How many people here make it a policy to test every light, and every outlet in rough instals? (To include every ressesed can?)

I test as soon as I can! I'd much rather find a goof while it's easy to fix.

A variation of this is for me to install keyless fixtures early in the game, and get power to the lighting circuits. This gives the rockers, painters, etc., some light to work by (as well as prooving my circuit).

How about never.

Generally, as a rule, I run at least 1 branch circuit consisting of a few receptacles, and a few lights, and run it through "common areas" of a dwelling so people can see and work during the construction period. I also energize the laundry receptacle and a GFCI recpetacle beside the panel. That's it.

Never here either. But I do double and triple check the wiring runs to make sure none have been forgotten. As far as crossed wires in a box goes, those are simple to troubleshoot and can be fixed at the finished stage. Also, I use a digital camcorder to videotape all the rough wiring in a new home just in case...

For those who do.... Like Reno...
And would this be by applying a breaker and wiigy at each outlet, and a lamp in each can?

SO I guess I should add my own vote for NO.....

Mark, I'm a bit paranoid. I simply have little faith in my abilities to keep things straight- especially if my work is interrupted by other jobs, etc, and not done in a single sitting.

Before I hook up a new circuit, I usually check everthing with my meter. I've discovered a few goofs that way. Doing this also lets me verify my circuit ID.

Apart from wiring goofs I might make, there are always those boxes that the rockers have buried, and you've forgotten about.

So- I install devices, test, power up, then go around checking. I do this one circuit at a time, and put a piece of masking tape with the circuit number on the cover plate. (Observant readers will recall seeing some of this marking in pics I've posted). If there's a problem, that point gets a red piece of tape. This way, I can back off and see patterns (if there are any). It also lets me keep track of what's been fixed.

A bit anal? Perhaps. But, you know, it can be prety hard to keep track of what all those switches serve- and I really like being able to say when I leave thet "my stuff works." Call-backs are a losing proposition.

"Apart from wiring goofs I might make, there are always those boxes that the rockers have buried, and you've forgotten about."

Good reason to take lots of pictures or use a camcorder, especially when you don't get back to the job for months and have a short memory span like I do.

Rarely do we test everything - usually fire up a panel outlet and a bathroom GFI (keep some old ones on the truck and reuse them) so the other trades have power - sometimes pigtail sockets... Once in a while an outside GFI for siding and roofing guys.

Biggest paranoia is missing a feed - always strip a short bit of insulation on all feeds and check to make sure they are all there. Painters made me give up marking feeds with romex sleeves.

Digital camera sometimes - lable home runs with romex sleeves.

Since I'm a one man shop, I rarely get to work a job start to finish, I'm always getting called away for service calls, etc. SInce my memory isn't what it once was (I think), testing is my SOP when using cable wiring methods.

When I do my make-ups, I connect a battery & buzzer at the panel. As I make up the boxes, in order from start to finish of a circuit, I short the hot to the neutral & listen for the buzz. This has the added benefit of annoying all the other trades for a day or two.

Tom

I never test at rough & have no problems at final. The catch is almost all of my work is in emt, so if there was a problem I can pull the wire.

BTW, I test EVERYTHING at final...lights, voltage, load, GFCI test & polarity.

Dave

Mark,
I might seem like an oddball here, but I was bought up to test with a Megger and an Ohm-meter in various stages of construction.
Having said that, I've never really done a lot of new residential work, Commercial and Industrial was always my fort`e as an EC.
Residential was always too cut-throat.
Before I even started using a reel of cable here, I would test it between cores to make sure that all were open, with the Megger.
I've sent a few reels back to the supplier for having a short somewhere within the reel.
Upon installing the said cables, I never failed to test with the Megger, to see what the Insulation Resistance was and noted it in my Test Records book.
(Every Electrician should have one of these, it is used not only for cable measurements, but for trip levels when testing GFCI's and any other relevant readings, I have used it in court a few times before today).
Going back to a fully lined house, you test again with the Megger to make sure that no-one has nailed any of your cables, during the lining process.
Before livening I take readings of the final Insulation Resistance (with no lamps in the light fittings and nothing plugged in to the recepts). Most of this is recorded on the Certificate of Compliance that the Homeowner gets when they move in, this is also the form that the Electrical Inspector signs when he sets and energises the metering.
Sure, I'm a wee bit different, but the work I have explained takes very little time.
5-6% of your time on site at the most.
Cheers,
Mike.

I have to agree with Sixer
I double and triple recheck all the wires after each room is finished. I too am a 1 man shop doing residental only. I have found that if you do all houses the same way every time, it leaves little room for error
Chris

As far as covered boxes goes... I always mark the floor for each switch,recp,can ect with Orange marking paint
Chris