Electrical inspection

[rvcuneo]

I have an in ground pool bonding situation. I have been trying to have a pool installed since the end of March. Two weeks I gave up on my electrician for a number of reasons and went down to the town and had the electrical permit change over to me the homeowner.
The electrician?s rough electrical inspection had failed for no bonding wire back to the equipment pad, the depth of the trench at the shallow end of the pool, and no bonding of the railing cups. After a full day of breaking up gunite over spray in the shallow end trench I achieved the proper depth. Next I purchased 175 feet of green #8 solid copper and ran it from the pad around the pool and bonded it to the three tails of the #8 wire that were originally attached to the rebar before the pool was sprayed. And to the railing cups and back to the pad. I next instructed the landscapers that the shallow end needed to be left until the electric inspection.
This morning nine days after I called for a re inspection I went down to talk to the inspector before he came out to re-inspect and verified that he had inspected the potting compound and grounding wire of the wet niches, which he verified and said were good. Later when he came out to my house he lost his professionalism and started to scream at me. He was so loud my wife inside heard his yelling with the air conditioner on. His first complaint, referred to the bonding wire going to the pad. How does he know that it is the same wire? I can understand the question and if need be want to rectify the problem. I was told that I was in such a hurry that now it was going to take me a really long time to finish this project. He wants me to re trench around the whole pool and then decided that he wanted to see the connection to the rebar that has been encapsulated in the pool.
Am I wrong in thinking, if an area has been inspected and found ok, work can continue in that area? Second when I read the codebook, I did not find anything calling for the bonding wire to be in the 18-inch deep trench. If the three points I bonded to are still visible can the bonding wire take a different path to the pad and one that is not as deep?
All my wife ever wanted was a pool and now three and a half months into our project I have an inspector who want me to rip out a 50,000 dollar pool, what a nightmare.

 

[bphgravity]

Re: Electrical inspection

It certainly sounds like you are having a bit of bad luck. It's very unfortunate when these things happen. It gives the typical person a bad perception of the electrical industry.

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is get another electrical contractor that has a good reputation in the town and that will discuss the issue with the building department to head off any problems during re-re-inspection.

I wish you the best and hope it all works out.

 

[petersonra]

Re: Electrical inspection

You seem to have one of a HO's worst nightmares. A contractor that apparently abandoned you, and a city that has an inspector with a grudge against HOs (or maybe it is just a grudge against the world in general).

I suggest you take a few deep breaths and try and be calm about this. That may be difficult, but if you can take a few days and step away from it, and think about something else for a few days, you may be able to think more clearly.

<added>
I am curious why you chose to not have the pool installed as a package deal? Acting as your own GC can save a few bucks, but you also take on the risk. You may have learned an expensive lesson in being a GC.

[ July 15, 2005, 07:57 AM: Message edited by: petersonra ]

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Electrical inspection

Originally posted by rvcuneo:
Am I wrong in thinking, if an area has been inspected and found ok, work can continue in that area?

If it's spelled out on the permit as such.

Sometimes, prior to having a structure 100% complete, an inspection will be called and areas to be insulated are inspected. The inspector would then sign the card "OK to insulate 07/15" to indicate the arrangement.

If the bonding didn't pass in the first place, I'm sure the inspector didn't expect you to concrete in the areas of the pool he didn't vocalize a problem with. Whoever thought that was okay needs a solid thump on the head.

 

[rvcuneo]

Re: Electrical inspection

My intent was to arrange everything through the pool company. We live in a town where there are rocks everywhere and I chose this particular company because they did their own excavating, gunite and plaster, but the electric and plumbing they subcontracted. As far as rock I made a good choice because when they were half way through the digging they hit granite ledge. They owner came over and determined the ledge might be fragile and directed his shovel to pound and work on the rock. It was about an eleven-hour digging day but the completed the hole with no extra expense. The rebar was perfect and the quality of the pool itself is excellent. The trouble started with the sub contractors the plumber gave a verbal estimates ( my first mistake ) and then after he started I got by the way the cost is.The plumber charged $3000 for a straight run across a 24ft wide basement with flex pipe and a 95 ft run in a trench the pool company dug. When the electrician did the initial bonding wire in the shell he gave me a verbal of $4800 for a 50-amp sub panel and connections. I thought this was a little high and went back to the pool company. At this time I was told it would be done for between $3000 and $3500. I said go ahead. After the electrician came back and dropped conduit in the trench and ran the conduit for the lights with the ground in and the light the pool company supplied I was told that although another price was discussed he was not agreeing to it and I should call for a rough inspection. After so many months I just wanted it done and the electrician knew it. His rough failed and here I am.
Second there has been no decking placed. Because of the rock situation and the pool company initally digging a trench to the wrong location, we have been living with a very dangerous situation for the last two months. I wanted the holes filled with exception of the trench from the house. The landscape company covered about twelve feet of the trench at the deep end to get the shovel around the yard to work. My mistake was to think that because the trench was inspected at this end and found OK it would not be a problem allowing them to cover it. All the points where the bonding wire exit the shell are available.