Lol, I'm not betting... the industry in general is not that current with the NEC; I bet that there is a 95% probability of it not being torqued to the specifications.
In the metal chain link fence situation, if an inspector says it needs to be bonded because it is likely to be energized, would it be ok to just take the correct size wire to the EGC, not rods.?
This fence is not likely to be energized as defined by the NEC, in Article 100. "Conductive material that could become energized because of the failure of electrical insulation or electrical spacing." Note: if they had not connected the fence to the metal pole, the young man would not have been electrocuted.
There's still all that aluminum wire from the 50s, 60s, 70s in use. It didn't suddenly become different aluminum in 1987. Interestingly enough, today they're selling aluminum wire with a copper cladding, to replace solid copper in new installations.
You see where the Romex is coming in from the bottom? From experience, running wire through a hole like that: As wire shifts, moves, vibrates the edge will cut through the insulation if there is any then through the wire. Ran into a stove where they just ran the wire through a hole in the wall and stight into the stove without any clamp. Might have only been a 3 or 4 years and the movement of the stove nearly shorted the line to the chassis. You mught think that would pop the breaker until you understand a partial short and arcing connected to a regular breaker without AF/GFCI. I can understand why the ground can be left without the clamp or protection but when I see it twisted around a corner such as in the video, just be careful in any areas with earthquakes or where high winds expose it to vibrations or hot_cold cycles tighten and losen it. For certain reasons something might not be in code for certain reasons but if it's not due to the purpose of leaving it out of the code that doesn't prevent you from increasing the safety and longevity of the electrical wiring. Also, I know thes stands on heavier ground wiring can break easier. This is why when I watch people manhandle Romex to really show you how boss they are it make ya cringe when you realize how much damage is happening to that wire. Then when they claim they hate AFCI (NOPE regular or DF, no excuses please) and they claim they false trip all the time in a newly wired house, I would suggest a better electrician. I'll just say, be careful with your electrician you higher, you'll find them all close in value usually yet some wire for a 20-25 year home and others if your stick house lasts 50+ years, the wiring will last that long, then again some wire for 5 to 10 years at most because the company just wants it wired with the lowest material and over head cost with the highest profit. So for me, seeing that wire making contact on the inside of the radius bend and being of a certain guage or higher, If you wanted no clamps then probably running that ground stright through that hole up to the ground rod would have been wiser OR running the ground rod at the bottom horizontally could have been a good option. Also, are you running non-PON in a PON panel. If I were inspecting Inwould be suspicious of either an electrician installing old breakers or someone did a DIY; Some places won't allow those wire nuts (yep, might not be a specific code thing but you are literally bypassing both the neutral buss bar and I would be suspicious if you have ungrounded "grounded conductors." Anyone else notice how those AF/GFCI breakers are wired on what appears to be a PON board? If those are PON breakers then why are they going through wire nuts instead of directly to the breaker. If not then it would appear to have a floating neutral or that neutral is connected somewhere else and going to cause the GF features in the AF or GF to nuisance trip. Interesting when a panel looks neet but as you look closer you start to, "I have several questions!"
Hello Mike. Without the ground connected to the secondary of the transformer the system ends up acting like a big capacitor. I'm sure you know a capacitor is two metal plates separated by an insulator which is what you would have in your electrical system. One plate of the capacitor is all of electrical conductors the transformer is feeding and the other plate is the panels, conduits and the enclosures separated by an insulator, the plastic coating on the wires and insulation between motor and transformer windings. So without the ground, the wiring has the potential to charge up just like a capacitor but with the ground connected secondary the potential should only ever get as high as the phase to ground voltage.
Hmm I thought we had to protect the exposed wire and now have to sleeve the ground coming in… I remember getting a recall on a home because of it but looking through, doesn’t say anything about it…
We run exposed Grounding Electrode Conductors. It's hard to install PVC when it's -5F and trying to perform an emergency service replacement. If it was a new house, I would definitely not install exposed GEC.
What an interesting challenge, I would want to protect the conductor, especially if vibration was a factor in which the conductor could eventually be cut in half ? But then trying to get the bid because of someone having a lower cost if there was many such similar situations ( Google search results: To win an electrical bid, you need to create a competitive estimate that covers all costs while still being low enough to be selected. Here are some tips that can help you create a winning bid … ) Based on my personal experience: Not all bids are won by the lowest cost, Some bids are won by quality work that lowers business liability insurance rates, And lowers down time and lowers lost man hours, And reduces injuries for a better safety record, Etc I’m sure there is a better way to explain this challenge New thought : What about a flash / short that could pass through the bigger hole ? Insulation, wood, mobile home wood paneling, etc by the hole ?
Wow NEC minimum code is exactly what's enforcedin all Jurisdiction , but obviously California has title 24 requirements prior to and enforcement of Beverly Hills AHJ from way back to when I began my career in 89' was (No Romex ) residential....San Franscsco with color coded MC requirements. Or let's say OSHPOD Hospital codes.....I appreciate code knowledge and understanding that AHJ can never take away minimum code requirements but they can add teeth.....more rigid requirements ....and Mr. Mike a measure of humility for your brothers and sisters that many times learn at a different pace from more or less informed mentors.
Mike please stop. About the time boomers figure this out they'll be gone and it will matter even less. My house will have multiple sources of power. Battery, Solar, Wind, Backup petrol Gen, and potentially grid. There is no (cost effective way) to make a single big switch to turn it all off. Also my brother is a firefighter. You know what they're not going in until the power company shows up was his response to the required disconnect. So stop thinking it's for the firefighters.
This video is relatable to so many different scenarios in life. great video. I think it’s also time for older men to stop talking and also listen to what the younger men have to say at times. Alot of older guys who don’t like to be correct even though they’re wrong.
I have always felt AHJ means he interprets what the code means. Like you said. If you dont agree you can request a higher authority to settle it. In michigan you can appeal to the state head inspector.
The "failed wires" i have found over my 30 years were almost always due to bad terminations or damaged wire. Though I have run into the old aluminum NM a few times, never actually seen the wire fail.
So Mike says grounding lamp standards with local ground rods are a false sense of lighting protection. It has no effective impact. I thought it was to discharge the static charge build up.
Excellent analogy, unfortunately we have the exact same problem in medicine, doctors are stuck to the old protocols and theories just as much as electricians. Thanks for sharing 🙏
Very interesting. When someone says a disconnect. I'm always thinking of a switch and not a breaker since a breaker isn't made to be operated as a switch (at least off and on). When I think of a breaker I'm thinking over current protection device. Maybe I'm looking at it wrong. I wonder how many others would think that there would be a disconnect switch before the sub panel to an outside building?
Love the analogy! You are right on, sometimes I grin and bear it cuz arguing wastes time and time is money! If it doesn’t hurt anything to do alittle extra unnecessary idioms for appease purposes keeps the ball rolling Mr. Holt. How about your thoughts on a ball gap for a light pole? 😂
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