ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area rough-in check

HI,

I am going into a job that is a complete remodel/rewire. The house is 90% roughed. This was done by non-electricians. Right off there are box fill issues and 2 incorrect sub-panel feeders. Overall it does not seem too bad.

My question: aside from visually tracing each wire, does anyone have a procedure that they use to ensure that each box has been feed?

Thanks

Sounds like it could be huge headache. I hope you charged accordingly.

From past experience, we found these jobs take longer to do then a fresh new job start, I would bid it as if if nothing was there, and add a bit extra.

These jobs can take more time to complete then a new start, be very cautious when you examine the work that was done.

Ditto with LK. "As-built" jobs, or 'second hand' jobs are time consuming, and can be a liability...IF you don't check the complete job.

Judging by your 'box fill' and sub-panel feeder situations......look real good.
John

I have had a couple of requests like that. The first one I just said sorry, my insurance company doesn't permit me to finish someone else's work. The second one I said, rip everything out then I'll go in and give you a bid to do it from scratch.

Of course I got neither job.

By the way, are you in Tucson?

YES! Ring it all out... Take one large (annoy the whole neighborhood sized) doorbell and transformer. Remove all the beakers and feeds in the panel. (Especially the neutrals) Then take all the branch circuit hots and wire them to one side of the transformer, the other to the bell. And take the other side of the bell loop and connect that to all you neutrals. (If you isolate the buss, its easier if they are all connected already...) Then go to each outlet (and close the loop like a switch) by shorting hot and neutral... Close the switches and check each lighting outlet too. when you short the wires, you hear the bell ring, and you know you have a hot and neutral. If you can isolate the grounding for the panel and not in metal studs, you can do the same for grounds too. FYI you CAN NOT do this with low voltage lighting! for that you need to power them, and put a lamp in each one...

But either way, I would video the install, and make a full line diagram of the whole place before rock!

Thanks for the help e57. And for the advice from others.

BigB I am in Sedona.

You might want to megger the wiring before anything gets covered up.

Like one of these we use on old work, take over. and fire jobs.