220 VAC Wiring/Plug Question

Well, I've heard stories about inspectors that require more than what code requires. For example, carpeting. Carpeting is not a health or safety issue (assuming the underlayment is safe) but I've heard of inspectors that require it for occupancy, and would fail bare floor.

No, obviously he requires the house also meet code. There's more to an inspection than code, though. And there's more to an inspection than the electrical bits too.

It proves that he doesn't blindly follow the code, and that he's willing to learn, and that in the end it's HIS responsibility to make sure the house is safe, not some book's.

Sure you can. Code says 15 amps, I can wire to 20. I have more outlets than "every N feet". I have GFIs where they're not strictly required.

Reply to
DJ Delorie
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And how, exactly, was he qualified to make any analysis of "how it reacted to fire"? Which testing criteria did he use? How was his test lab equiped? Or did he simply try to set it afire?

scott

Reply to
Scott Lurndal

Well - I've heard that John F. Kennedy was assinated by the mafia too. Sometimes you have to think about the logic of what you hear.

Indeed there is more to a house inspection than electrical, but the conversation was about wiring. There is nothing more to it than code - whether that is NEC by default, or local augmentations. But - electrical inspection is not about some local inspector deciding to inspect based on what *he* considers safe.

Wrong. And I'll bet his little home cooked test provided no meaningful data. That "book" happens to be one of the most respected collections of wisdom known to the electrical world. Any inspector who believes he's somehow above that should get your worry sense in high gear. In the end, he didn't accomplish anything to ensure your house or your wire was any safer. He put on a good show, but where are the results of his tests?

Yeah - a lot of us do that, but I think you know what I was referring to with my comment. I used a colloquialism.

Reply to
Mike Marlow

Your inspector is constrained by the building code adopted by your jurisdiction. In some states like Florida it is a statewide code with no local yokel invented rules. They are currently on NEC 2002 and will be 2005 in July.

Reply to
gfretwell

I think they're just the common 240V breakers that have an "arm" which connects the two switches together. That way, if either 120V leg trips, the other one is automatically tripped as well. I suppose this would be as opposed to using two 120V breakers in adjacent slots, where they weren't physically bound together.

Am I right?

Reply to
Josh

2 single pole breakers with a handle tie will not reliably trip the other side when one side trips. The 2005 code has addressed that and where common trip is required, handle ties will not suffice. A real 2 pole breaker does have internal trip capability that trips both when one goes.
Reply to
gfretwell

Good to know. Thanks.

Reply to
Josh

Reply to
Frank S.

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