Good tip is to always do grounds first then neutrals over the grounds and hots last over the grounds and neutrals. This applied in every box including outlets. That's so if anyone ever has to service your work the first thing they deal with is the wire that is hot.
That’s a great tip, thanks! (I just did some diy outlets and put the grounds at the back, but didn’t think about putting the neutrals under the hots. NBD, as they’re likely never going to be opened up again, but good to know going forward!)
Hot and neutral (feeders) are reversed in your sub panel, the white striped wire should be neutral, solid black & red stripe should be hots. Make sure you fix it at the other end as well.
@@garagekeys Talking about the feeders coming into the top of the panel, the large wire with the white stripe is feeding one of the bus bars through the main breaker at the top. The solid black is on the neutral bus bar. Pause the vid at exactly 1:07 and you'll see what I'm talking about.
He can always tape the wires rather than swapping them around. NEC allows you to redefine conductors #4 and larger but yes definitely swap that around.
I commend and applaud you for securing a permit. I thank you for taking the time to show the violations. So many contributors show the good stuff done right. It's actually refreshing to have you take time to detail your efforts. Also, your inspector is a good one to point out violations without being condescending. For anyone looking to bypass the system; it may work, you may get away with it. Best case you did. Worse case you die. Fire is a horrible way to go.
Yeah, I failed my first electrical inspection over not having tamper proof outlets. I will also add that tamper resistant outlets are a pain in the butt! My wife absolutely hates them because it's really hard to plug things in! I did find that if you plug something in them multiple times it does eventually loosen up a small bit. But it's been over a year for us and they are still annoying 🙄
You have to blame those whining Pedatricians and ER Doctors who were tired of dealing with electrocuted , or injured children who were playing with standard electrical outlets !
@@ag-om6nr I might point out that ground fault circuits have been around for years. But yeah let's not blame the parents for not paying attention to thier kids! While we are at it let's all walk around in Kevlar crash suits ,you know, just in case! Lol! Let's take out any and all potential injurious obstacles to the point it's almost impossible to perform any normal activities! And while we are at it let's go ahead and give even the losers in children's sports trophys so the losers never have to feel disappointment! Oh wait......lol!!!
On the incoming feed, I would have used the all black and red/black wire for the incoming hots and white/black for the neutral. Reason being a black or red wire normally indicates that it is hot and white normally indicates that it is neutral. The configuration that you have could be seen as being wired incorrectly given these reasons. As for the GFCIs, they should not be connected to each other. Only need one at the beginning of the circuit to protect the remainder of the ciruit. Other option would be to use a GFCI breaker. Two GFCIs connected to each other will have issues because the first one in line will see a difference caused by the second one and trip unnecessarily.
@@larry8904 That was my first thing, too. However, it's not _solid_ white, so I could see the inspector allowing it. (the a**hole inspectors around here would NOT.)
@@jfbeam I don't know why they call it a code when it seems like every town has their own separate code so shouldn't they call it something else besides a code
Always drives me up the wall to open a panel and see that the installer used the neutral color for one of the hot legs! First thing I noticed from the picture, that and the ground bonding screw in there from the neutral to the chassis. A couple of hours on Mike holt and you should be able to glean enough to get thru an inspection for this sort of an addition.
@@bljdeep lol I love when electricians make it seem like residential electrical is too hard for a normal person to do. It's simple stuff. If he was so over confident then he wouldn't bother getting it inspected. He's clearly doing it himself because he wants to learn, and he can save money in the process.
@@dennisvolpe4805No, it’s not rocket science, but not knowing code could kill or injure someone. If someone tripped and fell down those stairs because of a lack of 3-way switching, that would be no “LOL” matter.
Exactly. He needs to have lighting over the stairs with 3 way switching at the top and bottom. Nothing says that he can't have the same two switches operate the general lighting for the room at the same time. Whether or not he does that would depend on the purpose and design of the room.
I agreed with the inspector except for one thing, WR plugs in the garage. In your installation the plugs aren’t exposed to weather. If that was the case, he should’ve made you put outside plug covers on them also. I’ve been doing commercial and residential electrical work for 25 years this year, I’ve seen a lot of changes in codes and wiring methods, some good and some bad. You did a pretty good job for a DIYer. I’ve seen and fixed a lot of wiring that people have installed that shouldn’t even be allowed to change a lightbulb.
I must admit when you hook up with a good electrician he's worth his weight in gold they can save you time money headaches divorce Insanity you name it
Mandatory Light for storage area like under the stair. Provide code section cause I don’t think it exists. WR receptacles indoor was a waste of cash. Other than that great job
@@duduudu4463 I would like to see about the light as well , plus him having to change the outlets I'm sure he had to replace the wiring with nmc to be compliant.
Local Ordnance can add anything they want above the NEC requirements. I seen many an Electrician get burned by that assumption..Then have to go back rip it out. Just to do it all over again.... Why I talk with my Inspectors. As there was no damn way I was driving a 10 foot ground rod into Solid Grant.. Unless you have someone come out and bore a 10 foot hole with a diamond bit....He let me cut it off at 2 feet...After 9 hours of hammering on it..
it would appear the GFCI breakers didn't come with pigtails (or they weren't long enough) and he extended them. You can use white wires instead of red for 240 volts if you reidentify them with red tape at both ends. (might be the full length inside a panel)
the best thing to do with an old breaker panel is to throw it out. code changes over the years have made them useless. i was an electrical inspector for 22 years in a major ohio city. i got along with most of my permit holders. arguing with an inspector is like wrestling with a pig-they enjoy it.
Well I think I'm going to take you up on that suggestion I've got to house upstate New York in the middle of nowhere that's got to be 250 years old I think it's a 30 amp panel that's in there but I think it's time to just redo that sucker even though I've made do with it
Instead of an expensive GFCI breaker, you could have used GFCI blank face device. (Looks like a recep, but no holes, just test buttons) 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of a breaker. I use those to feed jacuzzi tubs in bathroom so if the GFCI trips you don't have to leave the bathroom to reset it.
No need to get a blank face GFCI, a regular GFCI works the same and can be even cheaper. You can do the same with AFCI. I was told that code (local) required the conductors from breaker to receptacle to be protected (bx cable), and it's good practice since that first length is only protected by the "dumb" breaker. All new circuits are supposed to be installed with AFCI protection now...but its a pain in the @ss, especially with older equipment, because they trip for the slightest spark.
Yeah I live in some kind of weird mobile unit that's got weird gfy setups if the porch trips up the bathroom outlet shuts down I finally figured it out
@@arlenmargolin4868 - are you saying that you have a GFCI in the bathroom that loses power when the GFCI on the porch trips? If that is the case, then that is not compliant with normal building codes (I don’t know about the mobile home codes).
Good and common sense. Once you hear it for the first time. Thanks for providing a first time. Did a refurb on an outside staircase. The valuable lesson learned from the building code was “continuous graspability.” (Fortunately - learned about it before.)
I built a house as an owner builder. Being I wasn't in the building trades most of the inspectors gave me a lot of leeway and also advice. I had all licensed trades on the jobsite. More times than not, when we failed they would pass me if I gave them my word I would have the problem fixed. When they left a sistered truss out not so much. :) I just took a humbling attitude towards them. My BIL is a large commercial builder who gave me his subs and handled all the accounting and paperwork. He would argue with inspectors and also ask for hearings if they wanted something off the books. That really pissed him off. If it only had 2 zeros behind it I didn't care. I just wanted to move on. In the end it turned out well and I learned so much from the experience. My current home was built by a large builder and my experience lead me to catch a few major mistakes they missed.
It's a major thing to do put a house together I managed to find a $5,000 disaster in an old city and attempted to tear this thing apart even though it was empty for 60 years and pretty much stripped of every window door pipe wire I mean it was basically some sticks on top of a stone foundation so I had myself some education for sure but it ended up being some beautiful looking little place for sure I don't want to say how long it took me
I'm a framer. first thing I noticed is the stair stringer are bearing on the step and not the heel. that's a huge nono. especially when it's a dimensional and not engineered stringer. all you need to do to fix that is put a header under the heel. that's gonna fail super fast.
I kind of figured that was going to happen, no separation of neutral and ground in SUB panel. but hey you learned a few things and it all worked out good.
I do not agree with the WR receptacles. Most receptacles are now TR which has become a standard. I totally agree with the GFCI breakers and/or receptacles. What burns my a$$ is the new arc flash requirements. I am a semi-retired electrical engineer turned electrician (passed my test Aug 2021) and it is all about knowing the rules.
Many in the industry grumbled over GFCIs when they were mandated... but they are an every day safety device that have proved themselves time and time again. AFCI... not an every day safety device. Home fires are just not that common. Return on investment has to be a factor. They've been mandated in the NEC for 20+ years now. I want to see the numbers on how house fires have declined in that 20 years. I cannot find that information.
It’s always a good idea to check with your inspector before starting. Since codes and regulations vary from place to place, it’s best to ask ahead. They are generally helpful and are glad to discuss plans with you before starting. I’m not licensed but I do handyman work and have dealt with a number of inspectors. They are primarily interested in homeowner safety, mostly coming from construction or fire protection backgrounds.
