An average day

[ICE]

You mentioned that you haven't been inside the house yet, there's a chance (yes, a very small chance) that all of the required AFCI/GFCI protection is at the first outlet of each branch. I have seen AFCI receptacles (and combination AFCI/GFCI) used the same way GFCI's are commonly used.

My friend has been inside and he verified that the receptacles do not have AFCI protection. They are GFCI protected receptacles within a cabinet under a sink.

Who among you would consider the under sink location a code violation?

 

[fatboy]

"Who among you would consider the under sink location a code violation?"

I would............

 

[Norcal]

I have maintained for a long time that multi-family dwellings and tract homes are built as cheap as they can get away with, not minimum code, they seem to know what they can get away with, years ago was talking with a EC who had been around in the heyday of aluminum branch circuit wiring, & was told if the difference was $20 a house between AL & CU, AL it was, and yes I would consider the GFCI location a code violation. Is there anything that can be done about it? I understand that inspection authorities have no liabilities for errors & omissions.

 

[ICE]

I have maintained for a long time that multi-family dwellings and tract homes are built as cheap as they can get away with, not minimum code, they seem to know what they can get away with, years ago was talking with a EC who had been around in the heyday of aluminum branch circuit wiring, & was told if the difference was $20 a house between AL & CU, AL it was, and yes I would consider the GFCI location a code violation. Is there anything that can be done about it? I understand that inspection authorities have no liabilities for errors & omissions.

As O.B.Thompson used to say, "It's never too late to start over." Seriously though, receptacles can be swapped out and AFCI circuit breakers installed.

The picture is the AC disconnect. It is placed over a hole in the stucco wall. That's a zip-tie stuck in the hole and there is another opening above the missing cable connector. The can is against a window trim and caulked on two sides.



The refrigerant line set comes out of the wall through rubber gasket that is torn enough for mice to find a way in.



The cleanout will need a hammer and chisel first. The pipe is a termination for a T&P valve at the water heater. It is next to the spot where the garbage cans will be stored. It sticks out now but won't for long.



And one of my favorite violations; There is an offset nipple screwed into a hub.



There's more but I can only attach four pictures.

 

[Norcal]

My comment about built as cheap as they can get away with, getting called out on it means they aren't getting away with it.

Mounting 3R equipment prior to the stucco is another violation in my opinion, they have the metal embossed where the mounting screws go, to give it the required 1/4" airspace behind it, having the stucco finish all around it removes that airspace. from the looks of it they used conductors without being part of a cable, or in conduit. Around here they attach roof jacks to bring the A/C linesets through, it cleans things things up a lot as long as they are oriented correctly. I never knew that offset nipples could not be used with rain tight hubs, is that a use not permitted by the listing?

Looking at the lineset photo, a Oatey roof jack w/ the rubber gasket was used, never liked them but as shown it allows water to get in too.

 

[ICE]

My comment about built as cheap as they can get away with, getting called out on it means they aren't getting away with it.

Mounting 3R equipment prior to the stucco is another violation in my opinion, they have the metal embossed where the mounting screws go, to give it the required 1/4" airspace behind it, having the stucco finish all around it removes that airspace. from the looks of it they used conductors without being part of a cable, or in conduit. Around here they attach roof jacks to bring the A/C linesets through, it cleans things things up a lot as long as they are oriented correctly. I never knew that offset nipples could not be used with rain tight hubs, is that a use not permitted by the listing?

Looking at the lineset photo, a Oatey roof jack w/ the rubber gasket was used, never liked them but as shown it allows water to get in too.

The disconnect was placed over a finished stucco wall. I can't identify the wiring method from the pictures but I am convinced that it is a cable. There is a hole in the stucco and most likely wall sheathing.

The offset nipple into a hub is a listing violation in that hubs have not been evaluated with straight threaded hardware. The hub has tapered threads and the nipple has straight threads. The nipple threads will not correctly engage the hub threads. This is a common practice in the solar industry.

