ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion Canadian Electrical Code Topics Transformer bolted to floor

Theres a Lotta GE gear out there thats not installed per warranty then. I never had a GE rep tell us that in fact never had any Rep tell us that.I;ll ask reps next time I see them. But been wrong before Sure I;ll be wrong again. Guess thats why we're all here right is to learn!!

What rule in California would the inspector quote when he red-tagged the job? What does the rule say? Does it specify size of bolts? Does it specify the number of bolts? Does it specify the hardness of the bolts? Are the anchors required to be of a certain material?

I looked it up its in there Buiding code.

Here's a link to the wedge anchors we generally use for anchoring in concrete.

http://www.confast.com/products/technical-info/thunderstud-anchor.aspx

As to inspections, I've never had a violation notice written up. I know better than not to bolt the equipment down.

I always tried to be up-front during my tenure as a GE Service Tech. I knew full well that the factory would do whatever it took to avoid any expenses or chargebacks.
With that being said, most of us don't like to pay for other people's shortcuts. If I install something that the end user abuses until it fails, you're darn right I'm going to try to avoid fixing it for free. Obviously if it's my fault, I'll be the first guy there in the morning to fix it at no charge. But if I didn't break it...I'm not gonna fix it for free.

I also knew that one of the ways that all companies weasel out of paying warranty claims was by saying that you didn't follow 'chapter and verse' when installing the equipment so it was your fault that the stuff broke and it's gonna be on your nickel that it gets fixed.

So when I saw someone skipping any part of the installation instructions, I let them know that this savings of a few dollars and a few hours could very easily result in an otherwise valid claim being rejected.
Most of the folks that I worked with didn't want to take the chance. They always had the final decision, but I just wanted everyone to make it with their eyes wide open.

Not quite what I meant. I'm wondering how the rule is worded. For example, could an inspector say that a .25 inch anchor is too small for a 30KVA transformer, or perhaps that 1 inch screws are too small to hold a panel on the wall?

TWH,

Read Mikesh's reply above. The same thing applies here re: shear strength.

Always "fill the mounting hole" with the anchor.

Hot glue doesn't cut it.

I have to admit that my copy of the building code is quite old. Perhaps someone can quote the rule, or at least tell me which rule it is.

I know that this great topic is old but I want to ask Twh. Did you buy new building code?

No, mersadrad, I didn't buy a new building code.

It would be very good if we had a rule about what was acceptable, but I want to know what the rule is in advance. It's never okay to have someone come by later and reject my work because it isn't what they would have done.

For example, I attach device boxes to the wall with #8 screws. They do not fill the mounting hole. No one uses 1/4 inch lag bolts to fill the mounting hole. It isn't a rule.

If there is no rule, there just is no rule. It doesn't mean that someone gets to make it up as they go along. I've been through that and I had to carry a map of which inspectors worked in each area. It sucked when one inspector went on a holiday and another inspector had a different set of rules.

By the way, when you bump old topics you have to buy everyone coffee. It's a new rule!