Kyle Kubs

Questionable? Personally I'm voting for Laughable. But I'm not laughing, just sitting here shaking my head... Bill, Think of it this way; If a cop sees a guy drive by with a car load of penguins, he probably can't think of a specific statute that makes it wrong... but he know's damn well it's time to hit the lights. [:-slaphap

I've known of the FPE (Federal Pacific Electric) fire hazard potential for years before inspecting, due to experiences in the field working the trades. Some personal experiences and some just from being on the right job site at the right time. But having it happen during an inspection is all the proof the pudding need and makes it that much more poignant. Worked in a two family house recently with two newer main panels in the garage each having a few circuits plus the 40amp. disconnect feeding the two FPE sub panels in each apartment that handled most of the branch circuits. Had an assistant working with me that day who I've been training into the trade. At one point in the basement I asked him to take the multi-meter, pointed to a duplex outlet with a metal box being fed by EMT and said check that the conduit is a good ground and use it to check the water, gas piping and forced air ductwork for current... Not noticing that the screw was missing that was supposed to hold on the metal receptacle cover, he proceeds to put the common probe to the conduit and the hot probe in the hot receptacle slot. At this time, of course, the loose cover falls off and bridges the gap between the hot probe and the metal box. [:-bigeyes The pop & flash was a great indicator that the conduit was indeed a good ground... When he went looking for the tripped breaker he came back to tell me that not only did none of the 15 amp. FPE breakers trip, but that the 40amp. serving as the main for that panel did! Served as a great example to the client of why they needed to meet the trash bin... Hey we don't just do inspections, we do demonstrations too.[^]

OK. Now I'm really confused. If that's the reasoning, why don't they simply cast the perimeter foundation and frame the first floor over a crawlspace. It would be a whole lot cheaper. - Jim Katen, Oregon The first thing that comes to my mind is "very, very unskilled labor" needed for something like this = Cheap Cheap.

Several models (HEAT-N-GLO® Gem 36 and Gem 42 gas fireplaces) were the subject of a recall a few years ago due to exactly that - gas built up long enough behind the glass that when it ignited the explosion shattered the glass, blowing it out into the room. Download Attachment: Recall_Heat_Glo.pdf 68.95 KB

Well that would be a good reason... - Technically they're both PVC so it will work but my fall back would be that by code the gray pipe is not listed for that purpose.

Jesse - Two Questions 1) What is the conduit material from the outside panel on the pole to the house distribution panel, Rigid Metal or PVC? If Rigid Metal, there is your grounding conductor to the house panel. 2) This main panel is on an outside pole... Are the trasformers above? You say there is a heavy ground running down the pole... if this is from the trasformers the AHJ may have considered it grounded by it's Neutral conection to the trasformer above. (not sure I would agree) Certainly an odd situation and panels located on a pole away from the house are not common up here. But this may have been the mentality of the AHJ at the time. As Jim said the panel in the house is still wrong for having the N & G bonded and for no bonding of the water pipes. Call it out for evaluation by a Licensed Electrician.

[:-bigeyes[:-bigeyes[:-bigeyes Unbelievable... Like Randy said, somebody's pockets are being lined... But then again, when aren't someone's pockets being lined these days. Never thought I'd consider myself fortunate to live in NJ, but we've never had to deal with the AFCI issue. It hasn't been adopted in the entire State. Guess the manufacturers haven't payed off the State politicians.

Next time keep your eyes open for loose fitting receptacles. If the ground prong from the tester (any tester) isn't making contact inside the receptacle, then there is no way to induce a ground fault. When I run into this with a sloppy, loose receptacle I plug it in and push the plug sideways to make sure I get contact. If that makes the difference I recommend the old (or newer big box brand ($0.59)) receptacle be replaced

Looking at your picture, the strands of the bare copper look to be too thin & too many to be a standard stranded wire... Are you sure this is not a feeder cable assembly with the Neutral insulated inside of the sheath surrounding the two hot lines? Also, be sure to differentiate between EMT and Rigid conduit. EMT is not permited to serve as a ground, Rigid is, with the correct fittings at the panels of course. In any event adding an insulated neutral and leaving the bare copper that is in contact with the conduit... I'm not sure that would be ok. I would never do it that way so I actually don't know for sure but I'm pretty sure it would not be permited. Now all that said. Your best and least liable course of action is to call it what it is, Wrong and don't dictate a repair, let a Licensed Electrician determine the correct course action. My $0.02

What you have there is a chiller. Both lines are cold because there is chilled water running through the pipes, not Freon. You have the normal condenser, compressor and then a chiller barrel in which water flows on one side and Freon is on the other. Ah Ha! That explains it. ( and a dammed good explanation it was Terrance.) I'm sitting here looking at the picture saying "hard pipe with sweated fittings??? On high pressure gas line??? - Now it makes sense. I'll probably never see a system like this, but if I do, now I might seem half way intelligent while I'm looking at it.

I'm just re-reading my own post and I think I could have been a little more clear... I think what I said about the disconnect is clear. But if I find a distribution box (could serve more then one circuit) and it is not wired with a four wire feed, even if right now it is only serving a single appliance (water heater...), if it has room to snap in another breaker and serve another circuit elsewhere at some time in the future, it is a sub panel and I would write it up as improperly wired.