I performed an experiment to see if the hardware is watertight. It failed. The hardware in the pictures is larger that what is used in the solar industry. I have replicated the result with the smaller hardware.

The nipple was threaded to refusal. I used a device to place water at the top of the hub. It drains slowly but after less than a minute the water has seeped through the connection and capillary action takes hold. The water then flows readily through the threaded connection.

 

[Norcal]

The reason I thought it might have been single conductors was the black & red conductors, 2 conductor NM has normally black & white conductors, but the Canadian market has black & red two conductor NM, but the solid grounding conductor screams NM. I wonder if the neutral was snipped off? The straight thread prohibition into hubs knew applied to EMT connectors, but never considered offset nipples, since it installer seems to have needed to punch a KO in the bottom of the equipment, a rigid nipple & locknuts would have prob. done fine.

 

[e hilton]

I refuse to ask what “worm blower” is used for.

 

[ICE]

I refuse to ask what “worm blower” is used for.

Fill it with air and inject a worm with air and the worm rises off the bottom of the lake. Fill it with water and use it in an empirical experiment.

 

[steveray]

Who among you would consider the under sink location a code violation?

I wouldn't necessarily....Just like I wouldn't consider a GFCI breaker "inside" a panel cover a violation....

ACCESSIBLE, READILY. Capable of being reached
quickly for operation, renewal or inspections, without requiring
those to whom ready access is requisite to take actions
such as to use tools, to climb over or remove obstacles or to
resort to portable ladders, etc.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

There is no AFCI protection for the dishwasher, garbage disposal, refrigerator and microwave. I looked at a few other houses and they are all missing AFCI protection on the same circuits.
While I was there a representative of the builder met me. He asked me what I was doing and then asked if I have found anything wrong. I mentioned the AFCI. He assured me that the city inspectors are picky to the extreme and they have issued a final approval.

I see this a lot. Contractors take the AFCI's after the house gets a passed final electrical inspection because they cost a lot and use them on the next house. You are allowed to change breakers without a permit so their is nothing an inspector to do.

 

[ICE]

I see this a lot. Contractors take the AFCI's after the house gets a passed final electrical inspection because they cost a lot and use them on the next house. You are allowed to change breakers without a permit so their is nothing an inspector to do.

I have encountered that several times when I was at the property for a new project. I am convinced that the owners are in on the subterfuge to save money. I doubt that the breakers were replaced after the final inspection at this tract of homes.

 

[ICE]

In 2019 my sister hired a mechanical contractor to install a furnace/coil in the attic, condenser in the yard and a mini-split system for an addition. Then in 2021 she entered into a maintenance contract with a different HVAC company. The second contractor pointed out that all of the duct is R6 when R8 was required and that the return air duct was grossly undersized. She notified the installing contractor and he ignored her. She contacted the city building department (there is only a mechanical permit) and was told that it is too late to do anything....as in nothing.....didn't even ask for electrical or plumbing permits....it was, "Oh well, sorry about that."

In Oct. 2021 I was in town (C**** Ca) to visit the family, mother is doing well...thanks for asking, and my sister told me about the situation.
There is a permit for replacing HVAC equipment like for like that passed a final inspection. That permit is invalid in that there was only a floor furnace before. A HERS rater approved the work.

The first picture is the access path to the furnace. The return air duct blocks the path. The city inspector and the HERS rater did not enter the attic.



The next picture shows a sub-panel. One would have to lay on the ground to view the inside of that enclosure...in a fetal position.



The neutral is not isolated from ground. Cable has been used in a wet location.



CSST gas tubing was installed without a #6 bonding jumper. The gas pipe has no sediment trap. Cloth strap was used to support the duct. Had I been able to get to the furnace there would have been more corrections....




I wrote a bunch of corrections. The contractor balked at first but finding out that the CSLB is a phone call away he came around in the end. My sister hired other contractors to perform the corrections and the installing contractor sent her a check.

