Blatent Code Violations.

220/221

It's been slow here so I thought I'd try and stir it up.

List your blatent code violations here.

Don't be shy, everybody has a few.


I'll start. When wiring residential 20 amp devices I will use 14 ga pigtails for the grounds because it makes it much easier to get the device in cleanly.

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Just because it's within code doesn't make it safe.

Just because it's against code doesn't make it unsafe.

Ponsse

I have run out of #10 before and used 2-#12's for an EGC on a 30 amp circuit. Just figured 2-12's was better than 1-#10 anyway, except for that whole conductors in parallel part of the code

InPhase277

I posted this on another forum, and practically got flamed for it, but there were mitigating circumstances...

On a building gut, we had an old (1911?) service that we used for temp power. Fused at 45 A. Three edison fuse sockets powered all the temp power and lights. Compressors, saws, lights... we kept blowing fuses, boss wouldn't spring for a small breaker panel. We blew our last fuse, and I jammed a penny in the socket to get back going.

On a refrigeration RTU protected by a breaker in the dist. panel, one of the fuses in the disconnect blew. This unit was critical, and it was late, so no replacement fuse. I stuck a piece of copper tubing in the holder until the morning. (the disco. had three fuses: two 20s and a 15. guess which one blew?)

Turned a duplex RS cover into a decora RS cover...

InPhase277

dkillianjr

I've done that one before


Dave

macmikeman

I won't say I have never ever done this myself, but I do wonder if that #14 will safely carry enough amps to operate a 20 amp breaker in fault conditions before it burns in half. I think that is the reason they changed the code to require full size eg's in the first place once they figured out that the reduced size ones don't always work right when they are supposed to.

woodchuck2

I use 12ga stranded pigtails from Ideal, no worries of overloading and they are very flexable. I wire all rec./GFI's with them now so the installation is much easier.

InPhase277

I bet that it would carry enough amps to operate a 50 A breaker. The code is conservative on it's ampacity requirements, which are mostly based on the insulation of the wire. The actual copper itself can carry alot more.

InPhase277

Ponsse

Nobody seems to be willing to stick their necks out on this one! OK, I've powered up banks of metal halides in a plant with esso cord wired into a receptacle and the other end having a male cord cap plugged into the receptacles feeding the lights while I re-ran the conduit (it was like that for a couple of weeks). The only thing in my defense was that you needed a manlift to get to it, and I was the only one with any reason to be up there. Oh, and the 2 weeks was because this project was a backburner.

Double-A

I once read the back of a Cap'n Crunch box with a special ring I found inside. Does that count as 'breaking the code'?

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"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

mdshunk

I do it all by the book, every day, all day.

woodchuck2

I try to stick with code as much as possible, i am going to say the worse i have done was i wired a 6500 watt portable generator to a transfer switch that i installed in a mobile home using 10-2 URD Romex. The transfer switch is properly grounded but the wire/generator are not. The customer supplied the wire and insisted it would be fine. I had him sign off on the receipt that the generator was not properly grounded and he was aware. Sometimes you have to go with the "customer is always right" if they are willing to accept liability. This whole set-up is temporary as the customer is replacing the home next year with a modular. I told the customer that i would be installing the wire then with 10-3 and it would be inspected along with the home's final inspection.