ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Where's the line?

"...you are not a professional with a backhoe..."

Not trying to start a flame war, but for all you know, I could be 65 years old and was an equipment operator in the war...

But it turns out, you are right, I am not...

But apparently neither are the crews that I have hired...

Cases in point...

Hired a guy to trench a lateral for me... I told him that it wasn't deep enough. He said "This is how deep I always dig 'em." I shrug, and say "OooKaaayyy..." And it fails the inspection before the backfill and the whole thing has to be trenched again.

Not my fault, I tried to tell him.

Then, a very professional crew (I was genuinely impressed with everything they did except for the following story) the delivery had forgotten my disconnect, so I hung the Meterbase, and rushed off to get the disco (40 miles one way) and when I get back, they've piped to the wrong side of the meter, and have the pipe for the load side on the meter as well, sans disco. It was another 350' to the panel.

We had to tear in out, etc. etc.

As long as it's done to code and will definately pass an inspection regardless of which inspector I call, then I can live with it.

One lawsuit is all it takes to ruin all that you have ever worked for. If it is 100% to code, they have nothing to sue over, unless they want to sue the AHJ. I'd rather sit on my butt and lose money, it's a whole lot easier.

Not trying to flame here, just trying to show my perspective.

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 06-13-2002).]

In the area I primarily work. we can sub the undergroud out, but there will be a licensed electrician on site before the approval and backfill.

Roger

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 06-13-2002).]

In Wisconsin, we'd lay pipe, blow the mouse, pull a scrubber, pull the mouse again all lubed up with yellow77, then pull the rope, then pull the conductors, using winch with tension meter, and a master was always present and overseeing the operation (I was a journeyman then).

We did an underground for an MRI machine at a hospital, and we did our own cutting and trenching. I guess that would be the norm in a place that has strict code enforcement.

I kinda liked working in Wisconsin...(but it just ain't WV!)

Here in WV, I've also seen Main CB's make the ol' buzz and snap noise due to scraped insulation on a feed from the disco to a mobile home, and one crew even broke one of the conductors in a different pull!


The excavators I have used just don't have the electrical knowledge to care about the particulars of the installation.

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 06-13-2002).]

Sounds like Sparky is a trouble maker! Just kidding of coarse.. But I do agree with you. I find it hard to let anyone do anything when it comes to the electrical aspects. That includes drilling holes through beams as well. Heck if the holes are not straight I risk burning my wires with every pull over 10 feet! As for staples well I think we will all agree its better to teach them, rather than just let someone else do it alone.. As for trenching.. Well I let others do that provided its a min of 2' on EVERYTHING. I lay the pipe not them. Like sparky said too many times people have forgotten to glue a pipe together and it comes loose during a pull!

James

I guess I have always lived by the maxim:

"If you want a job done right, you got to do it yourself."

And my experience has reinforced this notion.

George, your presence alone here impresses me, at least you are trying to improve your knowledge by visiting ECN. Heck, you may even own a code book. That goes above and beyond most electrical contractors here in my area, let alone non-electricians. I have respect for that.

I'm just so disgusted with the quality of work that I see that I trust very few people, and yes, a lot of GC's find me hard to work with, but my price is fair, my work honest, and always to code to the best of my knowledge even if I've got to make waves to do it.

I want to be a good electrician first and foremost.

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 06-13-2002).]

Sparky66wv:
Excellant !!!!

-Mark-

'66wv--

"...feed from the disco to a mobile home"???

Oh, I'll bet you mean switch, and not a place with flashing lites and '70s music, eh?

More of that "local customs, regional variations," I bet...

--Bjarney

Hey, when I first visited this board it took me a while to figure out that "disco" meant disconnect as well!

They call 'em isolators over here.

I guess what we need is an ECN glossary...

'66wv-- That's not totally insane.

{IEEE 'ESMOL' has a guide publication that has illustrations of tools linemen use, along with formal and slang names.}