Ecmweb 4656 Cimg2895web
Ecmweb 4656 Cimg2895web
Ecmweb 4656 Cimg2895web
Ecmweb 4656 Cimg2895web
Ecmweb 4656 Cimg2895web

Whats Wrong Here?

Oct. 7, 2010
Hint: Used and abused

How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.

Find the Answer

This conduit body adjacent to a sidewalk has obviously suffered damage from something over the years. Maybe a snow blower rammed into it. Or maybe a car bumper hit it at one time. Whatever the case, electrical equipment should be installed in safe locations, with a thought on how to protect it from physical damage.

Find the Answer

Section 110.27 of the NEC covers the guarding of live parts. As per 110.27(B), when installing equipment in locations where electrical equipment is likely to be exposed to physical damage, "enclosures or guards shall be so arranged and of such strength as to prevent such damage."

Section 230.50(A) covers protection against physical damage for underground service-entrance conductors. This requirement references Section 300.5, which focuses on underground installations. More specifically, 300.5(4) notes "where the enclosure or raceway is subject to physical damage, the conductors shall be installed in rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, Schedule 80 PVC conduit, or equivalent. Although this installation looks like it met this rule originally, it was still damaged. Go figure!

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About the Author

Joe Tedesco

Tedesco served the industry in many roles during his career. He was a director, senior electrical code instructor for National Technology Transfer, Inc. and American Trainco, Inc.. He was also a codes, standards and seminar specialist for the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and an electrical field service specialist for the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, Mass. He ran his own business as an NEC consultant and is a Massachusetts licensed master electrician and journeyman electrician and certified electrical inspector (one and two family 2A; General 2B, and Plan Review, 2C). Tedesco also wrote articles for CEE News and EC&M (Code Violations Illustrated and What's Wrong Here?) for more than 15 years and helped launched the Moving Violations video series.

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