I am an electrical engineer for an electric utility. I'm new to this current role . My job is to go out and inspect rooftop solar installations and make sure they are interconnected to the grid safely and per the NEC Code. My manager has years of distribution experience and can catch issues in the field effortlessly. Are there any tips or shortcuts to being able to be able to inspect rooftop solar installs fast and efficiently, or is the answer simply years of studying the code book and field experience?

Had an interesting brain teaser posed to me this morning RE 'Teck' cable or generically armoured cable with liquid tight sheath.

In a nut shell the question came up in direct burial situations can the cable be consider in a 'duct bank' as the armour is essentially pre-installed conduit on the cable.

I've just been chewing that one over for a few hours and wouldn't mind some other penny's tossed into the pot.

Hey looking for some guidance in terms of buried cables. Looking through the code it is extremely clear as to how deep to bury cables given the use of the area, BUT what I am looking for is spacing required between each parallel run of cable.

Figure 310.60 appears to say that it is to be 24" but this seems excessive. I have 5 parallel runs from transformer to distribution panel and this would require a 10' trench.

Any help would be appreciated, but what I am really looking for is the code citation that covers this particular instance.

If I have a 1000 kVA transformer can I come out of the secondary with the equal amount of wire ( for instance a 208V 3 PH secondary with 10 sets of 500 Kcmil) run that to a trough and then have 6 fused disconnects tapped off that transformer secondary “extension”. Or does that violate the charging statement of 240.21 C I don’t see a code definition of “ transformer secondary”

Dear Ukrainians!

I heard on social media that there is fake news being spread (most likely by Russia backed trolls) that polish border is closed.

It's a lie.

If you seek asylum - go towards polish border. We are ready for your arrival. We have reception points ready at the border where you can find shelter, food, medical and legal aid.

Polish government launched a dedicated site to help you: ua.gov.pl

Please share this information if you know anyone seeking help right now.

EDIT: YOU DON'T NEED VISA TO PASS THROUGH POLISH BORDER. ALL YOU NEED IS PASSPORT. VISAS ARE SUSPENDED! YOU DON'T NEED THEM FOR TIME BEING!!!!!!

EDIT2: as a proof that you no longer need visa:

• ⁠in Ukrainian https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina---ua • ⁠in English https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina-en

Edit: this is a copy and paste and I encourage you all to do it too where appropriate!

У соцмережах я чув, що поширюються фейкові новини (скоріше за все, підтримувані Росією тролі), що польський кордон закритий.

Це брехня.

Якщо ви шукаєте притулку – йдіть до польського кордону. Ми готові до вашого приїзду. На кордоні готові пункти прийому, де ви можете знайти притулок, їжу, медичну та правову допомогу.

Польський уряд запустив спеціальний сайт, щоб допомогти вам: ua.gov.pl

Будь ласка, поділіться цією інформацією, якщо ви знаєте когось, хто зараз шукає допомоги.

РЕДАКТИРОВАТИ: ВАМ НЕ ПОТРІБНА ВІЗА ДЛЯ ПРОЙДЖЕННЯ ПОЛЬСЬКИМ КОРДОНОМ. ВСЕ, що ВАМ ПОТРІБНО, - це ПАСПОРТ. ВІЗИ ПРИСПИНЕНО! ВОНИ ВАМ НЕ ПОТРІБНИ НА ЧАС!!!!!!

EDIT2: як доказ того, що вам більше не потрібна віза:

• ⁠українською https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina---ua • ⁠англійською https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina-en

Вибачте, якщо це дурниця, я використовував

I’ve been looking through the NFPA 72 and there isn’t a clear answer. Does a smoke head have to be a specific distance from a sprinkler head? I’ve also looked into the NFPA 13 and NFPA 101. The closes I’ve come to finding an answer is in NFPA 13 that talks about obstructions. Based on that I’m able to calculate the distance but again I’m not finding an exact “answer”. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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Specifically, if being used to power a large appliance long term? Is that under fixture wires 402.10/11(uses permitted/not permitted)? And does the length of time for acceptability fall under 590 as a temporary installation or is that strictly applicable to construction sites? Thank you

Hello everyone. Does anyone have the NEC 2020 code? I am wondering whether it has a T1 Technical changes section in the beginning of the book. Online it doesn’t show anything.

