hmmm, a meticulous electrician such as yourself Virgil, having to stand his ground alone......a sad commentary on the state of affairs. [Linked Image]

Allow me a similar rant....

A 7 unit slum, owned by absentee landlords, filled with section 8's ( welfare) is fed by a number of old (main range & four) panels , all are stuffed with 30A fuses, K&T, BX and older cloth RX throughout. Open splice boxes, hanging wires ( used ad clotheslines in the basement), generally no-no's that the average Joe( nec aside) would consider...

This, a customer of a few years, is sheltered from me by a live in F.Gumplike manager. Thus my concerns are stifled...

One day the state Fire Marshal shows up, requesting Smokes & GFI's throughout. He PASSES BY ALL OF THESE BLATANT VIOLATIONS.
On my inquiry, i am informed that the building has been on the states list 8 YEARS!.
A permit is pulled, the work is done, there is no one that follows up to look at my work,(or note anything else life-threatening) and this is one of many similar scenarios i have had .....

Yesterday, i responded to a 'smoking fixture' in an adjacent building owned by the same landlords. My assessment revealed that there is indeed a smoking K&T joint above a kitchen cieling. The circuit is original, and under load, despite my eliminating the kitchen fixture.

This place is not 'smoked' , nor are thier GFI's, it is the best example of a fire waiting to happen that i can possibly post here. I have informed F.Gump in strong words.
I have , in the past, called the Fire Marshal with little to no fanfare, nor do i feel obligated to if they are luke warm , or do not back me up.
I could care less if i retain said customer, my company is not 'Slums-R-Us', yet i have a number of permits pulled on very similar situations ,some are worded to the extent of "have wiring checked by electrician".
Well if the state is never going to hear me out, back me up, or come back to inspect anything i can blow chucks until the cows come home....

I do advocate the concept of the AHJ, indeed why i am an IAEI member, it just bums me out when they continually drop the #$%& ball....