't saw off the top of your rod (to make it shorter and therefore less contact with the earth) and that you have the correct wire size.
 
jaylectricity said:
All I can add about the ground rods is that you aren't supposed to cover them up. Drive them into the ground, attach your acorn and grounding electrode. Make sure the inspector can see the that you didn't saw off the top of your rod (to make it shorter and therefore less contact with the earth) and that you have the correct wire size.
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If you don't cover them up then you have to make a 2nd trip to cover them up after inspection... go figure...
 
mwbc in the ATL

mwbc in the ATL

I've wired homes in Gwinnett, Forsyth, Cobb, Dekalb, and Fulton, As well as the City of Atlanta and the only place I've had aproblem was Cobb. I've found that a call to the dept head works in metro ATL. If the inspector has no basis for the red tag you have to stand your ground. I've been out of residential for 6 mos.(not as many homes being built) and am working for a large commercial outfit now. My favourite inspection dept. is the city of Sandy Springs. Its a "brand new " city:grin:
 
andinator said:
My favourite inspection dept. is the city of Sandy Springs. Its a "brand new " city:grin:
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Give it time ...it'll be known as "Shady Springs" soon enough LOL :)
 
stickboy1375 said:
If you look at a ground god, there is a UL stamp at top and bottom, if the UL stamp is missing it's quite obvious the rod was cut...
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I'll have to eyeball the next one.
Is the mark on the side or top?
 
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