# What To look for?



## Rider Rick (Jun 30, 2018)

New 100 amp electric service inspection what to look for?


----------



## ICE (Jun 30, 2018)

Mistakes.


----------



## Rick18071 (Jul 2, 2018)

i usually look for the posted permit first


----------



## cda (Jul 2, 2018)

Not into electrical, I tingled myself the other day trying to replace a simple closet light.

Anyway

Electrician has all their fingers:

Maybe this might help a little, dated 2010 though::


http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/building/inspection-services/Checklists/commercial_electrical.pdf


----------



## Rider Rick (Jul 8, 2018)

cda said:


> Not into electrical, I tingled myself the other day trying to replace a simple closet light.
> 
> Anyway
> 
> ...


Thank you Rick


----------



## Rider Rick (Jul 8, 2018)

ICE said:


> Mistakes.


Tiger Fish,
You should be retired.
Your the kind of building inspector I never liked and never wanted to be like, when inspecting. A small man hiding behind a label.
Rider Rick


----------



## ICE (Jul 8, 2018)

Rider Rick said:


> Tiger Fish,
> You should be retired.
> Your the kind of building inspector I never liked and never wanted to be like, when inspecting. A small man hiding behind a label.
> Rider Rick



There's something going on that I am not aware of.


_"This Building Code Forum is NOT what it started out to be in 09.
I think it's now a JOKE."
Rick_

Fatboy said:
_"You have to roll with the punches, there is plenty of benefit here........I dare you to find another forum with this much knowledge........I've looked around, nothing compares. You take the good with the bad, then move on. Deep breath.....cling-cling........kumbaya.........._


While not completely unexpected from fatboy, I find it uncomfortable hearing it from Rick.  I can go for a long time not knowing what people think and then get blindsided.  I hate when that happens.


----------



## linnrg (Jul 9, 2018)

to the original poster;
there are lots of things to look at for each service that are common to many amperages.

Some are; proper grounding, proper bonding, working space, wire bending, wire sizing, labeling of circuits, number of wires under lugs, wire clearance to the structure, possible conduit support, wire protection, location of the service, dedicated circuits, arc fault and ground fault protection, etc.

There  are lots of good guides out there.  I suggest that you take the most expensive Mike Holt class.  Heck even get to know a good electrician and let him know you are eager to learn.  I found thru my career that there was always time to listen and learn.

While you may have a beef with a certain members inspection style that person has provided years of photography of what is being done wrong with a large degree of that being "what to look for in electrical".  I am not that kind of inspector.  I don't regularly use photography!  And I don't work with as diverse of a group of persons doing installs.  I have the luxury of personally knowing most of the people I deal with.  Many I have dealt with over and over again.

Just a few days ago I found an undersized width of opening on a required egress window.  I was explaining to the contractor (that I have known for over a dozen years) that his project being a slab on grade and a first  floor window that the opening could have the total sf of 5.0 sf.  I went on to mention to him the minimum dimensions still apply however.  That's when I noticed the window did not meet the minimum width of opening.  I congratulated him for making the mistake.  I may have never caught it if we were not having a conversation (no I actually would have caught it because I am experienced).


----------



## mark handler (Jul 9, 2018)

Since No one wants to give an answer; I will start with:
 What To Look For In A Main Electrical Panel:
What to look for in a main electrical panel:

Electrical service entry wiring/masthead

Weather tightness of exterior boxes

Service cap, installed, sealed, properly positioned to keep water out of the wiring

Roof flashing errors at standards or masts

Abandoned cables and wires

Meter rating

Service box rating

Make sure all electrical panels are grounded. Grounding rod and to water supply line.

Bond to gas line

Check for double tapping off the main electrical feed

Check for AFCI breakers and GFCI breakers

Check for exposed wiring

Filled knock outs

All circuits are properly labeled

Spliced wires

Safety hazard

Watch for attachment screws Loose, falling out, or missing


----------



## jwilly3879 (Jul 9, 2018)

I have to agree with ICE. Mistakes are what you look for and if you don't know what a mistake is why are you inspecting the service?