Good job, doing some home remodel stuff is definitely a learning process, Being honest always work even with the inspectors ha ha, but doing clean and orderly work also gets big bonus points with inspectors. Good video 👍
I always noticed that about electricians they really pride themselves in total neatness I guess every trade likes to make their work look neat even Masons
I only made one of those mistakes - it was on the WR/TR outlets. But dang, I didn't have to use WR inside the garage - only on the exterior outlets on the outside walls. I originally did the outside covers only.
Just replaced my main panel to a 400a service. That was quite a fiasco, but I was informed that a surge protector is now required on new installs. So..about 150.00 later, I now have a surge protector covering my whole house. When I wire in the other 200 available, I'll have to get another for the shop panel
Thanks for being forthright and sharing with us your mistakes. The pros have hammered you in the comments, but I will tell you they aren't perfect either. I've found a buttload of code violations in my 1980's/remodeled home. Previous owner used only "licensed contractors" and obtained permits for everything. I mean really stupid ones, like 20A CB's feeding 14g cable, two wires under one CB screw, etc.
You are so correct. Many nuances to the code that as a homeowner, you are not aware of. I am glad you took care of all the issues the inspector found. Inspectors are there to make sure you do things in a safe manner. Before I do things, I try to review everything I need to, so I dont have to re-do them. A lot of lost time & money can happen if u dont
Sometimes if you're lucky you can meet with an inspector and take him out for a drink or a sandwich and he'll sit and tell you exactly where he's going to bust your balls
@@rty1955 You wrote "a safe manor"... you presumably meant "a safe manner". I was making a small joke at your expense. I regret you didn't get it. Your original posting's point is sound, though.
Interesting why the colors on the incoming feeder cable were not failed. Red and Black are hot and the white with black ought to be neutral, the wire function determined by the stripes. And that also means change them in the main panel to match subpanel.
Nice video, you need to swap the white/black feeder wire and the solid black feeder wire. The neutral bar should have the white one. Also, hard to tell but it looks as if you have some blacks going into the neutral bar, that should not be the case. Otherwise great job. (but switch those service cable wires)...
There's no imminent problem if the wrong wires are used consistently at each end. It's a Code violation because it _looks_ bad, and doesn't adhere to wire color standards.
@@jovetj of course you are correct. As long as it’s consistent, the electricity doesn’t care what color the wire is, but you hit the nail on the head; consistent. Plus, it’s not so much for you as the next guy that has to work on it.
If you are a diy'er, the 2020 NEC requires 210.8 (A).(2). that recepticles in the garage to be gfci protected. And, 210.52.(G).(1). Requires a recepticle in each garage bay not above 5 1/2 above the floor. Run 20 amp wires from the panel to each of the required car bay recepticles (2 separate nm cables). Use these gfci's to supply/protect your garage door opener recepticles (line/load). This gets you the required protection and a reset you do not need to stand on your car to operate.....meeting the gfci "accessibility requirements" in NEC section 100. You could tie both circuits together in your panel and pigtail to one breaker to meet today''s requirements or put them as separate circuits 20 amp circuits for a garage that needs a lot of power. The recepticle version of gfci are about half the cost of the breaker version.
@@jovetj you are correct and the NEC even allows the ahj to adjust or even throw out all the NEC rules. I know North Dakota has an added rules pamphlet of about 60 pages. It adds ground rods in light pole bases, height requirements for service equipment to avoid snow covering it, it Tweeks the voltage drop requirements, and many more. When I quote the NEC it is because some places allow for legal action against licensed people for bad advice or improper advice. I generally leave code sections as my reference, allow diy'ers and others to look up and verify. I would hope they are still phoning their ahj or local people for the best pathway forward. Just be careful not to justify not doing something I reference in a 2020 code. An example.... GFCI protection for car charger receptacles (section 625.54) came before 2020, maybe 2017, maybe 2014, maybe earlier. If you know how they indicate code changes in the book, you should understand this paragraph I wrote here. I do appreciate your input though.
Thanks for the tips. See the notes about the hot and neutral swap on the panel (as noted, ok to label and leave them, but be sure to check the other end either way). Other notes are helpful, didn’t know about the GFCI requirement for outlets over slab, nor the (new?) requirement for tamper-proof low outlets.
I’m an inspector as well as a master electrician. I spotted a few things… waiting to see if it was pointed out. BTW, max height on a main breaker (or any breaker) is 6’7”. Also, the receptacle outlet next to the sub-panel will be too close, so move it at least 6” from the edge of the panel so there is no interference. Good job trying it yourself, but consider an electrical contractor next time.
Nice neat work. I have a background along the same as you Don’t think much about it. Industrial is so different than residential. I have been scolded over the years
Before I wired my garage, I called up the inspector and asked what they wanted to see. I wrote all of what he said down and kept it for later. I wired my garage and scheduled the inspection. The night before the inspection I broke out the notes from the call to the inspector. I found 3 things that I had not done. I fixed them all that night in about 30 minutes. The next day the inspector showed up looked at all the things he said he would and signed off on the inspection. Easy peasy.
Exactly. Codes are there to help and be safe. It sucks when the city wants to be a pain over silly things though. Diyer should have inapection to ensure their own and families safety. Contractors get inspected so that the homeowner can have piece of mind.
Good info, thanks for sharing. The one about the tamper-proof receptacles below a certain height must be a new one; there have to be gazillions of non-tamper-proof ones in houses everywhere. Live and learn.
I done alittle different in garage I would’ve made those arc and everything on its own outlet. You’re still gonna want something to protect in case lightning hits the house and shoots up all the wire
Arc fault circuit interrupters have nothing to do with lightning. A lightning strike will blow the wiring out of the wall long before the breaker trips.
Yes, "arc fault protection" is designed to detect hazardous electrical arcs in the wiring which could start a fire. Arcs can arise from a several conditions, including a loose connection and human or animal damage to a conductor. There is no protection from a direct lightning strike.
I do believe ( whether or not your strange inspector passed it) you should change your incoming hot and neutral wires back to the solid black being your black, and white striped being your neutral. Because in the future if someone ( trained individual) ever has to service that or that cable gets damaged someone is likely to get KILLED
Good fix especially now. Homeline GFCI 20a breakers are $53 EACH currently. Utter insanity. You can buy 10 packs of UL listed 20a GFCI receptacles for $82... $8.20 EACH and they'll protect all your downstream outlets just as well. If that's the best the industry can do for pricing and availability then these codes need to be abolished. You have to draw a line somewhere. You don't automatically enforce by law a 6.5x increase in price in the name of a minor safety improvement. If you applied that to every single aspect of life you'd never be able to afford anything ever. Bring down the breaker cost and I'd RATHER use them. They're more elegant. Better idea entirely. But why in Hades do they cost so much more? It SHOULD be the price of a standard breaker (About $6.50) plus the cost of adding the GFCI outlet features (about $8.20) for a TOTAL of $14.70. NOT $53! For that matter if they were $20 at a $5 premium I'd still gladly use the breaker for the convenience.
I just priced breakers at HD and L yesterday. Conventional breakers of the kind from 10 years ago or so were anywhere from $6 to $10. The new ones - CAFI, GFI, dual function - were ALL $100 more. Crazy.
Electrical code is EXTREMELY picky. Its almost impossible to pull off a home/ garage inspection without having an expert guiding you. Sometimes you can find licensed electricians that will just do the devices...you install the boxes and run the wires. They can tell you what wire to run where...and they have plenty to do with drilling holes and pounding in boxes. They absolutely FLY when they connect the devices...so it can be much more reasonably priced. The newest NEC wants EVERY circuit arc fault protected. That means EVERY breaker is electronic and costs in the $80 range. It adds THOUSANDS to the price.
And, local knowledge is extremely important. For example I know of dozens of jurisdictional and two entire states where the arc fault requirements are amended out of the NEC at the local level. Another conflict which I think has finally been resolved was the use of NM cable in assembly occupancies or above the fourth floor of a building. Another conflict was the use of 2" risers out of a panel board stuffed with NM cable instead of attaching each cable to the panel. Local knowledge . . .
@@MrIan3333 I asked my electrician....S..about that. I was told that NEC means every state ie National. When I built my home in 2000 in Massachusetts it was for living areas like you describe. I was quoted that "every circuit is to be protected by arc fault including 50amp for stove and 30 amp for electric dryer." I priced one for $150 and it was out of stock. I think its ridiculous for everything. Just drives high prices higher.
it appears you have your neutral on a hot lug and a hot leg on the neutral lug .also that is technically a sub panel so the grounds and neutrals have to be separate and not bonded together. Thats why you need to remove that screw it's a bonding screw.
I don’t know how the inspector didn’t point out the neutral wire going to the main lug. I’m not the first to point it out but the white striped wire goes to the neutral. Black and red striped go to the main.
A light circuit involving 3-way switches can indeed be referred to as a "3-way circuit." A _3-pole_ switch means something completely different in the electrical world. A _pole_ is an isolated set of connections. A three-phase switch where a single switch opens or closes all three separate hots would be a 3-pole switch.
