Inspections: (was Re: mixed voltages in Altronix ALTV244 box)

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Marc F Hult" <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote

<much stuff snipped, subject line modified>

> Sometimes the less one knows technically, the better one is
> able to cope with regulatory requirements  -- a hopefully gentle way of
> implying that if the engineers and other techs you work with are not
familiar
> with the NEC, they may find it counterintuitive. ("The circuit only needs
50 mA
> of 12vdc but the inspector says we have to replace all the wire we ran
with at
> least 18 gauge conductors inside conduit ?!% ").

A very interesting subject, indeed, since so much of HA involves almost
every "inspectable" area of the home.

Do you think the inspector in the above (hypothetical?) case understood the
lower than normal current consumption issues?

Or was he more concerned with blind obedience to low voltage code
requirements?

Perhaps he was looking toward future owners, who might believe the wire was
18 gauge just because the code says any low voltage wiring supplying power
to a device should be at least that size.

The bottom line, as you imply, is that you *have* to satisfy the local
inspectors to get them to sign, so just get used to their way of doing
things, even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.   Practical advice.

An alienated inspector can find a whole lot more wrong than one who isn't.
In terms of dollars, it's probably cheaper to use the heavier wire than to
argue and have to deal with further objections.

--
Bobby G.