QOD for 07/30/06 Electrical

[Gerry Beaumont]

Hi to all,

Todays question is ased on yesterdays new construction inspection.

Where the pool guy was trying to run, a pump, an large fan and a wet vac all of an exterior outlet.

Please click all that apply

Regards

Gerry

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol...I like it when you do electrical questions....

[Paul W. Abernathy]

oooohhhhh.......actually I can SPIN this very easy.....lets see what the people answer before I thrown in another possibility.

[Richard L. Bennett]

Dining room has a wet bar sink in it and one of those LARGE water falls from Home Depo thus a wet location.

The breaker did not trip because of a GF but because too much current was drawn

rlb

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol....while the we know if most certainly was NOT up to todays wiring requirements.....I found an interesting image come to my mind as an add on question...

[rwand1]

"The tripping breaker"

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Originally Posted by rwand1

"The tripping breaker"

Yep......was doing the MOONWALK and well.....Tripped !

[Mike Parks]

How many of you know that you use to be be able to put the bathroom outlets (all), the front and back door outlets, the basement outlet, and the garage outlet on the same gfci protected circuit?

Yes this was code compliant.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Sure was prior to 1999 NEC.....However they are not CODE officials they are safety officials....and anything that has a potential safety aspect CODE or not will need to be reflected in a report even if it makes the electrician who has to deal with it unhappy.

They are not here to kiss the Electrical Contractors *****.....or the AGENT for that matter...

Yes in the past even the GFCI NOT being on the counter top was CODE....but if the HI does not put it in the report when GFCI is NOT on the counter...past or present construction they are opening themselves up for a potential HEADACHE.......

[Mike Parks]

Paul

Please reread my post.

Nothing about safety there. Just an example of what they may find.

Like bathrooms must be on their own circuit. Now yes but it is not a big deal unless you have 4 girls using hairdryers at the same time.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

ahhh......well I know I caught local guys doing it up as far as 2004 without the other AHJ catching it.....now my tactic was to trip the GFCI usually at the panel receptacle.....then LEAVE it off and go to the bathrooms and CHECK THEM....lol.......Find It...and REJECT it....

[Joe Farsetta]

Paul,

I beg to differ with you on one of your points. First off, if you are inspecting a home, say constructed in 1954, and see no GFCIs on the counter, thenn technically it is NOT a defect.

That is not to say that the inspector should not recommend the installations of ground fault circuit interrupters in any numberr of locations, includng bathrooms, all counter and kitchen island receptacle locations, garages, unfinished basements, damp locations, and exterior receptacle locations.

My point is that there is a difference between a defect and a recommendation. On most residential purchases, there is absolutely no requirement to bring the home up to current standards, unless by specific guidelines, such as with 203K financing.

Sometimes calling out as a defect what is not can lead to headaches as well.

Where the contractor disputes my recommendations or findings, I never argue. I simply ask them to but their rebuttal or recommendation in writing, and on their letter head with license number included.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Originally Posted by jfarsetta

Paul,

I beg to differ with you on one of your points. First off, if you are inspecting a home, say constructed in 1954, and see no GFCIs on the counter, thenn technically it is NOT a defect.

That is not to say that the inspector should not recommend the installations of ground fault circuit interrupters in any numberr of locations, includng bathrooms, all counter and kitchen island receptacle locations, garages, unfinished basements, damp locations, and exterior receptacle locations.

My point is that there is a difference between a defect and a recommendation. On most residential purchases, there is absolutely no requirement to bring the home up to current standards, unless by specific guidelines, such as with 203K financing.

Sometimes calling out as a defect what is not can lead to headaches as well.

Where the contractor disputes my recommendations or findings, I never argue. I simply ask them to but their rebuttal or recommendation in writing, and on their letter head with license number included.

Firstly, I do not see anywhere in my POST that I called it a "DEFECT" and we are not speaking of CODE here.....any home that today would require a GFCI at the location is a STRONG recommendation to a client who does not have one....FOR safety reasons...not CODE reasons...

Secondly, Are you not agreeing that suggesting a GFCI is something the HI should do when " STATS" and "PROOF" over the years suggests it is a SAFETY enhancement to suggest it....?

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Joe,

You failed to READ my posts.........If the house is after a certain date I listed and the problem is their...it is wrong......in the event of suggesting GFCI's in all cases...I did not mention ANYWHERE that it is a defect....simply a safety enhancement that the HI should suggest....to avoid a possible HEADACHE in the event someone DIES.....the courts could come back and say.....should you have NOT suggested it in light of the changes to code which reflect a concern for the safety......seems to me you agree it SHOULD be suggested.....I never said anything otherwise...

Please do not put words in my mouth fella........I have been doing this TOO many years...lol

[Mike Parks]

IMHO making recommendations could come back to bite you.

Are you not looking for defects? Or are you saying "I know what is safe or required now"??????

Where do you stop when making recommendations? Once you make one recommendation are your clients going to assume that you will make "all" the recommendations that this home needs?

Does this make you think?