Electrician question

[Nicademus]

Need a quick question answered and did not know anywere else to ask. We are trying to sell our house and the home inspector found some things that an electrician did wrong when wiring my garage. 12 wire on 30 amp breaker. Not a biggie but as I’m out of town my wife hired a new electrician to come in and replace the breaker. (don’t ask me the price….)

Anyway he saw the 4 gage wire running in the joist and studs to the box in the garage and said that is a code violation and he would have to have my wife sign off that he told her. Or he said for 900 bills he will re run it in conduit. When the guy that did it the first time ran it he said it was up to code, he ran in the walls and where it came out of the wall he ran it though conduit.

This really has the wife spun up and I need a second opinion.

Does 4 gage wire to another box need to be fully incased in conduit or can it be ran in the walls?

thanks

[Irving]

I asked my dad, and he didn't seem to think that there was an issue with any of the wiring you mentioned, including the 12 gauge for the 30 amp breaker. He doesn't think it's needed, since that is the point of the jacket on the wire. He says he could be wrong, so you might want to Google the 2003 Uniform Building Electrical code, OR better yet, contact the City of Thornton and ask them.

[ChunkyMonkey]

mrgreencom from here did some electrical work for me. Paging Mrgreencom!

[mrgreencom]

#12 AWG wire, while technically able to carry 30A, is a code violation if on a circuit greater than 20A. It has to do with the wire size, not the insulation which would only potentially limit the capacity more.

I'm assuming the #4 AWG is THHN (single wire(S)) and not romex (multiple wires in an insulated shell). It's hard to know for sure, but it's probably the water bond (one single wire), which does not need "mechanical protection", but if it's multiple loose wires used for power, then it does need to be enclosed in a pipe, flex, etc.

Send me a PM if you still have questions and I'll give you my number. My phone is dead now, but when I get home, it will be back up. :)

[Nicademus]

It is the 3 single wires. Stiff as hell. The guy that came out to look at the job said he could not use the current wire and that he would have to get new, that is why it cost so much (price of copper). Can the current wire be used again? I'm sorry to put you on the spot and I understand not answering if you are not comfortable.

We are broke now with all the other stuff on the house (failed for radon also) And I have to try and find a cheep way to do this. I all ready started my new job for the government out here in St. Louis, and I worry having the wife take care of things back there.

Can it be wrapped? Do I have any other options?

Thanks for all the help,
Scott

[mrgreencom]

Replied to your PM....

[ChunkyMonkey]

We are broke now with all the other stuff on the house (failed for radon also) And I have to try and find a cheep way to do this. I all ready started my new job for the government out here in St. Louis, and I worry having the wife take care of things back there.

Can it be wrapped? Do I have any other options?

Thanks for all the help,
Scott

Your simplest solution to radon is to air out the basement, seal the crawl space & foundation cracks; you might want to install subslab

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html#reductiontech

Don't worry too much.. your realtor should be able to talk his/her way through the inspection objection. Good luck

<- better half and I are licensed realtor and banker.