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. Can you identify the specific Code violation(s) in this photo? Note: Submitted comments must include specific references from the 2014 NEC.
Hint: Attic attack
Tell Them What They Have Won...
Using the 2014 NEC, correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month’s photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win an Arlington Industries TVL508 Low Profile TV BOX. E-mail your response, including your name and mailing address, to [email protected], and Russ will select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Note that submissions without an address will not be eligible to win.
April Winners
Our winners this month were: Eddie Hayes, a master electrician from Billerica, Mass.; Drew Howard, P.E., a senior electrical engineer with Emprise Corp. of Kennesaw, Ga.; and Dave Kuhn, a building inspector for the City of Urbandale, Iowa. All of them correctly identified the Code violations in this temporary power setup.
Just because this installation is temporary doesn’t mean the Code rules can be ignored. According to Sec. 590.4(D)(2), any 15A or 20A, 125V or 250V receptacles installed in wet locations must comply with the rules for permanent receptacles as noted in Sec. 406.9(B)(1). These receptacles must be installed in enclosures that are weatherproof, even with the attachment plug cap inserted. The outlet box hoods must be identified as “extra duty” type. The receptacles themselves must be listed as weather-resistant type. None of these requirements have been met for this installation. This leaves the receptacles exposed to excessive moisture and weather conditions, which can adversely affect the operation and safety of the GFCI device.
In addition, the enclosure for the circuit breakers is required to be weatherproof in accordance with Sec. 312.2. As you can see, the missing cover is doing a poor job of protecting the circuit breakers from the weather.