If your talking strictly about electrical disconnects then it needs only the wires that are necessary to properly wire the appliance. Think about the disconnect for an A/C comressor...it is essentially a switch and requires no additional wiring then the appliance would without the disconnect. If your talking about a sub panel that will serve other circuits, then that, obviously is a different case, but if it serves only a single, dedicated appliance, ie. A/C compressor, water heater... then it is ony a disconnect, fused or not. Also, Chris... it is not 2 phase. 220v appliances are still single phase. Unless of course your doing inspections in 100 year old industrial complexes. If you need more on this, ask, otherwise I will spare my carpel tunnel some punishment.

Yes, they must be above the flood rim of the sink. Also doing this will typically put them in the wall, which would then require an access cover (they can't be buried). Most jurisdictions don't allow Mechanical vents but do allow AAV's. Another factor is that it cannot be the sole venting means for the house - There has to be a main vent somewhere and these can be used on limited fixtures. Honestly I just don't like the things, either of them. They just wreak of bad craftsmanship and a totally half assed attempt at doing something right.

A picture or two might be useful...

Maybe it's right next to Lebanon PA... Since the thread was resurected... It seems there is to be another method of repair for pigtailing. I've actually seen these at Lowes already. Looks like one of those "I should have thought of that" things. Basically a mini bus bar in a plastic case. http://www.kinginnovation.com/products/alumiconn.html

I don't see many of this brand around here. Looking through the list that Mike was so kind to post I see Fedders there but it seems to pertain more to A/C then furnaces, I think... Anyway the serial # format just doesn't match up. First it says age (through 1977) - Does that mean they stopped making them in 77? Then it says the last two Letters of the serial # are month and year according to a code with A being 1966 and then going up the alphabet... (skipping I) The serial # on this one starts with letters ARM and then has only numbers 75812 - Looks to be around 1981 but I would like to be sure.

I've suggested this one to a couple guys. They all said it was a big help. Hell when I get a head spinner for my morning inspection you might catch me digging mine out for the afternoon inspection. If nothing else it always helps to give the client a visual when your telling them "no, actually this is not a 200 amp service" It measures the SE cable on the outside. Doesn't help much when your in conduit though. http://www.professionalequipment.com/el ... cessories/

Pictures are on my other computer at the moment. But the discharge from a direct vent water heater is less then two feet away from the condenser. At the least, while the water heater is running it's putting out hot air right next to the condenser that is trying to cool refrigerant. Granted, it's probably nothing more than lost efficiency and overworking the A/C system. It was also clogged solid on one side, looked like lint you would find if a dryer discharge was too close but no dryer vent in sight.

A supply register is ok close to combustion - a return register can't be within 10' of any combustion source as it can develope enough pressure to draw combustion gases out of the combustion chamber and distribute them through the house. But supply or not you can't have forced air registers in a garage.

Anyone know if there is a required min. distance from a heating appliance direct vent termination to an A/C condenser? Can't find anything in the IMC. Obviously there is a common sense min. but since this is new construction I'm looking for something a little more firm.

I'm having vague recolection of reading somewhere that the induced draft burners have a lower air requirement. Something along the lines of 50cf/3000btu's and then it was further scewed dependend on weather the construction was considered air tight or not. I'm a little foggy in the head right now (after midnight). I'll try and get you something more than "vague" in the morning.

Surely you've seen copper-fin-tube radiators before? - Jim Katen, Oregon Sorry, of course I have. I just don't think of those as "Radiators" Not in the traditional sense. I grew up with steam heat. In my world a radiator weighs more than you do and breathes & snorts during the cold winter nights to let you know all is well... Neal - Yes, they are one in the same. "Monoflow" was B&G's brand name for their diverter T fitting. Kinda like calling NM-B "Romex" Same thing. I love these systems. Wish everything had that kind of simplicity today.

I don't have the table your talking about Mike but if you don't get it from someone else, a call or e-mail to the manufacturers technical support dept has always been my fall back... Maybe they can even send you a copy of the table after telling what the requirements are.

Thats interesting since it was backdrafting badly, but it was backdrafting from the top side of the heat exchanger. Do you find them backdrafting from under the exchanger in that situation? The exchanger did have some good corrosion and signs of leaking. What I found interesting was that the outlet from the exchanger did not have a hard connection to the flu pipe on top of the cabinet. It kind of funneled into it with a few inches of space between them almost like a draft diverter on a water heater, but there was an integral diverter on the flu pipe. I guess the corrosion could be slowing down the flow enough to make it come out on top. Jim - The distribution/return piping was an all copper Diverter T system which is really common for the era and the Rads where all standard cast Iron hot water radiators. Never seen a Copper Radiator before... That would be pretty neat. Believe it or not the coil was still cool enough to touch even after running the boiler for about 20min. I guess the radiators were doing a good job of bleeding the heat out of the water. Probably this designs downfall since the low temps at the exchanger would cause condensing of the exhaust gases on the coil and accelerate corrosion... Kurt - Any idea as to the efficiency of this boiler?

Todays inspection of a 1950 Cape being sold by the original owner turned up something special today. The original boiler was still in place, unbutchered and something I have never seen before. After looking at how it was made and engineered it was no wonder it is still working at 57 years old. Never seen a heat exchanger like this before. Basically a wound copper coil with a burner charectoristic of one you would find on a water heater sitting in the middle. Guess that is why AO Smith went on the make water heaters. Image Insert: 315.58 KB Image Insert: 357.81 KB Image Insert: 339.91 KB