----------



## mark handler (Jul 9, 2018)

How do you learn unless you ask?
We do not Know if he is inspecting a panel or acquiring knowledge for future endeavors….


----------



## fatboy (Jul 9, 2018)

"While not completely unexpected from fatboy, I find it uncomfortable hearing it from Rick. I can go for a long time not knowing what people think and then get blindsided. I hate when that happens."

I was NOT throwing stones at anyone......just saying that sometimes you don't get the response that you wanted, or expected. Lord knows I've taken my lumps.

Take it for what it's worth....and move on. 

Period


----------



## linnrg (Jul 9, 2018)

my job as an inspector could be a waste of time if everyone was doing everything correct - but I keep finding plenty of things done wrong.  So I guess I will go out and seek answers and more knowledge so I know more about what to look for.

I will keep paying my minimum fee to this worthy forum to keep on learning even if it may sometimes come with a bit of argument.


----------



## JPohling (Jul 9, 2018)

I love all the pictures that Ice posts,  I am not an inspector so I usually do not see the mistakes unless obvious.  I would love if he would note the primary error, or errors that triggered taking the picture.  That way I would learn MORE.


----------



## ICE (Jul 9, 2018)

fatboy said:


> and move on.



"And move on" .....it is hard to hear.....and always indicates guilt.


Check this out at minute 5:20...... Every time I hear "move on" I used to think of Bill....now it's fatboy.


----------



## fatboy (Jul 9, 2018)

""And move on" .....it is hard to hear.....and always indicates guilt."

Really? 

Seems to me it means there is nothing here worth arguing about.....moot point.....'nuff said....like any further replies from me.


----------



## ICE (Jul 9, 2018)

Ya there was never a fish to fry....unless it was a Tiger Fish.




One word caused all of this.  I guess that I made a mistake.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 10, 2018)

ICE, like JPohl sez, great photo's to learn by, point out the violations for us because I sometimes don't see em. 

You recently posted on "An average day!" a framed wall in a room and I wanted to know the violations you cited. Glen and I guessed what we thought were issues with the room. 

Believe it or not your a trailblazer with all the photo's and comments. When you retire and take your 3-week vacation to Mexico with Jar, and have nothing to do, you can go on the ICC seminar tour, showing slides of all the f...ups you've seen in your inspection career. 

We raise out chalice to thee! Dilly...Dilly!

Now some other items to add to the breaker panel inspection list that Mark started:
• Make sure the service is not hot or if it is caution is advised.
• Make sure the panel is secured to the wall.
• Door has to open 90°, no plumbing above or below and and can't be on a stairway
• Verify that if there is two wires under a lug and that they are not different sizes
• Check to make sure the large amp breakers are on one side 
• Make sure all the breakers are the same or if the generic breakers are used that they are fitting properly
• If an additional bonding bar has been added, make sure the paint has been scratched off. don't run into that very offen.
• Water in the panel issues, rust and oxidation 
• Meter height, grounding requirements, check with all POCO requirements


----------



## Rick18071 (Jul 10, 2018)

To me it seems the Intersystem Bonding Termination is the most forgotten thing.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 10, 2018)

Oh..I forgot one that happens a lot here, distance the SE can be run from the meter to the panel without having to add a disconnect, policy here is 10-ft.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 10, 2018)

Rick18071 said:


> To me it seems the Intersystem Bonding Termination is the most forgotten thing.



Never seen one installed, has the (UL) listing, I'll keep an eye out for the fake (UL) marked ones from China.


----------



## Francis Vineyard (Jul 10, 2018)

Imagine if we only had to do 100 amp services!

The one thing I wish I could do better is visually identify conductor sizes, especially now when I only get out in the field when we are an inspector short and will be looking at everything from 100 to over 1,200 amperes and a few high voltage switch gears.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 10, 2018)

Francis Vineyard said:


> Imagine if we only had to do 100 amp services!.



It helped when they colorized the electrical wire jacket!


