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. Joe Tedesco, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
Find the Answer
The following individuals correctly identified the Code violations shown in the March column: Robert Tashijan, vice president, T-Squared Associates, Mishawaka, Ind.; Gary Click, technical director, VAE Nortrak North America, Inc., Birmingham, Ala.; Jim Friesen, general foreman, Prime Electric Co., Bellevue, Wash.
This installation violated several Sections of the Code, and each winner noted them all. Locknuts weren't installed onto threads, which could allow the fittings to pull out and expose the conductor insulations to the sharp edges of the chopped up enclosure cabinet (300.10). Insulating bushings aren't provided on the ends of the fittings to protect the conductor insulation from abrasion and damage [300.4(F)]. Cardboard inserted into the bore of the threaded fittings isn't listed for service in this application (110.8).
What appears to be data or communications cables are running too close to electric power conductors. The holes for the threaded fittings appear to have been cut using a “nibbler” from the edge of the panel insert, leaving an unclosed groove larger than .125 in. that doesn't appear to be closed.
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About the Author
Joe Tedesco
Tedesco served the industry in many roles during his career. He was a director, senior electrical code instructor for National Technology Transfer, Inc. and American Trainco, Inc.. He was also a codes, standards and seminar specialist for the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and an electrical field service specialist for the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, Mass. He ran his own business as an NEC consultant and is a Massachusetts licensed master electrician and journeyman electrician and certified electrical inspector (one and two family 2A; General 2B, and Plan Review, 2C). Tedesco also wrote articles for CEE News and EC&M (Code Violations Illustrated and What's Wrong Here?) for more than 15 years and helped launched the Moving Violations video series.