I think this is an error made when he swapped out the panels after the last inspection. Hopefully, from these comments, he will correct that rather egregious error before he calls for reinspection. However, it's not the black cable on the neutral that is the problem... this is common on the service entrance as the feeder triplex is often all black. Sometimes, the conductors will have a distinguishing thin stripe, but not always. It does need to be indicated, however. White electrical tape is typically how this is done, but heatshrink works great and will never get gummy. That said, I can't fathom the black stripes on the red and white conductors in split-phase. In three phase, it's not unusual to have the neutral striped, but this can't be three-phase cable so WTF? The red conductor doesn't need to be striped because it's already colored to be a non-grounded conductor. ??? White can be used as a non-grounded conductor if it's marked to indicate that it's no longer white (I color them with a red Sharpie), but if this is already striped it would indicate that it is a non-grounded conductor so what do you use as the neutral? I have never seen this type of cable in over 40 years. If he marks the black wire with white electrical tape, he would be fine since this is standard fare on the main service entrance, anyway. Still... I would swap the black and white and indicate the white w/stripe with white electrical tape. So odd. (both neutral also needs to be indicated on the 240V 40A circuits... they can't be left entirely black. The ganged breaker on bottom left needs to be indicated that the conductor is hot... it cannot be left completely white if it's a non-grounded conductor.) Then again, this video is over a year old so it would be nice to see how it went the second time around. :-)
@@bullboss7698 dude I went on a trouble call one time bc this guys house lost power... there was so much Mickey Mouse shit going on at this place. Double tapped feeders to two different sub panels one of which was feeding his house. No ground rods driven at the home and no ground wire pulled to the home. I asked the guy (who did it himself I later learned), how in the literal f*ck this happened, and with a blank stare he shrugged and replied, “passed inspection”. I guess he had some kind of engineering degree so he thought all electrical work was easy and simple and any Mexican could do it. I was like “cool bro, well none of your arc fault breaker‘s work now for some reason so that’s gonna be like 800 bucks. Want to give it another shot or do you want a simpleton like me to do it”... at first I didn’t think there was any way that something like this would pass inspection but now I just don’t know lol.
I would recommend you re-wire those feeds. YOu have the neutral wire where a phase should be and a phase is where the neutral should be. Yes, it is a code violation too. Whether your inspector know that or not. White wires MUST be neutral wires only, not phase conductors.
I still see a problem - you used the neutral as a hot I'm surprised the inspector did not see that - all black and black/red are hots and the wire with the white or gray stripe is your neutral
Let me end the pain here with the neutral color. I took a close look at time 01:08 and can say that the cable looks like SE or USE and the neutral is properly marked with 3 continuous white stripes in accordance with 200.6. The connections are as follows: Bare Aluminum.....ground Black/Red........leg 2 (L2) Black......Neutral Bus Black/3 white stripes..leg 1 (L1). Yes, the inspector and several commentors missed this. Not wrong markings, wring terminals.
Returning stuff that’s been installed isn’t good; you are creating issues with costs for others and or returning bad stuff. If you don’t install it then, go ahead, return it. It’s about taking responsibility for your decision to do your own work. That comes with a risk that you might do it wrong; own it and don’t put your error on someone else.
I'm trying to start a new shop project... soon. One of my biggest fears is that I'm 45 yeas out of date, and codes as well as construction practices change. PEX is all "new" for me. We had GFCIs, but not Arc Faults. Then, of course, there are local codes. St. Louis had something that they only allowed one wire per hole in a stud or joist. Can anybody say SWISS CHEESE? I've had many problems with GFCI outlets, and would never use one unless absolutely necessary (near a sink). Those child proof plugs would be a pain in a workshop, although perhaps they would help with dust and corrosion.
Have you been addressed on the main breaker termination? Not being a know it all but I feel like you have some in the wrong location. Looks good. Hope you enjoy it
one thing DIYers don't know is that the code book is not your enemy it is an actual tool that is set up to be used as a field reference guide no one can remember all that stuff and no one is expected to. code books are not that expensive AND there are as many exceptions to the code as there are sections because almost all of them have multiple exceptions. in this case the inspector was on the mark , that sort of an installation is pretty basic but there are inspectors and they there are inspectors. they are not all trained on the actual code they just have a punch list of specific items they look for along with the other punch lists they have to look at and the kicker is not that they may cause you to correct things that are not wrong NOPE the issue is that they miss things and YOU are they one actually responsible for the safety of the installation! the inspector and the regulating agency are specifically indemnified from any potential liability for any of the work preformed EVEN the things they tell you to do in a correction in almost all cases so if they are wrong about that and it causes a fire or an electrocution it is YOU on the hook so do NOT depend on them to check your work ever and even double check to make sure that the correction its self IS correct. technically they are NOT suppose to be telling you HOW to make the correction just what needs to be corrected along with the code section violated , it is when they opine about the how part that the line gets blurred any way grats on getting your rough signed off looks like a nice little addition and dont feel too bad about the corrections no one catches everything every time and the inspectors tend to think they haven't done their job if they don't gig you for something so they tend to keep looking until they find anything they can call a correction even if it is just adding a staple while they stand there and watch.
Why did you use the black wire to feed your neutral and the white wire to feed a hot in the panel? You must have a lot of funky local codes. WR inside a garage? TR's only under 5'6"? 3-way switches for stairs? I'd be taking the inspector to task on those. They're inspectors, not expectors. They can't be pulling out shirt-pocket rules made up back at the office and only pulled out when they're checking things out. Code must be adopted, which is a defined legal process.
The black wire with the white strip should go to the Neutral Bar and the black wire should go to L1. Also if a white wire goes to a breaker it HAS to have a color tape on it! and black wires going to a Neutral HAS to have a white tape on it. Also the main panel feed wires does not look big enough to handle that amp load of all the breakers
2020 nec 210.70 (C) lighting shall be installed where these spaces are used for storage or contain equipment requiring servicing. just in case anyone was wondering about the under the stairs light. but the WP plugs and crap in the garage total bs. inspector needs to do a little more research on that.
Yes it's legal because it's 240 volt line. If you were running EMT then you can use red wire and black wire for the hot sides of 240 volt breakers. You can mark up the white wire stating it's hot but if you don't know that you better not mess with electrical work. 73
@@ronb6182 No, it's not legal and very hazardous. EMT has nothing to do with it. Voltage has nothing to do with it. Why would you remark two wires when they are already identified for correct use? Re-identifing conductors has very limited and specific rules. Stop giving electrical advice when you have no idea what you are saying.
@@trustme7731 I don't know where you are coming from but my 240 circuits passed NEC code when inspected I have used Romex wire for 240 volts and also switch circuits that have only white and black to cloose from all passed inspection. You need to quit giving fake information. It's been done for years. With no problem. You are just sore because a DIY took away a job from you. Nothing to do with code. Marked up wired doesn't change anything except making it easier for the next guy to figure out what wires go where . Electricians do this quite often in Florida. EMT you can use red instead of white you need to reread the comment. It's best but not always possible to use red when it's not in a two conductor with ground on 240 circuits. Enough said. 73 even if you don't deserve it.
@@ronb6182 The subject is the cable he used to feed the panel. He has the wire identified as white as a hot and the black wire on the neutral terminal. This is clearly a code violation and a hazard. 2 wire NM cables with a white wire have always been allowed to be used on circuits that don't use a neutral where the white is properly re-identified. As far as switching goes, it's rarely an issue since a neutral has been required at outlets used for light switching for some time now.
It comes down to general circuit receptical, compared to dedicated outlet, all places it can be accessed is an outlet,, it can be a receptical a light fixture, a switch , a smoke detector, dosnt matter it's an outlet,, some are general purpose receps, some are juntion box's, some are a simple light switch,, an outlet by code has many different purposes,, it accualy goes back to Edison,, and his original outlet🤔🤔🧐👍
As a tradesman, I view the inspectors like a teacher grading a paper. Do everything right....pat on back. Do it messed up....slap on wrist with maybe a Do-over. They are there to ensure you get a good and safe build. Run away from anyone that "wants to make it work" or wants to hide stuff from the inspectors. Try to find someone that wants to use your house as a display model for their good work.
@@jovetj sometimes our attitude is reflected back on us. See someone as your enemy and it is hard for them to prove you wrong. Try treating your inspectors like a teammate on a road to the safest build. Do not be afraid to treat them like a mentor, asking questions and advice. They are human and can have a bad day as well and with all the rules in the nec and electrical trade it is hard to keep up with them all.... Does the nec really tell, profession, grown men and women, to follow the manufacturer's instructions? Must we have 6 inches of wire sticking out of a box or is there a different number for selected box sizes..... We install grounds because electricity only flows in the path of least resistance.... Answers: Yes - instructions for adults. Yes,- box size does male a difference Sadly, no - the ground adds a parallel path.....safer but circuit calculation show you still get to feel it, but with the ground, the breaker does to and trips. Hope this helps.
