Ecmweb 4769 801ecmwwhpic1
Ecmweb 4769 801ecmwwhpic1
Ecmweb 4769 801ecmwwhpic1
Ecmweb 4769 801ecmwwhpic1
Ecmweb 4769 801ecmwwhpic1

What's Wrong Here?

Jan. 1, 2008
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 Tedesco, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify

Can you spot the Code violations?

Hint: No more chances.

Find the Answer

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 Tedesco, 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.


November Winners

Ryan L. Kruse, P.E., an electrical engineer with Black & Veatch International in Cary, N.C., submitted these comments in reference to the November 2007 photo. “Besides the obvious (that the tree will continue to grow and ultimately deteriorate), this already questionable installation violates a basket full of rules in Art. 356,” says Kruse. “Liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit is not allowed to be installed in many locations, and this is one of them.”

Skip Hammond, an electrical technician with Plains Pipe Line in Santa Maria, Calif., added this to the mix. “410.16(H) allows the support of luminaires by trees,” says Hammond. “225.26 disallows the support of overhead conductors on ‘vegetation such as trees.’ But I think the section that specifically addresses this picture is 300.5(D)(4), which says, ‘Where the enclosure or raceway is subject to physical damage, the conductors shall be installed in rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, Schedule 80 rigid nonmetallic conduit or equivalent.’”

Dennis Clark, director of buildings and grounds, Church of the Brethren Home, Windber, Pa., was our third winner this month and included almost all of the same comments.


‘TELL THEM WHAT THEY'VE WON…’

Correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month's photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win something to put in your toolbox. E-mail your response to Joe Tedesco at [email protected], and he'll select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Winners will receive a set of insulated hand tools from Ideal Industries, Inc. valued at more than $125.* The set includes 9.25-inch insulated side-cutting pliers, 10-inch insulated tongue-and-groove pliers, and a 0.25-inch × 6-inch insulated screwdriver.

* Please allow six to eight weeks for delivery of tools.

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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