ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Crazy Inspection Interpretations

Absolutely no disrespect to Inspectors, but is there a blog or a list of crazy interpretations from inspectors out there? Probably well over 90% of Inspectors do a fine job, but every once in a while, an Inspector will come up with a whopper that just throws common sense out the window!

Based on the collective amount of years of experience of the forum members....this should get interesting!

I'm going to make this a sticky & see what happens.

My comments to follow....

I installed a cord and plug sump pump the inspector failed because I did not have a "disconnect" installed before the receptacle outlet.

I had 1 city inspector that wanted a copper EGC run through all EMT, with bonding bushings on each end.... of every box in the place!

He claimed that the zinc locknuts on the set screw connectors didn't provide an effective grounding path.
(He had recently attended a seminar on grounding & bonding, and must have fallen asleep during the bulk of it)

We appealed it to the AHJ of course, and won.

I was walking a job with one of the Inspectors when we passed by the Service Equipment. This large building had 3 services, 208V for general power, 480V for the Mechanicals and 208V Emergency. It was all sequence stuff...no single main in any of them. 208V Switchboard (6 disconnects), 480V Switchboard (5 disconnects) and EM Panel (3 disconnects).

He told me that it was a lucky thing that this was an existing installation because if he were inspecting it under the new Code (based on the 1999NEC) he would knock it down for having more than 6 disconnects.

I told him that there were less than 6 disconnects for each service...and he proceeded to tell me that the Code limitation was 6 disconnects in the entire building.

I wonder what he does with Hospitals and high-rise office buildings.

Aw come on, inspectors are always 100% correct when it comes to code interpretations. BTW Did I tell you about this great bridge I have for sale?
I have been to IAEI meetings where people in the same department were arguing about what the code says.
Grounding is always a place for disagreeing. That grounded neutral in the meter pan can always start a fight. "can you have a metal nipple to the service disconnect enclosure?" "parallel neutral" yada yada

We have 2 adjoining jurisdictions with opposite readings.
They even tried to clean up the language in 99 (or 02?) but old fights die hard.

The other one is, "can you use a turned up rebar for the connection to the Ufer?"

Again jurisdictions that touch, disagree. I do feel sorry for contractors. Maybe they should have a GPS Nav application that gives you code references based on location

Gregg.,

You are on something on this one I can belive it due I know couple city in Wisconsin have that kind of headache you almost have to use the GPS 100% of the time unless you know which area you are expecting to follow the regulations.

Merci,Marc

Rewire, regarding the sump pump, I think the inspector wants a means of disconnect besides the circuit breaker since the pump motor is greater than 1/18 HP. But the Inspector has a great imagination when it comes to where the disconnect should be located. I wonder if the inspector knows, or cares, that sump pump manufacturers void warranty if you cut off the plug.

remove the plug from the receptacle and you have disconnected the motor

In some places you'd need the GPS tied to Facebook.

The interpretation varies between cities, but within the city limits it can vary based on who you get as an Inspector that day for that job.