Electrical Peeps-

mrblaine

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Now that we are final on the back up generator install, I need to clean up the conduit run. The installer missed the mark a tad and I'd like it to look more in line with something a professional would do so some ideas as to what I should be asking for when I try to get some folks out to discuss things.

This is one area- The kink at the lower red arrow is due to the roof drain. The notch in the fascia is bothersome.
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This whole section of the run is less than what I expect from a pro.

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They started at the blue post and just sorta kinked and tweaked to get it where they put it. I'm not a fan.

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I think this section here should be parallel to the soffit.

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It gets better. If you're observant, you may be able to figure out which of the cable and phone wires I ran and which one the cable monkey ran.

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I am no electrician but, looks like some sloppy work to me. I think I counted 14 couplers and like 8 to 10 bends in that run. I am surprised an inspector signed off on it.
 
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I am no electrician but, looks like some sloppy work to me. I think I counted 14 couplers and like 8 to 10 bends in that run. I am surprised an inspector signed off on it.
In general, our inspectors don't give a shit about aesthetics and since this was signed off, it doesn't really matter if there are any that do.
 
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Objectively, i think your standards are too high because you're used to working with yourself. I can tell which phone and cables you ran because they look like your brake lines!

I think in that industry, electricians are equivalent to Inspectors, they don't give a shit about aesthetics. It's not that this guy tried to make it look bad he just didn't probably appreciate that he was doing work for an artist.
 
Objectively, i think your standards are too high because you're used to working with yourself. I can tell which phone and cables you ran because they look like your brake lines!

I think in that industry, electricians are equivalent to Inspectors, they don't give a shit about aesthetics. It's not that this guy tried to make it look bad he just didn't probably appreciate that he was doing work for an artist.
His website is Fortified Energy Systems. Go take a look and see if he'd like pics of my install up there.
 
His website is Fortified Energy Systems. Go take a look and see if he'd like pics of my install up there.
I think everything but the joggle into the woodshed and down to floor. That's the part where they quit caring.
 
His website is Fortified Energy Systems. Go take a look and see if he'd like pics of my install up there.
Generic picture website with some photos that don't show much detail work.

I wouldn't be satisfied with the work in your pictures and they'd be back fixing it.

And who the hell would want to show off this?

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Inspectors don't give a shit about aesthetics.
have retired as a construction superintendent I can tell you electrical inspectors DO give a shit about aesthetics's...when they see straight conduit runs and clean load centers. they know their working with quality electricians and will overlook minor issues knowing they'll be fixed.your phone lines look great as they should (except the ground)...the notch at the beam is a no no...
 
As a foreman electrician I would be pissed at my guys for running conduit like that. According to the national electrical code article 110.12 “ electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workman manner”. Any inspector can use this code article to require something like this to be fixed. Conduit should always be square,plumb, and level, unless existing conditions require something else( running parallel to a sloped beam etc)
 
It’s sad seeing so many pre fabricated bends being used. That’s one thing I would bring up if I was to have someone come look at it. I get that they can be faster but they just look like dog shit. What’s the price difference between bending the pipe or pre fab.

In your opinion do you see a cleaner straighter path to run the pipe. A lot of times the path is what will make or break a clean run.

Every inspector and every AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) is different so who is to say what is what. What I do know is my inspector would of probably signed off on it. Then he would tell the office and I would be that guy and I don’t want to be that guy.
 
Generic picture website with some photos that don't show much detail work.

I wouldn't be satisfied with the work in your pictures and they'd be back fixing it.

And who the hell would want to show off this?

View attachment 258568
I guessing the who would be Fortified Energy Systems... but that is a wild guess.
 
It’s sad seeing so many pre fabricated bends being used. That’s one thing I would bring up if I was to have someone come look at it. I get that they can be faster but they just look like dog shit. What’s the price difference between bending the pipe or pre fab.

In your opinion do you see a cleaner straighter path to run the pipe. A lot of times the path is what will make or break a clean run.

Every inspector and every AHJ (authority having jurisdiction) is different so who is to say what is what. What I do know is my inspector would of probably signed off on it. Then he would tell the office and I would be that guy and I don’t want to be that guy.
My question is who has suggestions as to how to clean that up and make it look like someone who gave a shit installed it? I did relate that the installation methodology was highly flawed before they notched the fascia and started kinking the conduit in the hitch on the work truck. I was soundly ignored.
 
Objectively, i think your standards are too high because you're used to working with yourself. I can tell which phone and cables you ran because they look like your brake lines!

I think in that industry, electricians are equivalent to Inspectors, they don't give a shit about aesthetics. It's not that this guy tried to make it look bad he just didn't probably appreciate that he was doing work for an artist.
I'm not an artist and I perfectly well know the point of diminishing returns for work performed. If you're okay with the workmanship, just say so and stop trying to blame me for something that is obviously up to your standards.
 
My question is who has suggestions as to how to clean that up and make it look like someone who gave a shit installed it? I did relate that the installation methodology was highly flawed before they notched the fascia and started kinking the conduit in the hitch on the work truck. I was soundly ignored.
My mistake.

Other then tearing it out and re doing it. If I had to keep that I would paint it to hide it better.
 
My mistake.

Other then tearing it out and re doing it. If I had to keep that I would paint it to hide it better.
Let's assume it will be torn out and redone from the blue post over to the generator. What should it do to look better than it does now?
 
That's just shitty work. Probably safe enough, but looks like crap. My late father was an IBEW electrician for 45 years - his conduit runs were a work of art.
 
That's a whole bunch of sloppy pipe work. There isn't much to tell you to tell the next guy, except that what you think it should look like is very close to what it ought to look like. Far fewer couplers, better placed offsets, runs that are parallel to and fit within the existing structure, cleaner looking supports.

Your guy bought a big pile of pre-bent pieces and made it work.
 
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I'm no electrician but I've run enough piping to know that's not good.

I would have avoided the water piping as much as possible. I'm not a fan of the unsupported vertical section either. I'd attach it to the wall then move it back over to avoid the pipe. Then run it on the ceiling more like my rough sketch. Of course, it all depends on the 90 degree radius you're allowed to use. I'd bend the pipe instead of using that many couplings. I'd have to patch that notch they cut out and paint it so I'd forget about that cut. And straighten the other stuff up.

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I'm guessing that they couldn't run the conduit out of the generator horizontally until it got to the blue beam, then up and securing the conduit to the ceiling? That would certainly make for a cleaner routing with fewer connections, IMO.
 
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For the blue post I'd rather go through it than around it. Looks like it's load bearing so that may not be an option.

Most of it just needs to be run straight instead of all the wonky angles they went with. Biggest problem is that first pic, I'd do anything I could to stay away from that drain line. Like go back a bit, up the wall, across the beams on the ceiling, and out from there. Then just for looks I'd hide most of the run in a basic square crown molding, especially around the blue post.