"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Apr 23, 4:17 pm, wrote:
I guess I have two questions. First let me explain this situation.

I have an existing EMT conduit that runs from my panel in the garage
to a junction box in the attic 80 feet away. From the junction box
another pipe to go to the outside to serve the pool pump.

When my electricians were looking at the wires, they determined that
the color of the wires are wrong on that run, they have used a blue
#12 wire when it should be white #12 to the junction box, and then
they used a black #12 to continue on that wire to the pump (actually
the timer of the pump). Due to this mis-color, it got them confused
and they recommended that I rerun new wires while we are working on
the wiring. I agreed. This resulted in me having to buy an extra
roll of 500' #12 wire ($60) and a change order to the contract with
added money ($250).

They told me this was "all taken care of".

Now a few days later, I asked them if they ran the wire, they told me
no. Why, because the conduit was too tight, it has #8 wires in it to
serve an AC unit, and they tried to pull the old wire but not able to,
thinking the old wire may be twisted or tangled with the #8 around
some elbows. I understand that....but...

(1) In this case, should I be subjected to the added charge? Since
they didn't do what they said they would do? or yes since they spent
time trying? At the end they used colored electrical tapes to wrap
around the ends of the wires to indicate the mis-coloration.

(2) Should I attempt to change it? Should I ask them to pull the #8
and the #12 all out, untangle everything, and then run the new wires
through together? or is this a high risk that we may not be able to
feed everything through? Pipe is 1/2", there are I think two #8 and
two #12 with the intent to replace both #12.

1/2" conduit is a bit tight, particularly on longish runs the 8s
already in place. This site has a useful conduit fill calculator:
http://jlgengsoft.com/Documents/fill.htm Exactly how hard did they
try to pull out the offending wire? It's possible they damaged the
insulation. Is the work being inspected or are you relying on what
these guys tell you?

You don't have to pay for work that isn't done, but then again, I
don't know how that change order was worded. These were the guys that
kept requesting new boxes of connectors when they hadn't finished a
single box and kept scarfing your beverages. Rack up another one.
Your next step is to find out if these guys are really licensed.
Using a buddy's license doesn't cut it.

R

Well I started watching them closely, they were not taking my stuff, just
exceedingly absent minded.

Last week, one of them left about a half reel of 12/2 MC cables in the
attic, it was a reel of 250' long cable about half used.

But then again, I found tons of crap in my attic, I found about 65 brand new
(but 35 years old) AC filters up there today.

MC