Greetings,

I think the inspector probably should have said five but said six instead
because he made a mistake or was unsure of the distance. I don't believe he
was giving me an extra foot to be nice or that local code allows for the
extra foot. The real disservice that the inspector did was knowing the code
too well to explain it to me in a way that I understand. He was not willing
to take the extra second to rethink his "ground the water pipe" wording and
to point me to the sections of the code I was in violation of. I am not
dense and I want to comply with code. I try very hard to ensure that
everything I do is up to code and I don't like having to fight with code to
try to determine how to make a building code compliant when it is their job
to ensure that buildings are code compliant. How hard would it have been
for him to quote me a couple sections of the NEC so that I have a better
understanding of the rules so I do not make the mistake again? I know
someone is going to probably say "not his job" but it's my tax dollars and I
would like to think that fostering a better understanding of the code is his
job.

Also, the inspector cannot interpret the code beyond a point. Otherwise he
would simply interpret the code to mean that you must pay him $100 cash
right this instant. There is a review process -- it is just heavily weighed
in their favor.

Just my two cents,
William


"Doug Miller" wrote in message
m...
In article , "Richard B. \(Bruce\) Leiby"
wrote:
Your local electrical inspector Does NOT know code as well as he would
like
to think he does, although he is right up to a certain point.

Actually, he knows it a lot better than you do!

NEC Article
250.52 (A) (1) is what he is "alluding" to!! 250-52 Grounding Electrodes
(A)
Electrodes Permitted For Grounding (and then it lists them by numerical
ascension) (1) Metal Underground Water Pipe. A metal underground water
pipe
in direct contact with the earth for 3.0 m (10 ft) or more (including any
metal well casing effectively bonded to the pipe) and electrically
continuous (or made electrically continuous by bonding around insulating
joints or insulating pipe) to the points of connection of the grounding
electrode conductor and the bonding conductors. INTERIOR METAL WATER
PIPING
LOCATED MORE THAN 1.52 m (5 ft) FROM THE POINT OF ENTRANCE TO THE
BUILDING
"SHALL NOT" BE USED AS A PART OF THE GROUNDING ELECTRODE SYSTEM OR AS A
CONDUCTOR TO INTERCONNECT ELECTRODES THAT ARE PART OF THE GROUNDING
ELECTRODE SYSTEM.
As you can see, it says in the first part that the water supply into
the
house CAN be used as an electrode!!

Note that the Code also says that it canNOT be used as the ONLY electrode.

The 2nd part is saying if you do use the
water pipe as one of the electrodes, you MUST make the connection WITHIN
5
feet of the "point of entrance" of the water pipe coming into the
building!!

Right so far... but you missed the part where the Code says that "The
interior
metal water piping system SHALL BE BONDED..." [my emphasis] to whatever
grounding means is used for the electrical system. In other words, if the
house has metal water piping, you *must* make the connection, *and* that
connection must be within 5 feet etc etc.

So, as you can see, your local electrical inspector is wrong when he
says 6 feet. NEC means 5 feet or LESS!!!!! He needs to get enrolled in a
continuing ed program and stay on top of things!!

The NEC specifically permits local authorities to make interpretations and
exceptions. The inspector is well within the Code by permitting 6 feet
instead
of 5. Perhaps YOU need to "get enrolled in a continuing ed program and
stay on
top of things" before dispensing advice on subjects you know little about.

And where I live, many is the electrical inspector that has tried to
interprete code his way and I have always "called them" on it. I know the
code well enough that I don't argue with them when I know they may be
right,
BUT they know that when I DO argue with them, they are in deep sh_t!!!!!

You apparently don't know the Code very well at all, or you would realize
that
the Code *defines* the local inspectors as having authority to interpret
what
the Code means.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?