Rural shirt pocket rules

[letgomywago]

One that many people seem to believe around here is that if you use receptacles facing down for light fixtures you have to use twist lock receptacles.

A lot of people think this because they think the twist lock is the same as the fancy luminaire outlets that no one uses that get passed gfi rules.

 

[kwired]

Also found this when someone lost a phase to their shop View attachment 2568300 View attachment 2568301

I've cut underground PVC open to repair conductors a time or two. Did use shrink tube over the connections and not tape though.

13-1500 run to irrigation well, you fix it instead of replacing it. Probably fixed more that were damaged either by excavation projects or occasionally if line were too shallow (maybe due to soil erosion) and deep tilling equipment hit it than needing to repair a conductor in an undamaged conduit.

 

[kwired]

Here's two

Conduit fill: If you can still stick a finger in with the wires, it's OK!

Ground wire can be one size smaller than the load wires.

My finger is big enough that all 1/2 maybe even some 3/4 inch raceways are too full when empty then.

 

[kwired]

Not sure if this is in the same category. Along with other work at an industrial facility, they hoped to put in a large 240 to 208 transformer because 208V 3 phase motor are much cheaper than 480V 3 phase motors. I pointed out that most 3 phase motor are dual phase. They looked at a nameplate, and sure enough...

Once you get over about 75 or 100 HP it can be less common to see dual voltage motors. Stocked motors will typically be 480 volts so I would presume 208-240 would be special order and cost more.

The motor controllers and overcurrent protection is larger frame size for 208-240 than for 480 and does cost more for same HP of motor, of course conductors are larger as well.

 

[ggunn]

It doesn't have to be a rural area for an inspector to have his own rules that have no basis in the NEC or local codes.

 

[junkhound]

Ya dont need much insulation in floors or bottom of walls because heat rises.......

 

[letgomywago]

I've cut underground PVC open to repair conductors a time or two. Did use shrink tube over the connections and not tape though.

13-1500 run to irrigation well, you fix it instead of replacing it. Probably fixed more that were damaged either by excavation projects or occasionally if line were too shallow (maybe due to soil erosion) and deep tilling equipment hit it than needing to repair a conductor in an undamaged conduit.

I put a hand hold in and replaced the undersized wire. It was feeding a 200 amp panel with enough load to justify the proper wire.

 

[kwired]

I put a hand hold in and replaced the undersized wire. It was feeding a 200 amp panel with enough load to justify the proper wire.

Hand holes won't last in crop farming operations. Combines other than maybe weight if driven directly over aren't a problem. Implements that dig into the soil, discs, planters, deep tillage rippers and such are a problem. They don't want to have to keep track of a 2 to 4 square foot item located within a 160 acre plot when plowing, discing, planting, etc.

 

[letgomywago]

Hand holes won't last in crop farming operations. Combines other than maybe weight if driven directly over aren't a problem. Implements that dig into the soil, discs, planters, deep tillage rippers and such are a problem. They don't want to have to keep track of a 2 to 4 square foot item located within a 160 acre plot when plowing, discing, planting, etc.

This was a back yard not much in the way of tilling I don't think they even aerate their soil

 

[rc/retired]

I had a couple of coworkers requiring an outlet on a 6" column. They believed when they added up the 4 sides it was 24" of wall space.

Ron

 

[SceneryDriver]

Back to the discussion what's the funniest shirt pocket rule you've heard?

Feeders that come out of a fused service disconnect are service conductors, because they are in the same enclosure as the service conductors from the meter.

 

[nizak]

#8 solid copper bonding wire for a pool has to go all the way back to the load center.

20 amp rated receptacles HAVE to be used in residential kitchens . Not single receptacles, duplex receptacles that serve countertop space .

 

[nizak]

4 - 12/2 NM cables can’t be going thru a single drilled hole with fire stop caulk.

3 is the max…

 

[VirutalElectrician]

I have often heard that automotive batteries should not be stored directly on a concrete floor, because concrete will suck the charge out of a lead-acid battery and deplete it. I've often seen batteries stored on a concrete floor with a barrier of wood or newspaper underneath them. I never did get a satisfactory answer about how the concrete could suck the charge out if it isn't in contact with they electrolyte or plates.

Yup, when we were kids my dad always made us put a block of wood under the boat battery in the winter. I continued to do it for many years after his death until I decided to go find out if this was another one of his out dated teachings.

 

[ggunn]

Yup, when we were kids my dad always made us put a block of wood under the boat battery in the winter. I continued to do it for many years after his death until I decided to go find out if this was another one of his out dated teachings.

There is also the "memory effect" myth: https://batteryguy.com/kb/knowledge-base/the-nickel-cadmium-memory-effect-fact-or-fiction/

 

[GoldDigger]

I had two different electricians tell me that a 120V window air conditioner costs twice as much to operate as a 240V of the same BTU.

Well, it does pull twice the current, doesn't it?

 

[retirede]

Well, it does pull twice the current, doesn't it?

That’s exactly what they said!

 

[PaulMmn]

#8 solid copper bonding wire for a pool has to go all the way back to the load center.

20 amp rated receptacles HAVE to be used in residential kitchens . Not single receptacles, duplex receptacles that serve countertop space .

Don't circuits in kitchens have to be 20 A? Can someone certify that you can have a 15A duplex on a 20A circuit?
Given that toaster ovens, counter top microwaves, and hot plates may be in use, a 20A duplex does make sense (even if not required).

 

[rc/retired]

Don't circuits in kitchens have to be 20 A? Can someone certify that you can have a 15A duplex on a 20A circuit?
Given that toaster ovens, counter top microwaves, and hot plates may be in use, a 20A duplex does make sense (even if not required).

Small appliance branch circuits are required to be 20 amp.
Look at 210.21 and Table 210.24.
Your choice.

Ron

 

[Joe.B]

Yup, when we were kids my dad always made us put a block of wood under the boat battery in the winter. I continued to do it for many years after his death until I decided to go find out if this was another one of his out dated teachings.

Ha this is all so funny because I just told my girlfriend this over the weekend, she bought a new battery from Costco (didn't want to pay the mechanic's surcharge) and when we got home she went to put it on the concrete floor of the garage, I said "Oh wait, let me put this down first." I then said "it's probably not a real concern anymore but it doesn't hurt to be safe."

The real funny part was when she ended up picking up the car from the shop (new plugs, coils, battery, tune-up) the mechanic gave her the old battery that was sitting on the concrete with a piece of cardboard under it. She asked the mechanic if that was a real thing and he said "Oh definitely, it's a real thing!" Then she pointed out that this was the old battery that was going back to Costco for the core charge and the guy said "well, if they know you stored it improperly they might not take it back."

Wow, just wow...