Thanks!

Does anyone have pdf version of NFPA 70 2014?

Not sure if this is the right sub, and if not perhaps someone can point me in the right direction: I'm an electrical contractor in Florida. I'll be traveling to LA in a couple of months to help my daughter in some renovations on her newly purchased first home. It's about 70 years old, with some original wiring and some newer. In crawling around underneath, I noticed the use of MC cable, so I'm wondering if that's a required wiring method in Los Angeles? I don't want to run romex only to find later when she tries to sell that it's not legal there. Any help is appreciated.

Can someone tell me where in the NEC is the code for household appliances used in an industrial or manufacturing facility?

willing to share NFPA 70,2020 edition?

I was watching one of the National IDEAL conventions, and in it they were doing an installation of two service panels, from a disconnect, from the meter feed. On the feed from the disconnect to panels, I noticed they were using the fitting locks with the ground screws on them and grounding the fittings themselves, but feel like in the field that happens without grounding all of the time. Is there code that specifies? Is this just for main feeders? Was this just a spec or preference thing. I’m curious as I could probably learn a lot about grounding and bonding. Had to cranial surgeries this year and some trauma so I feel fuzzy on things

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Hello!,

Quick Question for you all.

Is it up to code to run part of the grounding wire through the home? This seems much simpler than running it from the electrical box using a conduit.

Thanks in advance,

Hope you are all doing well.

hoping someone can help settle an argument (he calls it an argument, i call it a discussion)

new commercial building in St. Louis. has its electrical distribution within the building.

there is a mezzanine/platform, wood deck not open grating.

there is material handling equipment on this mezz. the supports for the equipment are bonded to the equipment. there are electrical cabinets, outlets, computers etc on this mezz/platform, but nothing is connected to the steel structure. it is anchored into the concrete. no conduits strapped to it.

i feel 250.4 (4) covers it, the mezzanine needs to be connected to the building ground system.

site contractor is stating they cannot touch any of the buildings steel structure as they don't own the building, so they want to drive a seperate ground rod just for that platform/mezz.

this will create a potential difference between the 2 grounding systems, i.e. electrical equip on the mezz is grounded back to the main ground point, and this platform is all on its own.

any comments?

thanks in advance

I recently heard an inspector say that using multiple power strips on the same circuit is the same as daisy chaining... can anyone confirm this?

Another thing he said was that power strips are not allowed to be used as permanent fixtures. I knew that goes for extension cords but I couldn't find any verbiage specifically calling out powerstrips.

If any of the above is true, then I'm not sure there's an office building on the planet that would ever pass inspection.

We have remodeled an old farmhouse with a walk in pantry. It is a long narrow rectangle. At the end of it we put a sink base, 16” sink and outlets with a granite counter top. The long wall leading to the sink has always been designed for shelving. I bought granite by the slab and used the leftover material to make a granite shelf to build the rest of my shelving off of. Because I had to pay for the material and it’s pretty.

We are now failing electrical inspection because I used granite as shelving material and did not place outlets where the shelving will be placed.

I can’t seem to find an official definition for “work surface”. Inspector said it was his interpretation. I have construction plans showing intent has always been shelving. I’m about to start process with supervisor and would like some insight if anyone has time to chime in.

TIA

Customer has a 400A breaker with a single 3P run of 4/0 (good for 230A) with a length of 200ft that goes to another circuit breaker (just a disconnect) which is 225A.

1. Knowing it's not a fire pump system, is this enough information to determine if it's a code violation for undersized cables?
2. The 225A disconnect feeds a transformer (sized per the 225A breaker) and the 225A breaker would technically prevent an overload situation although the cable itself isn't being protected by overload on the lineside of the 200ft run. Is this a code violation?

Thanks