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preparing for inspection

7K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Stubbie 
#1 ·
So I have gotten much advice from many posters on here and I am taking my time to get ready for my rough in inspection. I have decided to put in a new breaker for the circuit I am wiring. I have run all my wire for my outlets and have run wiring to the breaker box. Although I have not connected the wiring at the breaker box yet.

My question is at what point do I connect it to the breaker box? I was unsure if I did that before or after the rough in inspection.
 
#2 ·
I would leave it disconnected from the breaker for rough in, especially with no devices installed on the circuit. You dont want to take the chance of someone flipping it on.

The inspector should be checking the connections in the panel at final inspection.
 
#3 ·
It is a good idea to do as Cowboy suggests.
Make up the grounds and neutrals but leave the hots OFF the breakers until the end.
 
#7 ·
Where I live we are required to have the breaker panel completed and all devices installed, including recepts, discos and switches. We usually leave recepts and switches hanging out of their boxes. This inspection is done before the rock hangers start. Then only a final is left. Two inspections only. We can't get the meter until the final, so we have no issues with safety.
 
#9 ·
Where I live we are required to have the breaker panel completed and all devices installed, including recepts, discos and switches. We usually leave recepts and switches hanging out of their boxes.
This is for a rough inspection??? Sorry, but to me this is absurd!
 
#8 ·
Well I suppose it differs from state to state but I'm not sure how you pass rough in without all cables fastened and entering all device boxes, outlets, and enclosures. It wouldn't fly here.
You have always done it this way for your customers before roughin check or was this a homeowner job your speaking to?
 
#10 ·
Well I suppose it differs from state to state but I'm not sure how you pass rough in without all cables fastened and entering all device boxes, outlets, and enclosures. It wouldn't fly here.
You have always done it this way for your customers before roughin check or was this a homeowner job your speaking to?
I am not a professional, nor do I do work for other people (except for my brother in his new house and my father in law), but I have rewired my whole house one room at a time so I have had a few inspections now (each room individually) and everytime has been the same.

All wiring into their boxes, stapled, etc. At the panel, the cable gets stapled in place almost up to the panel, then just hangs out untill after rough inspection. Then, once rock is up, devices get terminated and the cable(s) get terminated in the panel.

This is the way I did it in my house, my brothers house and my father in law did it the same way. Various inspectors were used, and none of them said anything about.... even the pickiest one (who actually used a tape measure to make sure cables were stapled within the proper distance).
 
#14 ·
I'm doing a remodel in Northern CA, and getting ready for a rough-in inspection (btw, I am not an electrician). We are living in the house so our panel is live. I called the inspector and asked your exact question. Their response:

1st choice: panel made up, hots landed on breakers....but must have wire nuts on all the conductors in the boxes throughout the house. He went further to explain that they understand that is a lot of extra work (wire nuts), so he said they are also perfectly fine with 2nd choice....

2nd choice: grnds and neutrals connected, breakers in & labeled. Hots labeled but not landed. Non-landed hots must have wire nuts in the panel.

Boxes made up and ready for devices.
Everything stapled / supported.
nail plates where needed.
 
#15 ·
The easiest way to find out when (and what) you should have connected for your rough in is to call the inspector before you request your inspection and ask him (or her - I am sure there have to be some female inspectors out there - can I get a what!what!).

Inspections in my locality are performed by a third-party company (MDIA). Their receptionist advised me that the inspectors are happy to talk to HOs anonymously about inspections. She also gave me the hint that 7:30am was the best time to talk to the inspector!

I called the next day at 7:35 and asked the inspector a) what did he expect to see; and b) what were the most common reasons for failure. I tried to keep my questions specific and to the point. I also tried not to spend too much of his time.

He was nice, told me to make up my grounds and make sure I used nail guards.

Good luck!
 
#19 ·
You misunderstood him. IMO you would never install the receptacles and switches before drywall then go back and remove them for the drywallers. You tuck all the wires back into the boxes so the drywallers dont cut up the wires. Then when the drywall is up you install your devices. Even the ceiling fixtures need to wait for finish before going in.
 
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