----------



## ICE (Jul 10, 2018)

JPohling said:


> I would love if he would note the primary error, or errors that triggered taking the picture.  That way I would learn MORE.



All you have to do is ask questions. 

There's maybe a dozen people that come around to see what I post.  They will be happy to help you understand what's up.....and if nobody does and I see it, I might. 

I don't say too much because I don't know what others may or may not know.  I'm not looking to come off as a know it all jerk.....just a regular jerk is good enough for me.  You've already heard from Rick.  By what I have done here he's pegged me as an ahole.  Others have said the same. 
So I don't have a lot to say.  People can think that I am dumb when I keep my mouth shut......I can start talking and prove it to them.

I am pretty much the same at work.

Another thing is that I try to post pictures of an unusual violation but there might be a slew of mistakes in the picture.  I don't have an inclination to list them all.  If I could I would post copies of the written notices.....trust me on this, I write a lot of corrections every day.


----------



## cda (Jul 10, 2018)

Ice

Just keep on speaking your mind and contributing.

We all are equal


----------



## ICE (Jul 10, 2018)

Pcinspector1 said:


> Never seen one installed, has the (UL) listing, I'll keep an eye out for the fake (UL) marked ones from China.



One example:





Installed:


----------



## Builder Bob (Jul 11, 2018)

Thanks Ice, I have not seen that version of it over here yet...

To the original poster - Code Check was a great tool for a new inspector , you might want to invest in a few of these to "assist" with the inspections.    http://www.codecheck.com/cc/CCAllBooks.html


----------



## tmurray (Jul 11, 2018)

ICE said:


> I don't say too much because I don't know what others may or may not know.  I'm not looking to come off as a know it all jerk.....just a regular jerk is good enough for me.  You've already heard from Rick.  By what I have done here he's pegged me as an ahole.  Others have said the same.
> So I don't have a lot to say.  People can think that I am dumb when I keep my mouth shut......I can start talking and prove it to them.



I thought being an A**h*** was a job requirement...


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 11, 2018)

For years I've seen the telephone company cut the conduit that protects the GC wire on the outside, then they would attach their bonding wire just under the meter can. 

Not sure I'm going to see these devices on the outside, the telephone and cable guys can't get into the POCO's meter can.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 11, 2018)

tmurray said:


> I thought being an A**h*** was a job requirement...



We had an inspector that kept getting called into the office when he was first hired, he said the same thing! 

The Administrator just looked at him and said "Who told you that!"
"Public Works needs a guy on the road crew, does that interest you!"


----------



## linnrg (Jul 11, 2018)

walked onto a job yesterday.  There was two brothers, not twins but very much alike.  I have know them close to 20 years. Their last name starts with S. I call one the good S and the other the bad S. They were painting kilz over an older orange.  Their backs to me as I walked in unannounced I said well, well I said its good to see the good S working.  Bad S was the first to say yes I am - I shook my head side to side.  Good S came up shook my hand and tried to hand off the paint stick to me and I said no its the first time I have seen Good S doing some work you can keep it.  Bad S said what the f*(& are you doing here.  I said you don't have a permit yet and I saw the dumpster?  Good S says do we need one - I said not yet!  So some ongoing conversation comes and goes about when and why a permit would be needed.  They both have been in the community a long time and know the rules.  Bad S's wife comes in, Bad S acts nice and says do you remember my wife and I say yes how are you.  Bad S asks his wife if she remember me from when I used to give them honey from my bees and she says yes asking if I am still doing that - I said no but now that the grand kids are older and bear aware I am wanting to get back into it.  So I make my exit saying see you Good S and Bad S and Mrs. S.  Good S says bye good to see you - Bad S says see ya *&*hole.  I look at them both and I walk away laughing (we were all laughing) saying that I had it right all along!

Actually Bad S and I are really close friends


----------



## ICE (Jul 11, 2018)

Well then linnrg I googled Sterling Alaska to get an idea of what it's like in your neck of the woods......in the woods it is.  5,617 people know you as the inspector.  I'm in an area of ....oh I don't know, ten million maybe....give or take.  I reckon there's 5,618 people that know me as the inspector.  The difference is that I don't know any of them and they rotate in and out.