Having three way switches at the top and bottom of a staircase is just common sense. The inspector did you a favor by requiring dedicated staircase lighting with proper switching.
In this video I heard $500.00 for replacement cost for parts and materials to pass your inspection. In all the T.V shows and all the U-TUBE videos I never hear the total cost Labor, you cannot install a job without labor costs, it would be nice to know the actual amount time spent removing the materials, rebuying, and reinstalling to get approved.
Its not exactly easy to estimate labor cost on a DIY project. Would you calculate the hours at a journeyman electrician's rate? If not, how much is your time worth? For what it is worth, these changes look like 2-3 days of work to me, but everyone will be different and move at their own pace.
Ok a sub panel does not need a main breaker,, it can be used as a secondary shit off,, and yeah it should have some sort of hold down screw or strap, and idk what state your in but nothing in national code about if it's hard worked or plug in,, technically anything not permintaly installed need a means of disconnect,, which includes a receptical, and any stair case or basement needs a 3way top and bottom,, but I must call out the need for GFCI becuz it plugs in, any and all circuits that are intended to be for general use in certain places need to be GFCI,, but if installed for dedicated purpose use it's a different code section,, especially wene relating to lighting,, maybe arc fault, but not ground fault👍🤔
If that’s a sub panel you can’t have grounds and neutrals together, and it must have its own path to ground with rods. I don’t know if you said that. I just noticed from thumbnail, maybe I shoulda watched first. Keep on keeping on!
Interesting, I've never noticed the requirement for Weather Resistant receptacles. I'm surprised you didn't need arc fault protection on all those circuits too. I'm currently finishing my basement and every circuit needs arc fault and ground fault protection, so I went with combo breakers.
Arc fault is for the Service panels. Not sub panels..So save yourself money...As any short to ground is trying to get back to the source. The source being the Transformer feeding the main panel. Why you don't Bond Sub panels.
I think arc fault isn't required for garages. Because if you have a table saw or some tool that draws a ton of electricity when it starts up, there is a small arc that would trip AFCI breakers. GFCI definitely required in garage though.
The black wire you have connected to the neutral bus should be used as a hot and the white wire you have on the hot should be the neutral. Neutral conductor is supposed to be white. I don't know how an inspector let you by with that.
As a licensed master electrician and an electrical contractor with 41 years in the trade, I have had many people call and want me to sign off on the electrical on their already finished basement, garage, addition or whatever because they got caught with no permit. Sometimes someone turns them in or a prospective buyer checks for past permits. I always refuse to do this. Why should I be sued when there is property damage or someone gets hurt or killed because of what some ignorant homeowner did? Sometimes the homeowner has started the work and wants me to finish it. The first thing I do is rip EVERYTHING out that they did. Boxes, wire, everything. If they can't accept that, I tell them to get someone else.
Smart but too extreme maybe. Wiring is easy to trace but a pulled permit is a must. I would never write any job off the responsibly needs to go to the owner. Inspectors can be sued and your smart for refusing the job. It's best not to even bother with the job and move on. I do see your point. If the wires are in open walls wires can be traced but in closed walls it's best to just leave and find another electrical job to do. Totally agreed
@@ronb6182 The responsibility falls on the last to work on it and with the deepest pockets, the contractor without exception. A property owner that did illegal electrical work can be legally held accountable even years after he sells the property. Inspectors can't be sued unless there was severe lack of diligence and suing them rarely if ever goes anywhere. How do I know if those homeowner installed cables aren't damaged? They also route them improperly, used the wrong cable, have excessive wire counts in boxes, use the wrong boxes, drill holes in studs wrong, cut cables way too short, don't remove the sheath before putting the cable in the box, bend cables too sharply, improper cable supporting, and on and on.
@@trustme7731 yeah that's why I told the other electrician to run from them jobs. I fixed many electricians boo-boos. One put a double pole switch for a 4 way switch I can tell just by looking at the switch it's a double pole and not a 4 way. I learned how to hook up a four way switch in my 9th grade electronics and electricity class. Not many Jr high or highschools have such a shop class but mine did. Technical schools had programs but not many high schools. My dad taught me how to wire and what was code in that time. A lot has changed and GFCI was not even invented yet. Grounds and neutrals shared busses at that time. Now grounds must have their own buss. Neutrals cannot be doubled up like in the past. I seen a box with multiple neutral connections I wish I had a camera to show some of the sloppy electrical work I ran across. I think inspectors were paid off. Where I live you cannot have more than six or seven outlets to a circuit. I found 13 in my home. I broke up that circuit when the tree fell on the house and I had easy access to the attic because the drywall was removed from the ceiling. I'm not an attic person especially in the summer. 73
@@trustme7731 - I understand your position - you are avoiding risk of liability. So how do you approach a job where there is existing wiring that may or may not be “dubious”, where it isn’t obviously a DIY homeowner?
@@stevebabiak6997 Whether it's residential, commercial or industrial, if I see something wrong I make the customer aware of it. It wouldn't have to be something wired or installed incorrectly. It could be something caused by normal wear and tear or damage from an unrelated source. If I can, I offer to repair it as an extra. If they don't want to and it is connected to or related to what I am doing I might have to walk away or make them sign a wavier that they know about it and refuse the repair.
I see so many sub panels bonded I want to scream..And you don't need a GFCI in every outlet. Just the first one in the circuit has to be GFCI.. Preferably where you can reset it easy. I would add. Mark every ground and neutral with the proper color tape in the panel..
![KSI - Thick Of It (feat. Trippie Redd) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/At8v_Yc044Y/mqdefault.jpg)
Good tip is to always do grounds first then neutrals over the grounds and hots last over the grounds and neutrals. This applied in every box including outlets. That's so if anyone ever has to service your work the first thing they deal with is the wire that is hot.
That’s a great tip, thanks! (I just did some diy outlets and put the grounds at the back, but didn’t think about putting the neutrals under the hots. NBD, as they’re likely never going to be opened up again, but good to know going forward!)
thanks
Hot and neutral (feeders) are reversed in your sub panel, the white striped wire should be neutral, solid black & red stripe should be hots. Make sure you fix it at the other end as well.
I think those whites you see going to the breakers are the white wires for the GFCI breaker
@@garagekeys Talking about the feeders coming into the top of the panel, the large wire with the white stripe is feeding one of the bus bars through the main breaker at the top. The solid black is on the neutral bus bar. Pause the vid at exactly 1:07 and you'll see what I'm talking about.
@@bolland83 ok now I see what you mean. Yeah I am with you on that one, does not seem legit to me either.
He can always tape the wires rather than swapping them around. NEC allows you to redefine conductors #4 and larger but yes definitely swap that around.
I was staring at this whole time and it never got brought up.
I commend and applaud you for securing a permit. I thank you for taking the time to show the violations. So many contributors show the good stuff done right. It's actually refreshing to have you take time to detail your efforts. Also, your inspector is a good one to point out violations without being condescending. For anyone looking to bypass the system; it may work, you may get away with it. Best case you did. Worse case you die. Fire is a horrible way to go.
And... your insurance company is always looking for a way to deny any claim, electrical related or not.
Still, he did quite well initially, some of his gaffes I'd probably would've made.
Yeah, I failed my first electrical inspection over not having tamper proof outlets. I will also add that tamper resistant outlets are a pain in the butt! My wife absolutely hates them because it's really hard to plug things in! I did find that if you plug something in them multiple times it does eventually loosen up a small bit. But it's been over a year for us and they are still annoying 🙄
Hey! You stole my thunder!👍. I also hate tamper resistant receptacles. I have also had difficulty plugging into those tamper resistant receptacles. 😩
It's not the receptacle that gives you trouble. It's the blades on the device you're plugging in. File the sharp edges off. Thank me later.
When they first came out with tamper proof outlets,.I really had a lot of unhappy customers. Most of them older and retired.
You have to blame those whining Pedatricians and ER Doctors who were tired of dealing with electrocuted , or injured children who were playing with standard electrical outlets !
@@ag-om6nr I might point out that ground fault circuits have been around for years. But yeah let's not blame the parents for not paying attention to thier kids! While we are at it let's all walk around in Kevlar crash suits ,you know, just in case! Lol! Let's take out any and all potential injurious obstacles to the point it's almost impossible to perform any normal activities! And while we are at it let's go ahead and give even the losers in children's sports trophys so the losers never have to feel disappointment! Oh wait......lol!!!
On the incoming feed, I would have used the all black and red/black wire for the incoming hots and white/black for the neutral. Reason being a black or red wire normally indicates that it is hot and white normally indicates that it is neutral. The configuration that you have could be seen as being wired incorrectly given these reasons.
As for the GFCIs, they should not be connected to each other. Only need one at the beginning of the circuit to protect the remainder of the ciruit. Other option would be to use a GFCI breaker. Two GFCIs connected to each other will have issues because the first one in line will see a difference caused by the second one and trip unnecessarily.
Actually, the white wire in the feeder MUST be used as the neutral per the NEC. I can't believe the inspector missed that.
@@larry8904 Inspectors are inspectors for only 1 reason.
