Can someone tell me what is wrong with this picture. Can you cite a code?

[Nick Gromicko]

Jeff wins.

[rwand1]

In a case such as this why even mention code? It is by its very set-up against code. Although I have seen much worse!

[Paul W. Abernathy]

nope....with all the whining...I am all Challenged out...

[vriverajr]

I agree with Bruce!!!!!!

[vriverajr]

Thats a accident waiting to happen!!!!



Quality Home Detective ,LLC
Victor Rivera , Jr.

[James J. Rooff]

Recommend pool be relocated on other side of side walk.

[KTK]

I'm surprised no one mentioned this thing/conduit has more than 3 90's without a 'pull station' (can't recall what those ell connections are specifically called). Can't locate the specific code on that but I've had to make sure I installed them on my remodels and it was confirmed by electricians and building electrical engineers.

Karl Koning
Koning Design & Inspect

[brian winkle]

Originally Posted by KTK

I'm surprised no one mentioned this thing/conduit has more than 3 90's without a 'pull station' (can't recall what those ell connections are specifically called). Can't locate the specific code on that but I've had to make sure I installed them on my remodels and it was confirmed by electricians and building electrical engineers.

Karl Koning
Koning Design & Inspect

you are allowed up to 360 degrees of bends between pull points which is 4 90's, but it's kind of a moot point with that installation as those are water pipe fittings and you wouldn't be able to pull thru them anyway. They were probly assembled as the wire was put thru them, which is another violation.

[William J. Decker]

"I know you won't like the answer but I could not get my AHJ (Lee County Fla) to tag a RNC running across a sidewalk in a very similar installation. They said it was OK. The elbows and lack of "in use" cover are still clear violations."

There in lies the difference between home inspectors and code inspectors. A code inspector can very rarely be held accountable for failing to call out an 'unsafe' installation (like the one pictured. The most glaring being the 'trip hazard'!)

A home inspector does not have the AHJ to hide behind. He /She can be sued because, if for no other reason, they are not protected by municipal lawyers.

Think about this:

An AHJ code is (usually) very specific and definitive (and minimal!). This produces a very rigid and defined 'standards of practice' for the code inspector to follow. Let me clearly state here that most AHJ codes are 'political' as much as 'technical' documents, fashioned by lawyers for lawyers and addressed to lawyers and not really dealing with the issues of safety and technical issues. Very few AHJs adopt, in toto, the NEC or IRC or NCS or any other national standards. They 'massage' and change what ever the 'experts' come up with to suit their own purposes. But, their 'purposes' are not always safety or the public good or improving the housing stock. More often it is weighting many different (Developers, builders, unions, workers, consumers, Realtors, buyers, sellers, etc) factions interests (for their own political purposes) against each other so as to not P#ss off to many people and get themselves re-elected.

One the other hand, in states that have HI SOPs, they are intentionally vauge and interpretable. In this way, the question of 'who F'd up' is left to the lawyers (who have the conflict of interest between their own good (money) and that of the society as a whole) and courts (with some political baggage) and the loud cries of the generally uninformed public, who just want it fixed and don;t want to pay for it, but are perfectly willing to 'fix' it themselves and create abominations like that which is pictured themselves of by hiring 'less than qualified' persons to make such messes.

We stand in the gap.

Hope this helps;

[Richard L. Bennett]

Can't tell from the pix and don't know about the code (don't care)

but I would site another issue if it was PVC conduit. Not structurally strong enough for walking on

rlb

[kkoning]

Originally Posted by brian winkle

you are allowed up to 360 degrees of bends between pull points which is 4 90's, but it's kind of a moot point with that installation as those are water pipe fittings and you wouldn't be able to pull thru them anyway. They were probly assembled as the wire was put thru them, which is another violation.

Thanks for the clarification Brian,

Unless the cable is direct burial we know there is at least two more 90's in this run. Yes, we can't "see" that. So call out for licensed electrician to review.

Karl Koning
Koning Design & Inspect