CONSISTENCY MEETING
Date: 1/14/2015
DEPARTMENTAL GOALS:
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85 - 90 % 1 DAY TURN AROUND
80 - 85 % CONTRACTOR PASS RATE
QUALITY INSPECTIONS!
EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!
SAFETY ISSUES:
REMEMBER COUNTY CELL PHONE POLICY, USE ALL APPROVED SAFETY
EQUIPMENT ISSUED TO YOU. (i. e. HARDHAT, SAFETY GLASSES, SAFETY SHOES,
PPE)
Q: WHY ARE WE HERE? A: TO SERVE THE CUSTOMER
Consistency Questions
1. How are inspections handled on jobs that were covered prior to inspection? (G Barnes)
If the job is accepted for the MEG test exception, after a successful MEG test report the
following procedures should be followed:
A RF inspection should be performed. The contractor would have the panel covers removed and
all devices and fixtures pulled so all joints/splices and cable connectors could been inspected.
Wire sizes should also be verified at this time.
A Final inspection could be called in and performed as usual once devices and fixtures are
installed. This could be done at same time of RF inspection if scheduled as an IBA or OTI
inspection.
If the job has not been accepted as a MEG test exception, 120/240V wiring should be uncovered
and inspected as a ‘normal’ RF. Low voltage wiring can be uncovered at the discretion of the
inspector.
(As a minimum, the wiring at the console/panel should be uncovered to top or bottom plate or
both as well as selected locations at each outlet/jack)
2. Are RF inspections required for underfloor wiring on second story additions? (Chris D)
Yes. Second story additions require covering the wiring that is normally exposed in the attic area
of the existing home. Many facets of the premises wiring come into question at this time. Some
considerations are: type of recess cans that will be covered, cables running across top of joists,
cables stapled too close to top of joists, damaged cables, wiring added that doesn’t meet code
etc.
3. Are grip type strain relief connectors required on SO cord suspended devices or are
compression type strain relief connectors sufficient? (Matt K)
If an SO cord is used to support the weight of a device it should be secured with a grip type
strain relief. Compression type strain reliefs should only be used to secure cords to equipment
to prevent unintentional strain to splices/joints at the cord termination. Note: This does not
include 3rd party listed pendant type luminaires.
4. I have a drawing which shows the equipment nameplate on a HVAC unit as 99 MOCP/73
MCA with a 100 AMP fusible disconnect. Can I fuse it at 100 amps? (G Barnes)
Per NEC 240.6(A) the lowest rated mop would be 80 amps, the highest would be 90 amps. We
would normally see the industry standard for MOCP on the nameplate. When a manufacture
calculates the MOCP and MCA, the result may be a non-standard size, and then they would
round it down to a standard size for the nameplate. Someone in the field may bump it up to 100
amp fuses and think 1 amp will not be a problem.
5. I have building with a 400 amp meter base. Using double lugs on the meter base to feed
two separate 200 amp feeders along the outside of the building approx. 50’ to LB’s going
through the wall into (2) 200 amp MB panels mounted directly inside side by side. The
horizontal run on the conduit is 12” up from parking grade. Does this meet code? (G Mullis)
Answer: Per NEC 230.50(B) protect service entrance conductors against physical damage, may
require RMC. Location of Service disconnects meets NEC 230.70(A) and 230.72 for grouping of
disconnects.
6. I have a High Rise Multi-Family building with a common grounding electrode ran from the
House Service Grounding Electrode connection to the electrical room on each floor as the
building goes up. The conductor is connected to a copper buss bar in each electrical room.
Then each separately derived system is connected to the buss bar by an individual
grounding electrode conductor. How should I size the common grounding electrode
conductor ran throughout the building? (Craig Sloop)
Answer: Per NEC 250.30(6) (a) (1) #3/0 copper would be the min. size, and also the largest size
required.
7. I have had several projects that have failed TCO and Final inspections due to the owner’s
equipment not being installed or on site during the inspection. These items are beyond my
control and in most cases are simply plug in appliances. Why am I held responsible, and can
we not get our finals or TCO’s prior to these items being delivered? (D Rains)
Maybe;
If the items are shown on the contract drawings, or there is a dedicated space including a circuit
with a specific description of an appliance they will need to be available for inspection, and their
compliance will affect the outcome. The inspector will require they meet the circuit
characteristics and rating installed along with the manufacturers requirements for each
appliance. They will need to meet NC requirements for Third Party label listing, and be in a
serviceable condition.
Under some circumstances the appliance is in use at a current business site and cannot be
relocated until the client can move their operations to the new site. In this case the inspector, at
their discretion, can allow a TCO, providing the installation is safe, listing in the notes the
exclusion of the relocated appliances and their need for inspection prior to Final.
On some projects this approach, under certain restrictions, may be allowed to include the
office partition furniture, if it can’t be relocated until disconnected from current site. The
inspector can verify the safety of the furniture outlets and, at their discretion, allow a TCO and
inspect the connections for final.
In certain cases the equipment will not be installed at this time. At that point we can accept a
sealed letter or drawings from a design professional, up loaded to the project, stating the
exclusion of the equipment and that it is rendered NIC and the permit can be finaled out.
8. The feeder overcurrent protection for one tenant space is being fed from a different tenant
space. Is this permitted by the NEC? What about branch circuit overcurrent protection? (Joe
W)
240.24 Location in or on Premises.
(A) Accessibility. Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible and shall be installed so that the
center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker, when in its highest
position, is not more than 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in.) above the floor or working platform, unless one of
the following applies:
(1) For busways, as provided in 368.17(C).
(2) For supplementary overcurrent protection, as described in 240.10.
(3) For overcurrent devices, as described in 225.40 and 230.92.
(4) For overcurrent devices adjacent to utilization equipment that they supply, access shall be
permitted to be by portable means.
(B) Occupancy. Each occupant shall have ready access to all overcurrent devices protecting the
conductors supplying that occupancy, unless otherwise permitted in 240.24(B)(1) and (B)(2).
(1) Service and Feeder Overcurrent Devices. Where electric service and electrical maintenance
are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building
management supervision, the service overcurrent devices and feeder overcurrent devices
supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible only to authorized
management personnel in the following:
(1) Multiple-occupancy buildings
(2) Guest rooms or guest suites
(2) Branch-Circuit Overcurrent Devices. Where electric service and electrical maintenance are
provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building
management supervision, the branch-circuit overcurrent devices supplying any guest rooms or
guest suites without permanent provisions for cooking shall be permitted to be accessible only
to authorized management personnel.
9. Hot tub EPG (Matt K)
680.42(B) Bonding. Bonding by metal-to-metal mounting on a common frame or base shall be
permitted.
Exception No. 1: The metal bands or hoops used to secure wooden staves shall not be required to
be bonded as required in 680.26.
Exception No. 2: A listed self-contained spa or hot tub that meets all of the following conditions
shall not be required to haveequipotential bonding of perimeter surfaces installed as required in
680.26(B)(2):
(1) Is installed in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions on or above grade.
(2) The vertical measurement from all permanent perimeter surfaces within 30 horizontal inches
(76 cm) of the spa to the top rim of the spa is greater than 28 inches (71 cm).
Informational Note: For further information regarding the grounding and bonding requirements
for self-contained spas and hot tubs, see ANSI/UL 1563 – 2009, Standard for Electric Spas, Equipment
Assemblies, and Associated Equipment.
10. Fire Investigation (Matt K)
11. Transformer Spacing Discussion (Joe W)
12. RTAPS (Joe W)
NEXT MEETING:
Contractors – Wednesday March 11, 2014
Inspectors – Wednesday February 11, 2014