@@larry8904 That was my first thing, too. However, it's not _solid_ white, so I could see the inspector allowing it. (the a**hole inspectors around here would NOT.)
@@jeffreyspence2510 Well, two... sometimes they're retired sparky's. (but those are about 1% of the market.)
@@jfbeam I don't know why they call it a code when it seems like every town has their own separate code so shouldn't they call it something else besides a code
Real men can admit their mistakes.
Even better men are willing to make a video and tell everyone.
Good job!
Trans men don’t because they don’t have the balls
Always drives me up the wall to open a panel and see that the installer used the neutral color for one of the hot legs! First thing I noticed from the picture, that and the ground bonding screw in there from the neutral to the chassis. A couple of hours on Mike holt and you should be able to glean enough to get thru an inspection for this sort of an addition.
First thing I noticed as well. I'm surprised that inspector let that slide. Definitely a violation to use white for hot and black for neutral
Violation: on the incoming subfeeder, you used the white wire for one of the hots and the black wire for neutral. Those are opposite!
@@bljdeep lol I love when electricians make it seem like residential electrical is too hard for a normal person to do. It's simple stuff. If he was so over confident then he wouldn't bother getting it inspected. He's clearly doing it himself because he wants to learn, and he can save money in the process.
@@dennisvolpe4805No, it’s not rocket science, but not knowing code could kill or injure someone. If someone tripped and fell down those stairs because of a lack of 3-way switching, that would be no “LOL” matter.
Exactly. He needs to have lighting over the stairs with 3 way switching at the top and bottom. Nothing says that he can't have the same two switches operate the general lighting for the room at the same time. Whether or not he does that would depend on the purpose and design of the room.
That was what struck me how did that not get mentioned?
Is it really a code violation?
There are common colors used for situations.
Hopefully the legs atleast match to the main house.
I agreed with the inspector except for one thing, WR plugs in the garage. In your installation the plugs aren’t exposed to weather. If that was the case, he should’ve made you put outside plug covers on them also. I’ve been doing commercial and residential electrical work for 25 years this year, I’ve seen a lot of changes in codes and wiring methods, some good and some bad. You did a pretty good job for a DIYer. I’ve seen and fixed a lot of wiring that people have installed that shouldn’t even be allowed to change a lightbulb.
I must admit when you hook up with a good electrician he's worth his weight in gold they can save you time money headaches divorce Insanity you name it
Mandatory Light for storage area like under the stair. Provide code section cause I don’t think it exists.
WR receptacles indoor was a waste of cash.
Other than that great job
@@duduudu4463 I would like to see about the light as well , plus him having to change the outlets I'm sure he had to replace the wiring with nmc to be compliant.
2017 NEC Article 210.70 (A)(3)
Local Ordnance can add anything they want above the NEC requirements. I seen many an Electrician get burned by that assumption..Then have to go back rip it out. Just to do it all over again....
Why I talk with my Inspectors. As there was no damn way I was driving a 10 foot ground rod into Solid Grant.. Unless you have someone come out and bore a 10 foot hole with a diamond bit....He let me cut it off at 2 feet...After 9 hours of hammering on it..
Red and black wires go to main breaker, black and white to common bar
I was thinking the same thing
it would appear the GFCI breakers didn't come with pigtails (or they weren't long enough) and he extended them. You can use white wires instead of red for 240 volts if you reidentify them with red tape at both ends. (might be the full length inside a panel)
@@rupe53 he’s talking about the panel feeders.
@@N-hunter ....Now that I look at it again, you are right. It's easier to see at the start of the video when I wasn't focused in on the problems yet.
Yes, he has the neutral feeder connected to L1 and the solid black conductor connected to the neutral… that is VERY bad, and must be swapped.
Electrical code is all about saving lives and property. Kudos to inspectors and all of us doing the installation right as best we can!
Did you notice his service feeder connections? Not good!!
Very mature attitude and Competence will get you far. Great vid
the best thing to do with an old breaker panel is to throw it out. code changes over the years have made them useless. i was an electrical inspector for 22 years in a major ohio city. i got along with most of my permit holders. arguing with an inspector is like wrestling with a pig-they enjoy it.
Well I think I'm going to take you up on that suggestion I've got to house upstate New York in the middle of nowhere that's got to be 250 years old I think it's a 30 amp panel that's in there but I think it's time to just redo that sucker even though I've made do with it
Instead of an expensive GFCI breaker, you could have used GFCI blank face device. (Looks like a recep, but no holes, just test buttons) 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of a breaker. I use those to feed jacuzzi tubs in bathroom so if the GFCI trips you don't have to leave the bathroom to reset it.
@@sonacphotos - when you “slave” all downstream receptacles from the GFCI device, it accomplishes the same result.
No need to get a blank face GFCI, a regular GFCI works the same and can be even cheaper. You can do the same with AFCI. I was told that code (local) required the conductors from breaker to receptacle to be protected (bx cable), and it's good practice since that first length is only protected by the "dumb" breaker. All new circuits are supposed to be installed with AFCI protection now...but its a pain in the @ss, especially with older equipment, because they trip for the slightest spark.
@@lucash1980 - I think the blank face was suggested to avoid having to put in a tamper proof device. But yes, a standard GFCI has the ability also.
Yeah I live in some kind of weird mobile unit that's got weird gfy setups if the porch trips up the bathroom outlet shuts down I finally figured it out
@@arlenmargolin4868 - are you saying that you have a GFCI in the bathroom that loses power when the GFCI on the porch trips? If that is the case, then that is not compliant with normal building codes (I don’t know about the mobile home codes).
thank you for making this video. We all learn from each other!
Good and common sense. Once you hear it for the first time. Thanks for providing a first time. Did a refurb on an outside staircase. The valuable lesson learned from the building code was “continuous graspability.” (Fortunately - learned about it before.)
I built a house as an owner builder. Being I wasn't in the building trades most of the inspectors gave me a lot of leeway and also advice. I had all licensed trades on the jobsite. More times than not, when we failed they would pass me if I gave them my word I would have the problem fixed. When they left a sistered truss out not so much. :) I just took a humbling attitude towards them. My BIL is a large commercial builder who gave me his subs and handled all the accounting and paperwork. He would argue with inspectors and also ask for hearings if they wanted something off the books. That really pissed him off. If it only had 2 zeros behind it I didn't care. I just wanted to move on. In the end it turned out well and I learned so much from the experience. My current home was built by a large builder and my experience lead me to catch a few major mistakes they missed.
It's a major thing to do put a house together I managed to find a $5,000 disaster in an old city and attempted to tear this thing apart even though it was empty for 60 years and pretty much stripped of every window door pipe wire I mean it was basically some sticks on top of a stone foundation so I had myself some education for sure but it ended up being some beautiful looking little place for sure I don't want to say how long it took me
I'm a framer. first thing I noticed is the stair stringer are bearing on the step and not the heel. that's a huge nono. especially when it's a dimensional and not engineered stringer. all you need to do to fix that is put a header under the heel.
that's gonna fail super fast.
saw that too just didn't want to mention it . It looks like a couple of 2 xs have been added on landing to catch stingers.
Good job. Reminded me of my experiences about 20yrs ago.
I second Stokes's comment below about swapping the white striped feeder with the black feeder. I'm surprised the inspector didn't catch that.
He's saving that one for his return visit lol.
Thats how you learn. I admire your work. Great job.
Wow. Good to know. and espacially for the light and 3 way switch thing.
Thank you for the video and the tips on why you failed.
I kind of figured that was going to happen, no separation of neutral and ground in SUB panel.
but hey you learned a few things and it all worked out good.
I do not agree with the WR receptacles. Most receptacles are now TR which has become a standard. I totally agree with the GFCI breakers and/or receptacles. What burns my a$$ is the new arc flash requirements. I am a semi-retired electrical engineer turned electrician (passed my test Aug 2021) and it is all about knowing the rules.
Yes, the arc fault are a pain. Seems they sometimes trip for no apparent reason, and it makes filling a panel with breakers insanely expensive.
Many in the industry grumbled over GFCIs when they were mandated... but they are an every day safety device that have proved themselves time and time again.
AFCI... not an every day safety device. Home fires are just not that common. Return on investment has to be a factor. They've been mandated in the NEC for 20+ years now. I want to see the numbers on how house fires have declined in that 20 years. I cannot find that information.
Great video! Thanks for creating and sharing. Your work looks great.
It’s always a good idea to check with your inspector before starting. Since codes and regulations vary from place to place, it’s best to ask ahead. They are generally helpful and are glad to discuss plans with you before starting. I’m not licensed but I do handyman work and have dealt with a number of inspectors. They are primarily interested in homeowner safety, mostly coming from construction or fire protection backgrounds.
Good job, doing some home remodel stuff is definitely a learning process, Being honest always work even with the inspectors ha ha, but doing clean and orderly work also gets big bonus points with inspectors. Good video 👍
I always noticed that about electricians they really pride themselves in total neatness I guess every trade likes to make their work look neat even Masons
I only made one of those mistakes - it was on the WR/TR outlets. But dang, I didn't have to use WR inside the garage - only on the exterior outlets on the outside walls. I originally did the outside covers only.
