# Why Pennsylvania Needs State Licensing for Electricians



## jar546 (Nov 27, 2019)

I’ve done a lot of inspections in two different states but I can certainly tell you that when it comes to electrical violations, Pennsylvania just seems to lead in all categories of “you’ve got to be kidding me.”
Pennsylvania lacks statewide licensing of contractors and it most definitely shows.
Therefore, I have decided to create a thread dedicated to what I find and have found in PA. Enjoy.


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## jar546 (Nov 27, 2019)

Only in Pennsylvania


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## ADAguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Are electricians required to be licensed in Penn? Are permits required? I realize it has many "old" buildings.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

ADAguy said:


> Are electricians required to be licensed in Penn? Are permits required? I realize it has many "old" buildings.


Only a few cities have competency based licensing laws, the rest of the state, over 98% have no actual licensing.  They created a registration system for political reasons that excludes home-builders and commercial contractors and prohibits municipalities from having or creating licensing programs unless they already had them in place.  It is completely backwards and pathetic.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

When you come upon a temp service for a construction site in Pennsylvania


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

An example of a cadweld in Pennsylvania.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

When you ask to look up in the attic for a recent remodel to see the quality of the electrical work in Pennsylvania.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

How not to secure a basement junction box for an upstairs remodel in Pennsylvania.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

Even with commercial work, you see the lack of workmanship and simple understanding when you place a lug plate over the top of exposed screwheads which cuts down on the surface to surface contact and leaves the plate tilted at an angle.  Again, more substandard electrical work found in Pennsylvania.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

When you can't drive a ground rod in but call for inspection anyway because you figure if you bend it over, it will pass.  Another example of substandard electrical work in Pennsylvania.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

Yet another example as to why Pennsylvania need statewide licensing of electricians and all contractors.  This was in a city that actually had its own licensing.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

Is this quality craftsmanship?  Welcome to Pennsylvania workmanlike manner for electrical installations.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

How to install a receptacle in a kitchen cabinet for an above range microwave for a kitchen remodel in Pennsylvania.  Home of the unskilled electrician.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

How to feed a subpanel from a main panel with SE cable in Pennsylvania and then call for a final inspection.  Now do you see why Pennsylvania needs competency based licensing of contractors, especially electricians that can kill people?


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

I think a layperson can look at this and know it is done wrong yet the Pennsylvania "electrician" that did this did not know any better.


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## ICE (Nov 30, 2019)

You should talk your family into a Thanksgiving in Florida next year.


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## ICE (Nov 30, 2019)

When I saw the Pennsylvania plates I thought, "I bet he knows Jeff."


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## e hilton (Nov 30, 2019)

jar546 said:


> that excludes home-builders and commercial contractors .


Lemme think for a minute ... excludes home and commercial ... hmmm ... that means it includes ... ?


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## e hilton (Nov 30, 2019)

jar546 said:


> I think a layperson can look at this and know it is done wrong ]


Help me a little ... two conductors undef on set screw on the right?


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## ICE (Nov 30, 2019)

In California we have licensed electrical contractors.  The state maintains a list of journeymen.  We let anyone do the work.  From homeowners taking out permits to contractors with Home Depot crews, we deal with them equally.  This tolerance on our part engenders complacency on both sides of the correction slip.

Look at this picture of a service upgrade that was done by a licensed electrical contractor.  I can surmise that they knew what was wrong but took a chance that I would approve it.  Why?  What makes them think that it could pass an inspection.  It must be complacency......they are banking on me being a lousy inspector.   Such inspectors are out there.  Apparently in numbers sufficient to approve lousy work.




It is not unique to the electrical trade.  The mechanical contractor that did this must not be used to thorough inspections.




Complacency....a contractor installed a service upgrade and the person that met me was the guy that patches the stucco.  He was surprised that I wanted to see inside.......because?  Draw your own conclusion.


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## jar546 (Nov 30, 2019)

Gotta love copper pipe for fuses.  Very Kennedyesque


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## chris kennedy (Dec 2, 2019)

jar546 said:


> Kennedyesque



Thats not a word jacka$$.


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## jar546 (Dec 2, 2019)

chris kennedy said:


> Thats not a word jacka$$.



Is that all it takes to get you riled up in the morning?


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## ICE (Dec 2, 2019)

chris kennedy said:


> Thats not a word jacka$$.



Oh but it is a word.  The wrong word for the wrong Kennedy but a word just the same.

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/kennedyesque

So is jackass.  Might even be the right word.

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/jackass


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