----------



## linnrg (Jul 11, 2018)

ICE, You are correct - we truly have totally different experiences.  I could rarely comment on your pool pictures because I never do them.  I don't live in a world of solar. Electrical panel change outs are rare,  On the small appliance change outs we do not do permits so I usually only see new - except for commercial projects.  I do not have the differing languages, cultures, ethnicity, etc.  I do not have the pressure of being in a big organization or trying to cover a large area.  And I certainly don't have the building code mess that California politics have cooked up.

I wrote the above because of the way the thread had gotten to the point of inspectors having the reputation in general of being a#@ h(&*'s.  And to show that being called one to your face is not always bad - I was in a different place and jokes abound versus the stress that many of you have to endure.  I even showed what I wrote to my boss and to the City Manager and I said to them how different my world was.

I have lived rocky mountains to east coast to west coast over my career - in small towns - medium towns and cities.  I am lucky I found where I need to be.

So to anyone out there feeling the stress take a break and go fishing.


----------



## jwilly3879 (Jul 12, 2018)

Years ago the inspector on my job said,"If you are smiling when I leave I haven't done my job." I smiled when he handed me my C of O.


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Jul 12, 2018)

I was told yesterday by the GC that they had a special inspector and they didn't need me, that he can handle it.

My mind said lay-into him but my training said keep your hands to your side and take a deep breath.
Then I ask where's the ufer at?
Why's there water in the trench?
Why's the bar touching earth?
and when I just walked across you slab, why's the sub-grade pumping?
Does the Special Inspector work for you or are they third party?

Glad your all here, saves on psychiatrist visits.


----------



## linnrg (Jul 12, 2018)

here is a service call - existing home built 1961.  Two problems.  EERO does not meet today's dimensions (1961 UBC had no requirements that I know of).  Service drop to close to opening
needs 3' minimum.


----------



## my250r11 (Jul 12, 2018)

Working on the the boat now, lol. I'm only hard when being nice doesn't work or the 5th time I have to tell you the same thing, sure we all have those.

ICE, i like your posts.  Makes me feel better about my dummies. Could use more Explanation on the electrical, but I've even visited your website and like it too.


----------



## JPohling (Jul 12, 2018)

my250r11 said:


> Working on the the boat now, lol. I'm only hard when being nice doesn't work or the 5th time I have to tell you the same thing, sure we all have those.
> 
> ICE, i like your posted makes me feel better about my dummies. Could use more Explanation on the electrical, but I've even visited you website and like it too.


my250.........what website are you referring to?


----------



## my250r11 (Jul 13, 2018)

JPohling said:


> my250.........what website are you referring too?



https://www.tigerloose.com/ or click the tigerloose link in Ice's posts


----------



## JPohling (Jul 13, 2018)

cool!  never seen it


----------



## Francis Vineyard (Jul 13, 2018)




----------



## my250r11 (Jul 13, 2018)

Didn't do that the last time, which was probably 6 months ago, but did do it this time.


----------



## ICE (Jul 13, 2018)

Francis Vineyard said:


> View attachment 2933


That's because GoDaddy wants another $75 a year for a padlock.  They tell me that the internet is to blame.  It's BS as far as I can tell.  It makes it look like I'm a crook trying to get to your stuff.  Google Analytics monitors the traffic and I can tell you that if five people a month look at it....well that's a busy month.

I created it for some of the new inspectors where I work.  There's a dozen or more but they never look at it.

We have over a hundred inspectors in a bunch of far flung locations and we all do everything differently.  A forum that only we could access could do some wondrous things for improving our skills.  The least of us could be as strong as the best of us.  We could communicate in real time with the iPad that we were provided.  Hell's Bells most of them have an iPhone the size of a tv.

Once I figured out that it was a waste of time I just had fun with it.  Hence the videos and songs.  Many of the videos were seen here as well.  It's the same for most of it.


----------