Great video. Working on wiring my shop right now. Thanks for the heads up
Just replaced my main panel to a 400a service. That was quite a fiasco, but I was informed that a surge protector is now required on new installs. So..about 150.00 later, I now have a surge protector covering my whole house. When I wire in the other 200 available, I'll have to get another for the shop panel
This makes me realize how many current code violations are grandfathered into my garage...
Thanks for being forthright and sharing with us your mistakes. The pros have hammered you in the comments, but I will tell you they aren't perfect either. I've found a buttload of code violations in my 1980's/remodeled home. Previous owner used only "licensed contractors" and obtained permits for everything. I mean really stupid ones, like 20A CB's feeding 14g cable, two wires under one CB screw, etc.
Some circuit breakers are listed (by the manufacturer and QC agency, e.g. UL) for two wires under the screw. So, that isn't automatically wrong.
You are so correct. Many nuances to the code that as a homeowner, you are not aware of. I am glad you took care of all the issues the inspector found. Inspectors are there to make sure you do things in a safe manner.
Before I do things, I try to review everything I need to, so I dont have to re-do them. A lot of lost time & money can happen if u dont
Sometimes if you're lucky you can meet with an inspector and take him out for a drink or a sandwich and he'll sit and tell you exactly where he's going to bust your balls
This isn't a manor, it's a garage. *_*wink*_*
@@jovetj that's no excuse for unsafe conditions. Do it right the first time. Unless there are people that enjoy re-doing their work all the time
@@rty1955 You wrote "a safe manor"... you presumably meant "a safe manner". I was making a small joke at your expense. I regret you didn't get it.
Your original posting's point is sound, though.
@@jovetj I stand corrected amd corrected my mistake. I originally left off one "n" and it autocorrected. Ugh.
Its now corrected. Thanks
Very good video. Great attitude. If you care to pursue a career in electrical work, I believe you would do well.
Good to know the reason or why, of the 3 way switch thing and light in a enclosed storage.area.
That light under the stairway landing is a joke.
Interesting why the colors on the incoming feeder cable were not failed. Red and Black are hot and the white with black ought to be neutral, the wire function determined by the stripes. And that also means change them in the main panel to match subpanel.
Nice video, you need to swap the white/black feeder wire and the solid black feeder wire. The neutral bar should have the white one. Also, hard to tell but it looks as if you have some blacks going into the neutral bar, that should not be the case. Otherwise great job. (but switch those service cable wires)...
I agree, it looks like he has white wires into breakers. How is that going to work, it doesn't.
@@rogerstruthers3799 240?
There's no imminent problem if the wrong wires are used consistently at each end. It's a Code violation because it _looks_ bad, and doesn't adhere to wire color standards.
@@jovetj of course you are correct. As long as it’s consistent, the electricity doesn’t care what color the wire is, but you hit the nail on the head; consistent. Plus, it’s not so much for you as the next guy that has to work on it.
If you are a diy'er, the 2020 NEC requires 210.8 (A).(2). that recepticles in the garage to be gfci protected. And, 210.52.(G).(1). Requires a recepticle in each garage bay not above 5 1/2 above the floor.
Run 20 amp wires from the panel to each of the required car bay recepticles (2 separate nm cables). Use these gfci's to supply/protect your garage door opener recepticles (line/load). This gets you the required protection and a reset you do not need to stand on your car to operate.....meeting the gfci "accessibility requirements" in NEC section 100.
You could tie both circuits together in your panel and pigtail to one breaker to meet today''s requirements or put them as separate circuits 20 amp circuits for a garage that needs a lot of power.
The recepticle version of gfci are about half the cost of the breaker version.
Not all AHJs use the same edition of the Code. (My state is on 2017, for example.) Not all AHJs allow pigtails in a service panel.
@@jovetj you are correct and the NEC even allows the ahj to adjust or even throw out all the NEC rules. I know North Dakota has an added rules pamphlet of about 60 pages. It adds ground rods in light pole bases, height requirements for service equipment to avoid snow covering it, it Tweeks the voltage drop requirements, and many more.
When I quote the NEC it is because some places allow for legal action against licensed people for bad advice or improper advice. I generally leave code sections as my reference, allow diy'ers and others to look up and verify. I would hope they are still phoning their ahj or local people for the best pathway forward.
Just be careful not to justify not doing something I reference in a 2020 code. An example.... GFCI protection for car charger receptacles (section 625.54) came before 2020, maybe 2017, maybe 2014, maybe earlier. If you know how they indicate code changes in the book, you should understand this paragraph I wrote here.
I do appreciate your input though.
You have the unmarked black conductor that should be white on the neutral bus and the white continuously marked conductor on one of the hot buses…
I agree. When I saw white connected to the bus I said thats wired wrong.
Nice job! Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the tips. See the notes about the hot and neutral swap on the panel (as noted, ok to label and leave them, but be sure to check the other end either way). Other notes are helpful, didn’t know about the GFCI requirement for outlets over slab, nor the (new?) requirement for tamper-proof low outlets.
Varies by jurisdiction and Code base.
I’m an inspector as well as a master electrician. I spotted a few things… waiting to see if it was pointed out. BTW, max height on a main breaker (or any breaker) is 6’7”. Also, the receptacle outlet next to the sub-panel will be too close, so move it at least 6” from the edge of the panel so there is no interference. Good job trying it yourself, but consider an electrical contractor next time.
You did excellent.... so a few miniscule issues... eh... great job and keep up the great videos
Like that you’re humble! Most you would really hear in their voice.
Thanks for the info!
Can’t believe the inspector missed that!
Nice neat work. I have a background along the same as you
Don’t think much about it. Industrial is so different than residential. I have been scolded over the years
Before I wired my garage, I called up the inspector and asked what they wanted to see.
I wrote all of what he said down and kept it for later.
I wired my garage and scheduled the inspection.
The night before the inspection I broke out the notes from the call to the inspector.
I found 3 things that I had not done.
I fixed them all that night in about 30 minutes.
The next day the inspector showed up looked at all the things he said he would and signed off on the inspection.
Easy peasy.
Exactly. Codes are there to help and be safe. It sucks when the city wants to be a pain over silly things though.
Diyer should have inapection to ensure their own and families safety. Contractors get inspected so that the homeowner can have piece of mind.
Good info, thanks for sharing. The one about the tamper-proof receptacles below a certain height must be a new one; there have to be gazillions of non-tamper-proof ones in houses everywhere.
Live and learn.
Def not new
A very helpful video.
I done alittle different in garage I would’ve made those arc and everything on its own outlet. You’re still gonna want something to protect in case lightning hits the house and shoots up all the wire
Arc fault circuit interrupters have nothing to do with lightning. A lightning strike will blow the wiring out of the wall long before the breaker trips.
Yes, "arc fault protection" is designed to detect hazardous electrical arcs in the wiring which could start a fire. Arcs can arise from a several conditions, including a loose connection and human or animal damage to a conductor.
There is no protection from a direct lightning strike.
I do believe ( whether or not your strange inspector passed it) you should change your incoming hot and neutral wires back to the solid black being your black, and white striped being your neutral. Because in the future if someone ( trained individual) ever has to service that or that cable gets damaged someone is likely to get KILLED
Good fix especially now. Homeline GFCI 20a breakers are $53 EACH currently. Utter insanity. You can buy 10 packs of UL listed 20a GFCI receptacles for $82... $8.20 EACH and they'll protect all your downstream outlets just as well. If that's the best the industry can do for pricing and availability then these codes need to be abolished. You have to draw a line somewhere. You don't automatically enforce by law a 6.5x increase in price in the name of a minor safety improvement. If you applied that to every single aspect of life you'd never be able to afford anything ever. Bring down the breaker cost and I'd RATHER use them. They're more elegant. Better idea entirely. But why in Hades do they cost so much more? It SHOULD be the price of a standard breaker (About $6.50) plus the cost of adding the GFCI outlet features (about $8.20) for a TOTAL of $14.70. NOT $53! For that matter if they were $20 at a $5 premium I'd still gladly use the breaker for the convenience.
I just priced breakers at HD and L yesterday. Conventional breakers of the kind from 10 years ago or so were anywhere from $6 to $10. The new ones - CAFI, GFI, dual function - were ALL $100 more. Crazy.
I did mine also, and on the overhead lights they had me put in GFCI outlets on a 10' ceiling
Electrical code is EXTREMELY picky. Its almost impossible to pull off a home/ garage inspection without having an expert guiding you. Sometimes you can find licensed electricians that will just do the devices...you install the boxes and run the wires. They can tell you what wire to run where...and they have plenty to do with drilling holes and pounding in boxes. They absolutely FLY when they connect the devices...so it can be much more reasonably priced. The newest NEC wants EVERY circuit arc fault protected. That means EVERY breaker is electronic and costs in the $80 range. It adds THOUSANDS to the price.
