Thread: cu/al breakers

Observed a write up by an inspector and he wrote cu/al overcurrent circuits, correct immediately , it is a murry electric panel. He out of town for a few days and cannot contact him , can any tell me exactly what repairs are needed. thanks

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Originally Posted by daniel nantell

Observed a write up by an inspector and he wrote cu/al overcurrent circuits,

I have no idea what that inspector means.

I hate to say this but that inspector needs some help in writing his reports such that the meaning is clear.

First and foremost ... there is no such thing as "cu/al overcurrent circuits" ... is that exactly what he wrote?

1) You COULD have copper circuits.
2) You COULD have aluminum circuits.
3) You COULD have ... I have no idea what he is trying to say you COULD have ...

Please tell me you did not tell us exactly what he wrote and that those words was your summation of what he wrote ... and that you will now follow it with EXACTLY what was written in the report. Please let it be that.

that his exact words in the inspection report, A electrician called me to help explain it to him because of the original Inspector is gone, but I could not help him on this one. thanks for your input.

They did have 2 different brands of circuit breakers in panel, I dont know If that could have been part of the problem, it was a murry panel.?

Originally Posted by daniel nantell

that his exact words

Daniel,

Then I fear for what might be in the rest of the report.

This is a case where the electrician is absolutely correct in scratching his head and saying " WTH? Doesn't that home inspector KNOW ANYTHING? Based on that reporting, the answer would be 'No.' ".

I am certainly (in one aspect) glad to hear it was not your summation of it (I didn't think so), yet am at the same time dismayed that it was the exact wording as that indicates an inspector who knows not what they are doing.

In the favor of the other inspector I can only hope those were "canned comments" he has not yet changed in his inspection software, and then further dismayed because he used those canned comments instead of typing something else, and even further dismayed that those words would be "canned comments" in a computer in$pection report.

Originally Posted by daniel nantell

They did have 2 different brands of circuit breakers in panel, I dont know If that could have been part of the problem, it was a murry panel.?

Daniel,

That's a problem, but has nothing to do with that wording.

About all the electrician can do is replace the odd breakers, look for anything else, hopefully not say too much bad about the home inspector to the seller and the agent, and wait for further explanation of what the home inspector meant.

Regardless, though, as I just said above, the electrician *should correct everything they see*, if not on the home in$pection report, it should have been, and if anything arises as a result of the electrician leaving it (if he does), ... well, I sure hope he has good insurance as he just might be needing it ... the electrician was the last man in and he SHOULD HAVE KNOWN AND SHOULD HAVE TOLD US of the problems.

Without seeing the wording perhaps he was concerned that the breakers were not listed for use with AL and CU conductors? Perhaps the breakers were sized improperly for AL conductor ampacity?

Like Jerry said, the mixed breakers in the panel would be a technical issue if the brands were not listed for use in the panel.

Originally Posted by daniel nantell

Observed a write up by an inspector and he wrote cu/al overcurrent circuits, correct immediately ,

This is an embarrassment to the profession.

Originally Posted by Fred Warner

This is an embarrassment to the profession.

Fred,

Shows that home inspectors need to be less critical about calling bad construction work as being by 'Juan, Julio, and Jorge', we have them in our midst too as evidenced by that report language.

I hope it is no one who frequents this board , yet, hopefully they will start frequenting this board for the vastly needed education on identification and report writing.