Brian G

Originally posted by kurt Flashing is not hard; just imagine water running down the roof, and put metal in all the right places. Originally posted by mgbinspect Whatever happened to flashing and counter-flashing? I miss seeing it and feel like it was pretty good insurance that there would never be leakage. Flashing is the most often fouled-up critical element of roofing in my area. It's either missing entirely or installed wrong somewhere on almost every roof I walk. That's depressing, because it is good insurance and it isn't that hard to figure out. So far in my young career I've seen just three chimneys with flashing and counter flashing properly installed, and I have no one to refer the others to for a good fix. Faster, cheaper, and dumber is winning that battle here. [:-indiffe Brian G. Alone in an Ocean of Bad Flashers [:-blindfo

I've never seen one, but it's sensible idea. I've sure seen times when I would have loved to had a harness and something to hook to. Mostly on the way down though, which wouldn't work anyway. [:-scared] Brian G. What Goes Up May Have Hell on the Way Down [:-crazy]

You can check for ground on a ceiling fan by turning it on and putting a voltage tester up to it (if it lights, the fan isn't grounded), but I don't know if that would work for lights. Brian G. Fan of Grounding [:-slaphap

Okay, I've got another wierd reading to bounce off of the peanut gallery. Some outlets I tested today read "open ground" (center light only) until I tried the GFCI test button; then it shifted over to red light only while the button was down (no reading for that on the chart). Anyone know what the heck that means? [:-boggled Brian G. Light-Headed [:-paperba

Originally posted by paul burrell It is very comforting to know there is someone else out that has a mind that thinks like mine. Warped. You poor, poor man. [] Brian G. Afflicted [:-dopey]

Originally posted by kurt Kinda like gigantic MBR bubble tubs, multi-nozzle turbo showers, big fancy foyers w/palladium windows & a giant chandelier, and unvented gas log fireplaces. Yeah, can you imagine a group of HI's 75 years from now, looking at pictures of a long-extinct multi-nozzle turbo shower and guessing what it was for? De-lousing chamber? Nuclear accident wash-down apparatus? Torture device? Tall, narrow spray paint booth? Damn silly things. How the heck is a guy supposed to lather up in one of those anyway? There's nowhere to stand out of the spray. Brian G. One Good Nozzle Is Enough [^]

I don't usually look down the vents, but I do look at the vent pipes when I'm in the attic. Normally a lot more of the pipe is visible in there anyway. If they don't look like they drain I write 'em up and recommend making them drain. Brian G. Why Do They Call It Standing Water, When It's Really Just Lying There? [:-boggled []

I'll say one thing in its favor. I'll bet those handrails are good and stiff with those posts running all of the way down from the floor above. That's a weak point in a lot of railings I see these days; poorly anchored posts. Brian G. Strange, But Solid [:-alien]

It's a non-issue here. I have yet to see a single bathroom exhaust fan vented to the exterior, or a single problem resulting from the lack thereof. Climate matters. I write it up if they leave the hose off because it blows a bare spot on the ceiling, but that's about it. If I lived a few hours farther north I'd probably write it up everytime. Brian G. Maybe the Problem Is Yankees Farts [:-dev3][][:-dev3]

Maybe it's my regional heritage, but I'm tempted to guess that it's for making alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, moonshine?). Why one would be in a train station I don't know, but that's my WAG. The little drawer pulled out at the bottom is very interesting looking. Brian G. Acme's 1817 Model Thingy-Bobber []

Glad to be of help there Brad. This is the biggest spiral bound book I've ever seen. The spiral is about 2" in diameter with over 1300 pages. But hey, it lays flat and you can fold it around to take up only a large-ish page-sized space. This is my first handbook. I love it already. True, the commentary isn't code itself, but boy does it help clear things up (see the above). Charts, illustrations, photos, diagrams...yowsa! Brian G. Breaking the Code [:-magnify

John, are you saying the equipment grounds and neutrals were in terminals together (a ground and a neutral in the same hole), or just on the same bars together? Just want to be sure. Brian G. Neutral About Grounding []

I just got in my new, spiral-bound copy of the 2005 NEC Handbook, so I went digging. I don’t know that this is exactly dead on point (specifically about sub panels), but I do believe it addresses the issues we’re looking at in this situation. Article 250 – Grounding and Bonding Section 250.54 Supplementary Grounding Electrodes Supplementary grounding electrodes shall be permitted to be connected to the equipment grounding conductors specified in 250.118 and shall not be required to comply with the electrode bonding requirements of 250.50 or 250.53 C or the resistance requirements of 250.56, but the earth shall not be used as an effective ground-fault current path as specified in 250.4(A)(5) and 250.4(B)(4).id="maroon"> Crystal clear, right? [:-boggled But then comes the commentary, and I think the first sentence covers it (underlining is mine). Grounding electrodes, such as ground rods, that are connected to equipment are not permitted to be used in lieu of the equipment grounding conductor, but they may be used for supplementary protection at electrical equipment locations. For example, grounding electrodes may be used for lightning protection or to establish a reference to ground in the area of electrically operated equipment. Sections 250.4(A)(5) and 250.4(B)(4) also specify that the earth may not be used as the sole equipment grounding conductor or effective (ground) fault current path. Supplementary grounding electrodes are not required to be incorporated into the grounding electrode system for the service or other source of electrical supply. So as I read that, there seems to be no concern for any differences in “potentialâ€

