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> So I have to wonder what sort of crap they're seeing elsewhere Professionals who know the code to the letter will happily build a rats nest that meets the co

> So I have to wonder what sort of crap they're seeing elsewhere Professionals who know the code to the letter will happily build a rats nest that meets the code to the letter and rightfully tell the inspector to F-off if they get uppity. Homeowners try to make their stuff look nice because they are dependent on the inspectors good graces because they do not have the requisite knowledge to argue with them so they try to stack the deck in their favor by making the inspector's job easy. (And they know the next person dealing with the panel will probably be them so they have another incentive to make it clean).

Syonyk 4y ago
Yeah... that's about my logic. I know the person who's going to have to fight with it later, for sure. I'm just wondering how bad a typical solar install is, that what I consider "sane and reasonable wiring I can visually trace without heroics" is worth mentioning specifically.
- throwaway0a5e 4y ago
  >I'm just wondering how bad a typical solar install is, that what I consider "sane and reasonable wiring I can visually trace without heroics" is worth mentioning specifically. Any neanderthal who's had the code beat into them can do the wiring just fine. I would be far more worried about "professionals" drilling holes in dumb shit to save 5min or mounting components in dumb places for convenience than I would be about them doing a bad job at connecting it all together with copper.
- rascul 4y ago
  I have no experience with solar installs but I wouldn't be surprised if crappy rooftop installs lead to leaks roofs. Happens all the time with satellite dishes.
  - Syonyk 4y ago
    This is one of many, many reasons I encourage people who have the land to do so, to do ground mounts. Zero chance of roof leaks that way, and the cost, even with the ground mounts, can actually end up being lower if you don't have a lot of shade. NEC 2017 requires per-panel electronics for shutdown on the roof, and there's no such requirement for ground mounts - so I just have 12 panel series strings going to a string inverter. There's no shade microinverters would help with (my two arrays shade each other a bit in the morning and evening).
idiotsecant 4y ago
>rightfully tell the inspector to F-off if they get uppity. Thats not at all how that works. The inspector is guided by the code but 'because I want you to' is a valid reason for them to specify rework. There are all kinds of vagueness in the NEC, for example, that allow latitude over whether work well-crafted or not. If an inspector is just plain wrong about a particular detail you can certainly appeal to the state authority but it's almost never done because it's more expense and delay than just making the install a little better.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]

Syonyk 4y ago

Yeah... that's about my logic. I know the person who's going to have to fight with it later, for sure. I'm just wondering how bad a typical solar install is, that what I consider "sane and reasonable wiring I can visually trace without heroics" is worth mentioning specifically.

throwaway0a5e 4y ago
>I'm just wondering how bad a typical solar install is, that what I consider "sane and reasonable wiring I can visually trace without heroics" is worth mentioning specifically. Any neanderthal who's had the code beat into them can do the wiring just fine. I would be far more worried about "professionals" drilling holes in dumb shit to save 5min or mounting components in dumb places for convenience than I would be about them doing a bad job at connecting it all together with copper.
rascul 4y ago
I have no experience with solar installs but I wouldn't be surprised if crappy rooftop installs lead to leaks roofs. Happens all the time with satellite dishes.
- Syonyk 4y ago
  This is one of many, many reasons I encourage people who have the land to do so, to do ground mounts. Zero chance of roof leaks that way, and the cost, even with the ground mounts, can actually end up being lower if you don't have a lot of shade. NEC 2017 requires per-panel electronics for shutdown on the roof, and there's no such requirement for ground mounts - so I just have 12 panel series strings going to a string inverter. There's no shade microinverters would help with (my two arrays shade each other a bit in the morning and evening).

idiotsecant 4y ago

>rightfully tell the inspector to F-off if they get uppity. Thats not at all how that works. The inspector is guided by the code but 'because I want you to' is a valid reason for them to specify rework. There are all kinds of vagueness in the NEC, for example, that allow latitude over whether work well-crafted or not. If an inspector is just plain wrong about a particular detail you can certainly appeal to the state authority but it's almost never done because it's more expense and delay than just making the install a little better.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]