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Old 12-04-2018, 04:30 PM   #43
panjumbie
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Hempstead New York
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Hi, I will not and cannot legally give you specific recommendations on your installation, only general information. My PE license is in NY, you are in NH. Furthermore, I'm retired and my license is set as "inactive". I'd have to pay to reactivate it. Finally, if I were legally able and willing to be your consultant, I'd have to take you on as a client.

In any event, the only people who can actually pass on your installation are the utility and the AHJ, Authority having Jurisdiction. usually your local electrical inspector or their managers.

As I explained before, the NEC is a recommendation, it has no legal standing on its own. Different jurisdictions have different laws. Some states have a state electrical code, which is most commonly based on one or another version of the NEC. New York, where I live, does not. Each locality has its own code and rules. The code in NYC is different than the one in Hempstead Village, where I live, and different again from the unincorporated areas of Hempstead Town.

And the inspection requirements are different. My village has an inspector, a Village employee. Many places use one or more private inspection/certification companies. The last time I looked, NYC had a self certification process for small projects, the contractor (licensed by the city) certified the work complied with the NYC electric code. But Con Ed also inspected services before making connections, particularly for underground services to residences, where Con Ed provided and owned the feeders running into your service and their employees made the final connection. Finally, for large businesses, their insurance company sent "loss prevention" inspectors from time to time. That was the case with my employer.

PE's can consult on code matters but the AHJ/Utility/Insurance inspector has the final word. If the owner feels strongly enough that the AHJ or utility is wrong, the owner can take them to court, where the PE may testify as an expert witness. Then the court decides. Needless to say, most such matters get settled before the court (either a judge or a jury) ends up having to rule.

Another issue, OSHA has adopted much of the NEC as a part of their rules, so if employees are protected by OSHA, their employer must comply with those parts of the code adopted by OSHA.

I will tell you that it appears your generator may tie the neutral to the safety ground internally, so you might have a compliance issue there, at least when the generator is plugged in. Whether the AHJ or utility cares, not for me to guess.
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