Originally posted by Konrad He said he's "just guessing by the physical size of the meter". Well tell him he's a little girly-punk engineer, and Jim will meet him anytime, anyplace, to slap the wrinkles out of his little girly-punk engineer skirt. [:-dev3][:-fight][:-splat][] Brian G. Yeah. And Some Other Stuff Too. [^]

It's written on the face of the meter itself. Jim has a good photo of it, he's posted it before. I'm not sure if it's physically possible to plug in a wrong size (actually I think it is), but it's up to the utility to make sure they match before hooking up (around here anyway). The meter base label is on the inside of the enclosure, so we can't check it once the meter is in. Brian G. Who You Callin' Meter Face?! [:-fight][:-glasses[:-disguis

Soil varys pretty widely across the state, but we have mostly reliable clay and clay / gravel mixes locally. Other than that there's a large area of wildly expansive soils west and south of me; makes things interesting sometimes. I saw a photo a few years back of a spot where termites had built a tube at an upward 45 degree angle to get around the edge of a shield. It was impressive determination and ingenuity, I thought. Brian G. Dreading the Arrival of the Formosan Cousins [:-wiltel]

Jeez. I've never seen that before. They only go up and down solid surfaces around here. Brian G.

My thin understanding of termite shields is that they don't actually stop termites, but rather force the buggers to show themselves if they "tube" around the shield to enter the wall. I've seen shields only a handful of times, but I like the idea in general (if that's it). One would think termites and termite damage would be very common here in Mississippi, but I hardly ever find any. When I do it's almost always on really old houses. Brian G. Totally Tubular Dude [:-mohawk]

I can't really tell from the photo, but I'd say it's certainly possible that it is a 200 amp meter base. It doesn't look small to me compared to the panel enclosure (30 circuit 200 amp is a pretty large can). I don't see how anyone could say definitively from that picture, but I would guess it's right. Brian G. Can Man [:-masked]

Originally posted by kurt Brian, I think you need a vacation. Are you buying? [] Hey Jim, if I'm pestering you just say the word and I'll drop it. If not I want to know why you think what you think. If it adds up I may need to adapt my own thinking; if not I'll hold what I've got. Brian G. The Mosquito []

Originally posted by Donald Lawson She's actually running for Governor here in Texas. Her motto is "One Tough Grandma" Jeez-Louise, I'm psychic! Hmmm....what an angle. This could be better than Feng-Suei. [:-mischie Brian G. I'm Seeing a Number of Thin Cracks in the Slab, Hidden By the Carpet [:-blindfo []

Originally posted by Jim Katen I feel no ill will toward the double tap rated breakers. They seem to work just fine. I have no particular adverse experience with them to this point, but the basic idea of putting two circuits on one breaker bothers me. I think tandem breakers make more sense if you need to get the extra circuits somehow. Why wasn't that good enough anymore? These things are purely about economics, not improving anything (like safety). Multi-wire circuits have a long and proud history. Plus I like the elegance of them. And after all, the entire service is really one big multi-wire circuit, no? (edited due to brain cramp)Okay, I missed the idea at first but I see what you're saying. Is that a good idea in branch wiring though? Where else are you allowed (much less required) to tie the handles of two 110v circuits together? I think they're unnecessarily complicating, and offer no real benefit to balance to the equation. From surfing various boards I know this thing confuses a lot of HI's and electricians. Just pull a second 12/2 WG, set a second box, and put in two single recepticles. Far simpler, little extra expense, and the safest possible arrangement (now and later). The 6 movement rule is ok by me. Without it, a lot of installations would be very expensive to expand. Could you give me an example? I realize a main isn't needed in every panel and every situation, I just think that where one is needed one should be required, not six. I see that rule as a dinosaur where residential service equipment is concerned. I think all three of these fall into "because we can" rather than "because we should". Brian G. A Man With No Strong Opinions [:-dev3]

Well the lady certainly lays it on the line. Love this sentence... "Caveat emptor—let the buyer beware—is the motto of the unscrupulous." Tell her to move to Mississippi and I'll vote for her for governor. Brian G. Hail to the Chieftess [-crzwom]

"Some (not all) Square D breakers are designed to accept two wires." An important point. I think most HI's would be amazed to look through a full Square D catalog and see the incredible number of different breakers they manufacture (as do the other big manufacturers). It's mind-boggling. Only one or two types are rated for this use, and not all sizes of those types. Jim, I'm curious...what's your personal opinion of double-tap rated breakers? Good idea? Bad? I admit I find this on my list of currently blessed electrical ideas that I don't like, along with multi-wire circuits, back-stabbed devices, split bus panels, the 6 movements rule in place of a real main breaker, existing AFCI's, etc. Brian G. Electrical Curmudgeon [:-grumpy]

Yeah, and we'll also respect you in the morning Les. [:-dev3] Brian G. Les Is More [:-cyclops