Stilt Home,flood Plain Question!!

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yeah the best! i will be careful not to lol. you either! no they use it as a starting point of their crazy mixed up interpertaion of what they assume the code states, then if they feel mad that day they will kill you! he actually took out my recept in the kit and said that i didnt have 1/2 inch of insolation on the wire so he taged that to!!! wow he is lost but yea the best right!?
 
WOW you to guys have had quite a conversation at the expense of this poor inspector. LOL seriously you do not need a masters to be an electrical inspector but you do need to prove to the state 5 years of experience in the trade. Inspectors are regulated by the state so we all need the same minimum qualifications, need to take the same tests, etc. He may have a Provisional which is good for 3 years after which if he has not taken the tests is out the door.
Absolute my advice to you is do what this guy says because he sounds like he is giving you a real tough time. I'm sure there is enough work in other counties until this inspector leaves because it sounds like he will not pass any test (maybe he has but even a squirrel etc...). Good Luck
Jim W. how long were you in Collier and who did you work for?

Andrew
 
andrew said:
This is not an NEC issue this is a FEMA issue. You need to contact your Building Department and talk to the FEMA rep and get a list of what can and cannot be below flood. I have a list but it is back at the office. The inspector has NO say as to having anything additional below flooe. You can have 1 (one) receptacle outlet and 1 (one) switch below flood. ALL other required electrical equipment MUST be above flood. This includes the service equipment, A/C equipment (and disconnects). This does not include Pool equipment because it is not required equipment. It also includes generators and its' associated transfer switch and disconnect. In certain flood zones the walls that are built below flood must be break away walls and cannot have any electric on them. The easiest way for me to determine flood is to see the cantilever for the A/C unit, everything below that cantilever is within flood.

Andrew
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We adhere to these same flood plain directives.One recep and one switch allowed within the flood plain.everything else above it.Is the vanity fixture a hollywood strip ???If so is it the type with provisions for mounting a box ??
IE:the type with the open slots that surround the 1/2 ko. If so the manufacturers instructions will show a box.So one must be used.We went through this awhile back easy fix was to mount a pancake box on the fixture cut a round hole in the drywall and mount as usual.By mounting the box ON the fixture it makes it easier to center and level.
 
andrew said:
WOW you to guys have had quite a conversation at the expense of this poor inspector. LOL seriously you do not need a masters to be an electrical inspector but you do need to prove to the state 5 years of experience in the trade. Inspectors are regulated by the state so we all need the same minimum qualifications, need to take the same tests, etc. He may have a Provisional which is good for 3 years after which if he has not taken the tests is out the door.
Absolute my advice to you is do what this guy says because he sounds like he is giving you a real tough time. I'm sure there is enough work in other counties until this inspector leaves because it sounds like he will not pass any test (maybe he has but even a squirrel etc...). Good Luck
Jim W. how long were you in Collier and who did you work for?

Andrew
Click to expand...

Was in collier from 73 to 98.Worked for a friend/ partner for about 15 years then a few other companies till i got my masters.We are not going to let this guy win with his crazy bs.My boss knows how to deal with them.Most inspectors get my respect but thats because they earn it not demand it.
 
i put a box in the wall just the same but i am not sure of the type sorry. but i did find something real interesting this morning in the nec about flood areas. in artical 682 (3) read that and tell me what you all think. lol. thanks for all the feedback on this sub!
 
Flood zone

Flood zone

You need to look at the adopted building code for your area. In my area it is the IRC, in this there is a section on flood zones, in here there are a few paragraphs on electric in these areas. If I recall correctly it doesn't prohibit anything electric from these zones BUT, the wiring, boxes, covers, etc must be able to withstand the forces of the big wave from ALL directions. In these areas I accept UF cable, pvc boxes with pvc conduit rising up to above the flood zone, pvc bat handle switches. I hear rumors that electric meters will be exempted from the requirements of these articles in the next IRC. Are these building really going to withstand the big 100 year storm? Or, is this just a waste of time & money?
RickG
 
