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#56883 10/02/05 04:37 AM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 50
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SimonUK Offline OP
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just watched a programme on the Discovery cannel about the Pentagon. One guy describing the state of the electrical services stated that its been in violation of the NEC since 1952.

Just thought I'd share this bit of trivia with you.

Having spent nearly 20 years with our own defence services and seen the state of some of their wiring it just makes you wonder how the lawmakers can force you to comply but totally ignore the issues themselves.

#56884 10/02/05 06:47 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
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it just makes you wonder how the lawmakers can force you to comply but totally ignore the issues themselves.

Typical government hypocrisy.

"Do as we say, not as we do." [Linked Image]

#56885 10/02/05 06:57 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
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The UK government recently appointed some junior MP as the minister in charge of the 'National Insurance Fund', which is fed by taxes, can amount to 9% of income, and is supposed to fund the 'Health' Service. Pressed by an opposition MP as to where this 'fund' was that he was in charge of, and how much was it it, the Government had to eventually admit, after a lot of bluff and baloney, that the 'fund' had never existed, and all monies collected just went into the government's coffers as tax. If we tried a swindle like that, we would be in jail.

Alan

[This message has been edited by Alan Belson (edited 10-02-2005).]


Wood work but can't!
#56886 10/02/05 07:42 AM
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One guy describing the state of the electrical services stated that its been in violation of the NEC since 1952.

Thinking about this some more, I wonder exactly what was meant. Any wiring installed prior to 1952 would be "grandfathered," and not required to be brought up to current code.

I wonder if the Pentagon has any sort of exemption or whether technically it should comply with whatever local codes are in force in that part of Virginia. Not that I'd relish the thought of being the inspector who tries to take on the Pentagon...... [Linked Image]


Simon/Alan,

A little closer to home, did you know that buildings owned by the Metropolitan Police are exempt from complying with the Building Regulations?

#56887 10/02/05 07:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
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Moderator
Projects funded by the US Govt for the Govt are often not inspected by the local inspectors.

The GSA (Govt Services Administration) watches over the jobs. The contracts will tell us to wire to local codes and the GSA is supposed to enforce that. Of course the GSA guy will not have a clue as to what the NEC is or what a construction project looks like.

At least that has been my experience after doing some buildings for the IRS.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#56888 10/02/05 10:08 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 821
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Member
I can already see where this thread is possibly going. Everything iwire just said does not suprise me one bit. What the heck, why inspect anything if the taxpayer can just always pay more if need be? (shakes head in disguist)

#56889 10/02/05 11:10 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
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(shakes head in disguist)

Then you probably would have shot yourself in the head if you actually worked with us there. [Linked Image]

They paid more for less than any other customer. [Linked Image]

The specifications are a pain and result in a wiring system that is sub par to any other office space we do.

In 2001 we took an office space that looked like the 1940s and brought it up to an office building of at least the late 70s.

Some of this work was remodeling an operational IRS service center. Primarily people that answer phone calls from the Taxpayers.

Lets just say no one there has any concept of production. [Linked Image]

Oh, there was a voltage drop specification and the GSA guy checked for it with a brand new digital meter. I passed no problem, he did not load the circuit. [Linked Image] [Linked Image]

Bob


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#56890 10/02/05 11:46 AM
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Oh, there was a voltage drop specification and the GSA guy checked for it with a brand new digital meter. I passed no problem, he did not load the circuit. <https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/biggrin.gif> <https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/frown.gif>

120V / 10 meg = 12 microamps.

That's a load, ain't it? [Linked Image]

#56891 10/02/05 11:55 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
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Moderator
Yes it is a load. [Linked Image]

Our specification said something like 'no more than 5% drop at the end of the circuit.'

I do not recall them saying where the initial reading would be taken or the amount of load that they would apply.

We ran mostly 10 AWG for the 20 amp circuits to prevent to much drop.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#56892 10/02/05 02:21 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
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Quote
Lets just say no one there has any concept of production.

Ding!! Bob, that's true wherever 2 or more bureaucrats gather! Denise and I went to our small local Tresor Publique (tax office) with a query. The office was brand spanking new and with no expense spared, remodelled into a fine old building and must have cost more than a few hundred grand. The officer said she'd get our dossier. She came back with a blinking microfiche machine! ( this is 2004, not 1982!). Expertly sliding the glass fiche into the machine, she looked for a receptacle to plug it in. There weren't any receptacles in the office, and she wound up looking at our file on the floor in a corridor using the cleaners' recept.! We contained ourselves till the gold-plated, double-glazed automatic doors swished closed behind us on our way out, then exploded in laughter!

Alan


Wood work but can't!
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