Rough inspections

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Frank, as i have learned here and have now seen in action, The AHJ can inspect it most any sequence or stage, as the NEC does not give details about the inspection process. A rough inspection is a convenience.

I have also leaned (thanks guys) that most AHJ's don't want the wires landed in a panel that is hot or will be made hot soon.

So, to answer you question, I would say: Put them in the panel before rough - but don't land them on the breakers until final.
 
I always have leave my homeruns near the panel and unconnected for rough-in. That way, the inspector doesn't have to open the panel to make sure I haven't heated anything up yet. No inspector has ever said a word to me about this, so I assume my practice is OK with them.
 
Just ask your inspector waht he wants to see. Sometimes we cut in panels at rough, sometimes at finish. Sometimes in between. Depends how pressed for time we are. When I inspect, I don't care when panel is cut in. I don't like to see breakers installed and connected on rough.

John
 
With the price of copper rising (and theft in tow), some have mentioned pigtailing all their devices and energizing on rough to deter theft.

I used to feel that energizing before devices were in was a bad practice, now I'm on the fence.
 
Here inspector wants panel made up but leave cover off. POCO will not energize service until final anyway so no danger from exposed connections.
 
In most cities in Northern California, all boxes, panels, etc. must be made up for the rough inspection. The inspectors want to know you properly made up wire nuts, grounds, check box fill, wires properly terminated in panel (including breakers) etc. Sometimes this is a pain, but it makes the trim out go much faster.
 
My thought is that you have to run them in the panel at some point or nothing is going to work. So it doesn't really matter to me if you put them in the panel at rough or if they're not there until final.

The problem is, if you wait until final and the inspector finds a problem (bundeling, KO missing, etc) somethimes it's a lot harder to fix at final.

And we also do not release power until after final inspection.
 
Frank,
We are in the process of the 90+ condo....the EI did not make a preference as to the panel being open or not, we decided to leave the cover OFF - minimize damage to the cover. The panel/s has a piece of plywood (cut to panel size) to keep debris out, you could use the box - in both cases DO NOT ENERGIZE W/O PROPER COVERS.
 
georgestolz said:
I used to feel that energizing before devices were in was a bad practice, now I'm on the fence.
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George I hope your kidding as that is an extremely bad idea.

IMO it is bordering on criminal if done intentionally.
 
andycook said:
In most cities in Northern California, all boxes, panels, etc. must be made up for the rough inspection. The inspectors want to know you properly made up wire nuts, grounds, check box fill, wires properly terminated in panel (including breakers) etc. Sometimes this is a pain, but it makes the trim out go much faster.
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Sure, that's the same here. No devices though till the walls are ready. (I prefer to wait till after the paint)
 
iwire said:
George I hope your kidding as that is an extremely bad idea.

IMO it is bordering on criminal if done intentionally.
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Romex is approved for exposed work when energized. Is it so criminal?

I used to feel the same way, but honestly, I don't know now.
 
georgestolz said:
Romex is approved for exposed work when energized. Is it so criminal?

I used to feel the same way, but honestly, I don't know now.
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NM yes, energized boxes without devices and plates not approved.

If you worked where I do that type of action would not even be considered.

Accident investigator: Why did you energize those circuits?

You: To hurt anyone that was trying to steal the company's NM.
 
iwire said:
Accident investigator: Why did you energize those circuits?

You: To hurt anyone that was trying to steal the company's NM.
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I don't think a cooper crook would let a little 240 volt shock stop them. Crooks do dumb things, bu then they learn from their mistakes.

We have a bucket truck that sits inside of a fence. Thieves went around to the backside of the fence (I guess the security light helped them to see better) and cut through to steal the gas. Okay, locking gas cap. Next time, thief reaches under the truck and cuts the line. Gets enough to fill his gas can and lets the rest dump on the parking lot.

Point is, it is hard to outwit a nitwit.
 
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What I've seen is guys cutting in panels, installing breakers, and leaving them off. They are not wirenutting or terminating conductors in boxes. So if anyone turns on breakers, bunch of live wires, not even capped. It blows my mind that someone would do that, but I've seen it several times.
 
iwire said:
NM yes, energized boxes without devices and plates not approved.
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No fair, I thought of that while I was making my lunch. :D

I guess that knocks me back off the fence where I was in the first place! :)

Personally, I only energize the furnace and washer circuits, with a temp GFI in the washer.

If the furnace is not present, the breaker goes in for it but the wire doesn't get landed. No other breakers go in until trim. (Temp Dryer and other circuits not withstanding.)
 
I sometimes heat up the lights before rough-in. Depends on the job. I had a basement rough-in inspection last week, and all the lights were on when the inspector came by. It didn't seem to bother her.
 
90% of the time we make out panels up with the Grounds and Grounded Conductors and (1) breaker for GFCI and actually wrap the conductors around inside the panel and we have never had a problem getting passed on the rough in by doing this.

Now and then if I am running behind we just bring the wires to the panel area but more often than not we go ahead and make them up and get them in the panel, make up the grounds and neutrals and so on......also we wrap all our "White" wires with black tape that are current carry conductors ( ie: like the 10/2 and so on to the water heater ) and never a problem.
 
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