[RE-wrenches] How do we wrenches provide pertinent advice? (was120% rule applying to conductors)

[William Miller]

Dan:

The NEC is purely advisory until a political jurisdiction (city, county or 
state) adopts it and makes compliance mandatory pursuant to obtaining a 
final inspection clearance.

This discussion raises some intriguing questions: Do we really think 
building departments want to incur liability by encouraging contractors to 
ignore code sections?  Are local building departments qualified to apply 
technical review for a given waiver request?  What about all of the other 
areas in which you might find the NEC defective?  Can we apply for special 
permission to waive the requirement to run an 8AWG copper conductor to 1 
amp micro-inverters, for example?  Where does this process logically conclude?

If anyone can describe how "special permission" is acquired, we can judge 
if the process is practical for a given situation.  Maybe one special 
permission issued to one jurisdiction regarding the conductor portion of 
690.64(B) can be applied to many jurisdictions.  Now that may be a way to 
convince inspectors to waive the conductor requirement.  Pursuing this 
rates as a productive use of our time, in my humble opinion.

Bill Brooks, are you familiar with the process???

William Miller



At 09:59 AM 10/1/2012, you wrote:
>Look inside the Code book.  Page 1, at the bottom.  Last paragraph
>on that page, which begins:
>
>"This Code is purely advisory as far as NFPA is concerned."
>
>
>Dan
>
>
>
>--- On Mon, 10/1/12, Drake <drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org> wrote:
>
> > From: Drake <drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org>
> > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] How do we wrenches provide pertinent advice? 
> (was120% rule applying to conductors)
> > To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> > Date: Monday, October 1, 2012, 10:00 AM
> > Right. The NFPA doesn't have any
> > authority in itself.  It is a private
> > corporation.  Local municipalities adopt the NEC at
> > their own discretion.
> >
> > At 10:44 AM 10/1/2012, you wrote:
> > > Exactly,
> > >
> > > Another fine example of how the Code works. Anyone out
> > there have the definition of "special permission".
> > >
> > > Any changes have to go back to the NFPA?  Really
> > the buck stops at the quasi-judicial authority of the head
> > of the building department. Inspectors are the bearers of
> > that authority. So it all comes downs to anyone can do
> > anything if they can get the AHJ to sign off on it.
> > >
> > > Mark.
> > >
> > > On 10/1/2012 6:24 AM, Drake wrote:
> > >> From  90.4
> > >>
> > >> "By special permission, the authority having
> > jurisdiction may waive specific requirements in this Code or
> > permit alternative methods where it is assured that
> > equivalent objectives can be achieved by establishing and
> > maintaining effective safety."
>
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Miller Solar
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email: william at millersolar.com
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