I am dismayed that the city building department just doesn't seem to care....as a conciliation the building official said that the inspector that came to her home no longer works for C**** BS.,,,,The HERS company sent a new guy to do it over and this guy belly crawled around the purlin braces.

The point here is that no matter where you are located you could get that same inspection result.

Thirty years ago I was a superintendent on condos built within the city of C****. I took over about a third of the way and I was told to not worry about inspections. I found out that the inspector would sign the job cards at a hotel room where he was provided a prostitute, money and booze.

I called the building official and had the inspector replaced. The BO asked for a reason and I told him that it was a serious bucket of worms. He told me that the inspector was months away from retirement so he didn’t need a reason after all.

I can’t say that the C**** Building dept. is still corrupt but clueless fits. At first thought one would think that a university town of well over 100K people would do better....then I remeber the millions in the AHJ where I worked and the parallels are obvious.

 

[Norcal]

That Siemens panel looks like they are using a EGC as a neutral, plus a Challenger SP breaker installed in it, to add a couple more.

 

[ICE]

That Siemens panel looks like they are using a EGC as a neutral, plus a Challenger SP breaker installed in it, to add a couple more.

That is correct. I suppose that I should have worded it differently. Another of the corrections was to remove the extra conductor and perform the work in a workman like manner....as it is it's hard to tell how this is wired. The panel has been raised and rewired. I haven't been back to see it.


The line set chase is wide open and the condensate drain needs just a little help.

 

[e hilton]

I hope sis is going to bake you some brownies for this.

 

[ICE]

 

[Norcal]

What's the story, besides a screwy install?

 

[ICE]

What's the story, besides a screwy install?

The story is about ridiculous corrections.

Such as therse corrections that were written for a master bedroom and bathroom addition.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

I found out that the inspector would sign the job cards at a hotel room where he was provided a prostitute, money and booze.

Man, I am missing out. Never got offered that good of a bribe.

Cloth strap was used to support the duct.

I thought the cloth straps were OK for flex ducts.

 

[ICE]

I thought the cloth straps were OK for flex ducts.

Cloth straps are listed for use a duct support. That is a mistake. The webbing folds and becomes a code violation. Used with metal duct or small diameter flex duct does not present a problem however, as you can see in the pictures, there is a limit to it's use. Under ideal conditions where the duct is supported every 4.5 feet and not sagging I suppose that the straps can do a good job with flex duct. That seldom happens.

The third picture shows what appears to be a successful outcome. Even there, the middle strap might be folded and narrow. It is a challenge to inspect duct in an existing attic because unless you are willing to crawl on ceiling joist, it is likely that you won't see it all. So what to do? When this UL listed webbing first hit the market I turned it down. Yes I know that I was exceeding my authority.....but wait a minute....when I said no it stuck so I must have been within my authority... But then a person with more authority overrode my no with a yes.

I tried to convince the AHJ that this stuff is no good. I hit a wall and mostly gave up. I could only say no to strap that I saw was folded and ask for ideal conditions. There was still plenty of occasions to turn it down.

 

[mtlogcabin]

They should be installing a saddle between the strap and the flex duct

 

[ICE]

The contractor called me with a few questions. The corrections were written by a coworker. The inspector asked for a window that was over a kitchen sink to be tempered glazing. The second question was why the laundry room could not have a sink or receptacle. She said that the reason that the inspector gave for the window was that a kitchen sink is a hazardous location and the reason for removing the laundry sink was that it encourages people to create a second kitchen.

I made it clear that the corrections were bogus. She made it clear that she was afraid of the inspector. She talked it over with her architect and they came to the conclusion that it would be better to acquiesce than to risk being tortured. Having been ordered by management to not interact with that inspector under any circumstances, I could only suggest that she consult the office manager.

By the time that this occurred I had already given up on asking management to reign in the inspector. I was treated with indifference. I was told that unless the contractors or owners were complaining there is no reason to act on it.

The truth of the matter is that management fears that inspector. That inspector has been mistreating people for years and is at it today.

 

[JPohling]

What is the number and name and I will call in a complaint