And, local knowledge is extremely important. For example I know of dozens of jurisdictional and two entire states where the arc fault requirements are amended out of the NEC at the local level. Another conflict which I think has finally been resolved was the use of NM cable in assembly occupancies or above the fourth floor of a building. Another conflict was the use of 2" risers out of a panel board stuffed with NM cable instead of attaching each cable to the panel. Local knowledge . . .
states only adopt so much of the nec. arc faults are only code for bedrooms and lighting here in my state.
@@MrIan3333 I asked my electrician....S..about that. I was told that NEC means every state ie National. When I built my home in 2000 in Massachusetts it was for living areas like you describe. I was quoted that "every circuit is to be protected by arc fault including 50amp for stove and 30 amp for electric dryer." I priced one for $150 and it was out of stock. I think its ridiculous for everything. Just drives high prices higher.
@@rogerwhiting9310 massachusetts is one of those states that is doing this. but hey, y'all get to save half a cent on insurance.
@@MrIan3333 it is a VERY regulated state.
nice video, great looking panel!
Your panel is wired wrong ,black and white should be to common bar and the two black wires should be hooked too the main breaker
Red and black to main breaker
Red and black to main breaker and black and white to common lug
Thanks for the upload.
VERY good, thats why we take exams on JUST the NEC
Pretty sure that the storage area isn't required to have a light unless there is a piece of equipment in that space
it appears you have your neutral on a hot lug and a hot leg on the neutral lug .also that is technically a sub panel so the grounds and neutrals have to be separate and not bonded together. Thats why you need to remove that screw it's a bonding screw.
I don’t know how the inspector didn’t point out the neutral wire going to the main lug. I’m not the first to point it out but the white striped wire goes to the neutral. Black and red striped go to the main.
Thanks for sharing.
3-way "circuit" for stairs. 3-way switch, to many, infers a 3-pole switch, which I don't believe is what you were referring to.
A light circuit involving 3-way switches can indeed be referred to as a "3-way circuit."
A _3-pole_ switch means something completely different in the electrical world. A _pole_ is an isolated set of connections. A three-phase switch where a single switch opens or closes all three separate hots would be a 3-pole switch.
Also 2 of ur main feeder wires r incorrect u have black wire on neutral buss & white wire on one leg of the main circuit breaker
Yea that was the first thing I saw too and I kept waiting for him to say something but he never did...I was like wtf am I seeing things lol.
I think this is an error made when he swapped out the panels after the last inspection. Hopefully, from these comments, he will correct that rather egregious error before he calls for reinspection. However, it's not the black cable on the neutral that is the problem... this is common on the service entrance as the feeder triplex is often all black. Sometimes, the conductors will have a distinguishing thin stripe, but not always. It does need to be indicated, however. White electrical tape is typically how this is done, but heatshrink works great and will never get gummy.
That said, I can't fathom the black stripes on the red and white conductors in split-phase. In three phase, it's not unusual to have the neutral striped, but this can't be three-phase cable so WTF? The red conductor doesn't need to be striped because it's already colored to be a non-grounded conductor. ???
White can be used as a non-grounded conductor if it's marked to indicate that it's no longer white (I color them with a red Sharpie), but if this is already striped it would indicate that it is a non-grounded conductor so what do you use as the neutral? I have never seen this type of cable in over 40 years. If he marks the black wire with white electrical tape, he would be fine since this is standard fare on the main service entrance, anyway. Still... I would swap the black and white and indicate the white w/stripe with white electrical tape. So odd.
(both neutral also needs to be indicated on the 240V 40A circuits... they can't be left entirely black. The ganged breaker on bottom left needs to be indicated that the conductor is hot... it cannot be left completely white if it's a non-grounded conductor.)
Then again, this video is over a year old so it would be nice to see how it went the second time around. :-)
Noticed that too. Hope they are not correct at the main panel? Gonna be 4th of July when sub panel is energized!
I'm surprised the inspector didn't jump all over that. Very obvious. Just shows, inspectors aren't always on top of their game.
@@bullboss7698 dude I went on a trouble call one time bc this guys house lost power... there was so much Mickey Mouse shit going on at this place. Double tapped feeders to two different sub panels one of which was feeding his house. No ground rods driven at the home and no ground wire pulled to the home. I asked the guy (who did it himself I later learned), how in the literal f*ck this happened, and with a blank stare he shrugged and replied, “passed inspection”. I guess he had some kind of engineering degree so he thought all electrical work was easy and simple and any Mexican could do it. I was like “cool bro, well none of your arc fault breaker‘s work now for some reason so that’s gonna be like 800 bucks. Want to give it another shot or do you want a simpleton like me to do it”... at first I didn’t think there was any way that something like this would pass inspection but now I just don’t know lol.
I would recommend you re-wire those feeds. YOu have the neutral wire where a phase should be and a phase is where the neutral should be. Yes, it is a code violation too. Whether your inspector know that or not. White wires MUST be neutral wires only, not phase conductors.
Not sure a weather resistant GFI is required inside a structure
I still see a problem - you used the neutral as a hot I'm surprised the inspector did not see that - all black and black/red are hots and the wire with the white or gray stripe is your neutral
Let me end the pain here with the neutral color. I took a close look at time 01:08 and can say that the cable looks like SE or USE and the neutral is properly marked with 3 continuous white stripes in accordance with 200.6. The connections are as follows:
Bare Aluminum.....ground
Black/Red........leg 2 (L2)
Black......Neutral Bus
Black/3 white stripes..leg 1 (L1).
Yes, the inspector and several commentors missed this. Not wrong markings, wring terminals.
Good thing you were saved from needing a flashlight for that tiny storage space...
Always keep receipts so you can return items that don’t pass.
Returning stuff that’s been installed isn’t good; you are creating issues with costs for others and or returning bad stuff. If you don’t install it then, go ahead, return it. It’s about taking responsibility for your decision to do your own work. That comes with a risk that you might do it wrong; own it and don’t put your error on someone else.
for code you also need to tape your neutrals white.
I'm trying to start a new shop project... soon. One of my biggest fears is that I'm 45 yeas out of date, and codes as well as construction practices change. PEX is all "new" for me. We had GFCIs, but not Arc Faults.
Then, of course, there are local codes. St. Louis had something that they only allowed one wire per hole in a stud or joist. Can anybody say SWISS CHEESE?
I've had many problems with GFCI outlets, and would never use one unless absolutely necessary (near a sink).
Those child proof plugs would be a pain in a workshop, although perhaps they would help with dust and corrosion.
Have you been addressed on the main breaker termination? Not being a know it all but I feel like you have some in the wrong location. Looks good. Hope you enjoy it
one thing DIYers don't know is that the code book is not your enemy it is an actual tool that is set up to be used as a field reference guide no one can remember all that stuff and no one is expected to. code books are not that expensive AND there are as many exceptions to the code as there are sections because almost all of them have multiple exceptions. in this case the inspector was on the mark , that sort of an installation is pretty basic but there are inspectors and they there are inspectors. they are not all trained on the actual code they just have a punch list of specific items they look for along with the other punch lists they have to look at and the kicker is not that they may cause you to correct things that are not wrong NOPE the issue is that they miss things and YOU are they one actually responsible for the safety of the installation!
the inspector and the regulating agency are specifically indemnified from any potential liability for any of the work preformed EVEN the things they tell you to do in a correction in almost all cases so if they are wrong about that and it causes a fire or an electrocution it is YOU on the hook so do NOT depend on them to check your work ever and even double check to make sure that the correction its self IS correct. technically they are NOT suppose to be telling you HOW to make the correction just what needs to be corrected along with the code section violated , it is when they opine about the how part that the line gets blurred
any way grats on getting your rough signed off looks like a nice little addition and dont feel too bad about the corrections no one catches everything every time and the inspectors tend to think they haven't done their job if they don't gig you for something so they tend to keep looking until they find anything they can call a correction even if it is just adding a staple while they stand there and watch.
Why did you use the black wire to feed your neutral and the white wire to feed a hot in the panel?
You must have a lot of funky local codes. WR inside a garage? TR's only under 5'6"? 3-way switches for stairs? I'd be taking the inspector to task on those. They're inspectors, not expectors. They can't be pulling out shirt-pocket rules made up back at the office and only pulled out when they're checking things out. Code must be adopted, which is a defined legal process.
Hot and neutral reversed on the feeders, also the outlet beside the panel is too close. Good putting the panel cover and outlet face plate on !!
It's not a reversal if the wiring is consistent on both ends. But it's still the wrong color wire.
Dude, you also switched the neutral with one of the hots going into the main panel breaker. How did the inspector miss that???
The black wire with the white strip should go to the Neutral Bar and the black wire should go to L1. Also if a white wire goes to a breaker it HAS to have a color tape on it! and black wires going to a Neutral HAS to have a white tape on it. Also the main panel feed wires does not look big enough to handle that amp load of all the breakers
Don't fell bad a lot of people learn the hard way, neat job .
2020 nec 210.70 (C) lighting shall be installed where these spaces are used for storage or contain equipment requiring servicing. just in case anyone was wondering about the under the stairs light. but the WP plugs and crap in the garage total bs. inspector needs to do a little more research on that.
In the picture it looks like you have the white neutral landed on one of the line terminals?