Last year I had a question regarding a service in a 14 ft flood plain area.So I called the C.E.I. for that jurisdiction.The question was configuration of the service.The poco requires 5 1/2 ft. to the center of the meter max. but the B.F.E. would have put it at 6 ft.My question was while I can keep the disc. to a max. 6 ft 7 to the top of the handle and clear the B.F.E. the meter would be higher than the poco allowed.
His answer was really simple.They didn`t care how high the meter was.That is a poco issue and not an Nec issue,put it below the B.F.E. mark and mount the disc. so it`s no more than 6 ft 7 in to the top of the handle and it would be fine.That`s what was done and it flew with flying colours.
What gets me is this.A poco feed no bkr. so to speak except for the jack on the trans.can sit below the B.F.E. mark but a main disc. has to be above that mark.What differentiates these two items????? If it floods to that B.F.E. mark the meter would be under water,what the electricity in the meter is different from the electricity in the disc. ????
Also another thing that I don`t understand is that we can have one switch and one recep. below the B.F.E. mark.While the recep would be a gfci being in the garage area or outdoors ,the lighting switch doesn`t have to be gfci protected.What the electricity knows the difference between a recep. and a light switch.
Someone brought up recently that they used the a/c mounts to determine the flood elevation point.Here the B.F.E. has to be marked on the structure so the inspector knows where it is.
Architects need some schooling as far as flood plains go too.I did a high line stilt home in Tarpon Springs.The plans called for banks of switches at the grade level of this home but the B.F.E. put all of them except one as allowed ,
12 ft up in the ceiling.After the final and meter was installed the merry fellow that had the home built was showing it off to his merry fellow friends :).I was there to install ceiling fans.He looked up and asked me what those were as his merry group of merry :) men watched.Oh those are your light switches.
Puzzled he asked me how will he reach them ???I saw a 10 ft 2 x 2 on the floor.I picked it up and handed it to him.
What am I going to do with this,as tempting as it was i didn`t say it :) so I took it and showed him how to push the decora switch to turn on the lights.One of his :) merry men was rolling on the floor and while this was going on my helpers had loaded up and were waiting for me to leave.We drove away in tears.................I don`t know how I didn`t hit anything as I was laughing so hard.
Just a true tale of MERRY men.Oh for those that don`t do flood zone work the B.F.E. is base flood elevation,all permit plans have it on page one.Also merry men well you get the picture I`m sure.
 
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Allen that was a great story not often you can snooker the "I know more than you do owner". Anyway, in the city of Naples we have our own "Floodplain Management" that says ALL electrical equipment will be above flood. What Absolute needs to concerrn himself with is Title 44 of the "Code of Federal Retulations" (look it up on Google use Title 44 CFR). I'm the one who said I use the cantlever of the A/C but that just makes it easy for me to see the BFE. You are right about the line. The only things electrically that can be below flood is "one outlet (or switch) Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI)" and elctrical meters (owned by utility companies).
 
They don`t need a masters to become an inspector.Just be able to pass the inspector level 1 test within 90 days of employment,then they have I believe it`s 1 year to pass the commercial level 1 test.For that they get around $14/hr.In order to move up they have to pass the level tests for a raise.

When we started working alot in pasco I was elected to manage that area,why because I was the only mgr. that could get inspections passed.Like Jim said welcome to pasco,they have there own agenda they go by.Jims` new found hemmoroid C _ _ Y is by far the hardest to get along with.There have been several times I have had my kliens in hand just wanted to go postal on him.Be glad Paul called your office and recanted what he had told you.Better to know now than after the fact.

But Pasco is where the majority of the work will be for many years to come.Most of the inspectors I can get along with well,there was one that started in 01 I believe.He came on like a Brama bull red tag fever.We went round and round and round.Went to the chief several times and won 99% of the time.A few years later he came to help another inspector in a subdivision that was ending there were like 18 finals that day.We went through them without a hitch.When it was all done he turned to me and appoligized to me.Puzzled I said for what?For all those red tags I gave you for things I should have only written a correction notice for.I accepted his apoligy and shook his hand.

Jim I`ve contemplated the 38 scenario many times but finally cooled off and realized this is there world and we just have to learn to stand fast when correct and don`t let that tag that says inspector intimidate us.
 
Just a consideration but:
210.52(E)"For a one-family dwelling and each unit of a two-family dwelling THAT IS AT GRADE LEVEL"
Is a house on stilts at grade level?
If you wired a store with a single apartment above it (a one-family dwelling) would you be required to install a receptacle at the front and the rear of the store at grade level?
 
that dont apply to this dwelling because of artical 682 in the nec. as we as what andrew was saying previously about the ac and the water level. but i had to install them and was unable to argue with the dumb ass inspector. lmao. what a jerk!!!
 
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