Yes it's legal because it's 240 volt line. If you were running EMT then you can use red wire and black wire for the hot sides of 240 volt breakers. You can mark up the white wire stating it's hot but if you don't know that you better not mess with electrical work. 73
@@ronb6182 No, it's not legal and very hazardous.
EMT has nothing to do with it.
Voltage has nothing to do with it.
Why would you remark two wires when they are already identified for correct use?
Re-identifing conductors has very limited and specific rules.
Stop giving electrical advice when you have no idea what you are saying.
@@trustme7731 I don't know where you are coming from but my 240 circuits passed NEC code when inspected I have used Romex wire for 240 volts and also switch circuits that have only white and black to cloose from all passed inspection. You need to quit giving fake information. It's been done for years. With no problem. You are just sore because a DIY took away a job from you. Nothing to do with code. Marked up wired doesn't change anything except making it easier for the next guy to figure out what wires go where . Electricians do this quite often in Florida. EMT you can use red instead of white you need to reread the comment. It's best but not always possible to use red when it's not in a two conductor with ground on 240 circuits. Enough said. 73 even if you don't deserve it.
@@trustme7731 that a sign not to!
@@ronb6182 The subject is the cable he used to feed the panel. He has the wire identified as white as a hot and the black wire on the neutral terminal. This is clearly a code violation and a hazard. 2 wire NM cables with a white wire have always been allowed to be used on circuits that don't use a neutral where the white is properly re-identified. As far as switching goes, it's rarely an issue since a neutral has been required at outlets used for light switching for some time now.
Inside the garage, WR is not required, but GFCI is.
It comes down to general circuit receptical, compared to dedicated outlet, all places it can be accessed is an outlet,, it can be a receptical a light fixture, a switch , a smoke detector, dosnt matter it's an outlet,, some are general purpose receps, some are juntion box's, some are a simple light switch,, an outlet by code has many different purposes,, it accualy goes back to Edison,, and his original outlet🤔🤔🧐👍
Depends what size panels box you need
As a tradesman, I view the inspectors like a teacher grading a paper. Do everything right....pat on back. Do it messed up....slap on wrist with maybe a Do-over.
They are there to ensure you get a good and safe build.
Run away from anyone that "wants to make it work" or wants to hide stuff from the inspectors. Try to find someone that wants to use your house as a display model for their good work.
Little Napoleons are a pain to deal with, though.
@@jovetj sometimes our attitude is reflected back on us. See someone as your enemy and it is hard for them to prove you wrong.
Try treating your inspectors like a teammate on a road to the safest build. Do not be afraid to treat them like a mentor, asking questions and advice.
They are human and can have a bad day as well and with all the rules in the nec and electrical trade it is hard to keep up with them all....
Does the nec really tell, profession, grown men and women, to follow the manufacturer's instructions?
Must we have 6 inches of wire sticking out of a box or is there a different number for selected box sizes.....
We install grounds because electricity only flows in the path of least resistance....
Answers:
Yes - instructions for adults.
Yes,- box size does male a difference
Sadly, no - the ground adds a parallel path.....safer but circuit calculation show you still get to feel it, but with the ground, the breaker does to and trips.
Hope this helps.
Didn't phase those white conductors going in the breaker .. unless it's a arc fault ground fault breaker but it don't look like it
Having three way switches at the top and bottom of a staircase is just common sense. The inspector did you a favor by requiring dedicated staircase lighting with proper switching.
In this video I heard $500.00 for replacement cost for parts and materials to pass your inspection. In all the T.V shows and all the U-TUBE videos I never hear the total cost Labor, you cannot install a job without labor costs, it would be nice to know the actual amount time spent removing the materials, rebuying, and reinstalling to get approved.
Its not exactly easy to estimate labor cost on a DIY project. Would you calculate the hours at a journeyman electrician's rate? If not, how much is your time worth? For what it is worth, these changes look like 2-3 days of work to me, but everyone will be different and move at their own pace.
Are you saying he has to do some kind of song&dance figuring his OWN time as a labor cost? So OK, it's 1¢ per hour.
Ok a sub panel does not need a main breaker,, it can be used as a secondary shit off,, and yeah it should have some sort of hold down screw or strap, and idk what state your in but nothing in national code about if it's hard worked or plug in,, technically anything not permintaly installed need a means of disconnect,, which includes a receptical, and any stair case or basement needs a 3way top and bottom,, but I must call out the need for GFCI becuz it plugs in, any and all circuits that are intended to be for general use in certain places need to be GFCI,, but if installed for dedicated purpose use it's a different code section,, especially wene relating to lighting,, maybe arc fault, but not ground fault👍🤔
I’m gonna call BS on the WR receptacles inside the garage. If it was a wash bay it would be different and covers would be required also.
I would love to introduce you to my inspectors. Do it there way or suffer.
If that’s a sub panel you can’t have grounds and neutrals together, and it must have its own path to ground with rods. I don’t know if you said that. I just noticed from thumbnail, maybe I shoulda watched first. Keep on keeping on!
What's the point on commenting on a video you haven't watched?
Interesting, I've never noticed the requirement for Weather Resistant receptacles. I'm surprised you didn't need arc fault protection on all those circuits too. I'm currently finishing my basement and every circuit needs arc fault and ground fault protection, so I went with combo breakers.
Arc fault is for the Service panels. Not sub panels..So save yourself money...As any short to ground is trying to get back to the source. The source being the Transformer feeding the main panel. Why you don't Bond Sub panels.
I think arc fault isn't required for garages. Because if you have a table saw or some tool that draws a ton of electricity when it starts up, there is a small arc that would trip AFCI breakers. GFCI definitely required in garage though.
The black wire you have connected to the neutral bus should be used as a hot and the white wire you have on the hot should be the neutral. Neutral conductor is supposed to be white. I don't know how an inspector let you by with that.
You have the neutral and black wire reversed in the panel
Those striped feeds to the panel are weird - since when did that become the way to do it?.
As a licensed master electrician and an electrical contractor with 41 years in the trade, I have had many people call and want me to sign off on the electrical on their already finished basement, garage, addition or whatever because they got caught with no permit. Sometimes someone turns them in or a prospective buyer checks for past permits. I always refuse to do this. Why should I be sued when there is property damage or someone gets hurt or killed because of what some ignorant homeowner did?
Sometimes the homeowner has started the work and wants me to finish it. The first thing I do is rip EVERYTHING out that they did. Boxes, wire, everything. If they can't accept that, I tell them to get someone else.
Smart but too extreme maybe. Wiring is easy to trace but a pulled permit is a must. I would never write any job off the responsibly needs to go to the owner. Inspectors can be sued and your smart for refusing the job. It's best not to even bother with the job and move on. I do see your point. If the wires are in open walls wires can be traced but in closed walls it's best to just leave and find another electrical job to do. Totally agreed
@@ronb6182 The responsibility falls on the last to work on it and with the deepest pockets, the contractor without exception. A property owner that did illegal electrical work can be legally held accountable even years after he sells the property. Inspectors can't be sued unless there was severe lack of diligence and suing them rarely if ever goes anywhere.
How do I know if those homeowner installed cables aren't damaged? They also route them improperly, used the wrong cable, have excessive wire counts in boxes, use the wrong boxes, drill holes in studs wrong, cut cables way too short, don't remove the sheath before putting the cable in the box, bend cables too sharply, improper cable supporting, and on and on.
@@trustme7731 yeah that's why I told the other electrician to run from them jobs. I fixed many electricians boo-boos. One put a double pole switch for a 4 way switch I can tell just by looking at the switch it's a double pole and not a 4 way. I learned how to hook up a four way switch in my 9th grade electronics and electricity class. Not many Jr high or highschools have such a shop class but mine did. Technical schools had programs but not many high schools. My dad taught me how to wire and what was code in that time. A lot has changed and GFCI was not even invented yet. Grounds and neutrals shared busses at that time. Now grounds must have their own buss. Neutrals cannot be doubled up like in the past. I seen a box with multiple neutral connections I wish I had a camera to show some of the sloppy electrical work I ran across. I think inspectors were paid off. Where I live you cannot have more than six or seven outlets to a circuit. I found 13 in my home. I broke up that circuit when the tree fell on the house and I had easy access to the attic because the drywall was removed from the ceiling. I'm not an attic person especially in the summer. 73
@@trustme7731 - I understand your position - you are avoiding risk of liability.
So how do you approach a job where there is existing wiring that may or may not be “dubious”, where it isn’t obviously a DIY homeowner?
@@stevebabiak6997 Whether it's residential, commercial or industrial, if I see something wrong I make the customer aware of it. It wouldn't have to be something wired or installed incorrectly. It could be something caused by normal wear and tear or damage from an unrelated source. If I can, I offer to repair it as an extra. If they don't want to and it is connected to or related to what I am doing I might have to walk away or make them sign a wavier that they know about it and refuse the repair.
I see so many sub panels bonded I want to scream..And you don't need a GFCI in every outlet. Just the first one in the circuit has to be GFCI.. Preferably where you can reset it easy.
I would add. Mark every ground and neutral with the proper color tape in the panel..