Correspondence goozl z25
TRANSMVIISSION VERIFICATION REPORT
TIME : 04/24/2007 08:04
NAME : TIGARD BUILDING DEPT
FAX : 5036243681
TEL
SER.# : BROD4J479592
DATE,TIME 04/24 08:03
FAX NO. /NAME 15033782322
DURATION 00:00:16
PAGE(S) 01
RESULT OK
MODE STANDARD
ECM
Com munity Development e�
Building Division •
13500 SW Hall Blzrl.
Tigard, OR 97223
Phone: 503 -639 -4171
TI GARD
FAX TRANSMITTAL !AL To DENNIS CEMENTS
The NEC addresses this issue by requiring the installation of a service disconnect and
overcurrent protection designed to de- energize the conductors in the case of damage or
accidental contact.
Article 230.70 (A)(1) states in part; The service disconnecting means shall be installed
at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside "nearest
the point of entrance of the service conductors ".
Service conductors can be installed inside or outside a building or structure. To clarify
the difference, the NCA has provided a definition for the installation of Service
Conductors Considered Outside the Building, and when these conductors are not
outside of the building they are considered to be inside the building.
Article 230.6 defines conductors to be considered outside of a building or other structure
under any of the following conditions:
1) Where installed under not Tess than 2 in. of concrete, beneath a building.
2) Where installed within a building or other structure in a raceway that is encased
in concrete 2 in, thick.
3) Where installed in a vault.
4) Where installed in a conduit and under not Tess than 18 in. of earth beneath a
building or other structure,
. 1
Community Development 11
Building Division i
13500 SW Hall Blvd. •
Tigard, OR 97223
Phone: 503- 639 -4171
TIGARD
FAX ThANSMITTAL To DENNIS CLEMENTS
The NEC addresses this issue by requiring the installation of a service disconnect and
overcurrent protection designed to de- energize the conductors in the case of damage or
accidental contact.
• Article 230.70 (A)(1) states in part; The service disconnecting means shall be installed
at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside "nearest
the point of entrance of the service conductors ".
Service conductors can be installed inside or outside a building or structure. To clarify
the difference, the NCA has provided a definition for the installation of Service
Conductors Considered Outside the Building, and when these conductors are not
outside of the building they are considered to be inside the building.
Article 230.6 defines conductors to be considered outside of a building or other structure
under any of the following conditions:
1) Where installed under not less than 2 in. of concrete beneath a building.
2) Where installed within a building or other structure in a raceway that is encased
in concrete 2 in. thick.
3) Where installed in a vault.
4) Where installed in a conduit and under not less than 18 in. of earth beneath a
• building or other structure.
Attempting to define the point of entry for service entrance conductors seems simple. If
they are installed outside of the building they must comply with Article 230.6. If they are
to enter the building or structure, the service entrance conductors must comply with
Article 230.70.
Gary Noble
Senior Electrical Inspector
503 - 718 - 2446
Fax: 503 - 624 -3681
Email: garyr1 tigard- or.gov
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The correction written was intended to safeguard against the possibility of human injury
or death do to the possibility of damage or human contact to the service entrance
conductors.
The NEC addresses this issue by requiring the installation of a service disconnect and
overcurrent protection designed to de- energize the conductors in the case of damage or
•
accidental contact.
Article 230.70 (A)(1) states in part; The service disconnecting means shall be installed at
a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside "nearest the
point of entrance of the service conductors ".
Service conductors can be installed inside or outside a building or structure. To clarify
the difference, the NCA has provided a definition for the installation of Service
Conductors Considered Outside the Building, and when these conductors are not outside
of the building they are considered to be inside the building.
Article 230.6 defines conductors to be considered outside of a building or other structure
under any of the following conditions:
1) Where installed under not less than 2 in. of concrete beneath a building.
2) Where installed within a building or other structure in a raceway that is encased in
concrete 2 in. thick.
3) Where installed in a vault.
4) Where installed in a conduit and under not less than 18 in. of earth beneath a
building or other structure.
Attempting to define the point of entry for service entrance conductors seems simple. If
they are installed outside of the building they must comply with Article 230.6. If they are
to enter the building or structure, the service entrance conductors must comply with
Article 230.70.
•
4 2 Ov2�s
City of Tigard •
13125 SW Hall Blvd. •
Tigard, OR 97223
Phone: 503- 639 -4171
fi .
T I GARD
FAx TRANSM I' I AL,
Date July 16, 2007
Number of pages including cover sheet 3
To: Michelle Scott From: Albert Shields
Co: Co: City of Tigard
Fax # : 503 - 625 - 5119 Fax # : 503 - 624 -3681
Ph # : 503 - 718 - 2426
SUBJECT: Voluntary Compliance Agreement and Temporary and Conditional
Certificate of Occupancy - 9505 SW 74th Ave., Tigard.
ME SSAGE:
Michelle, thanks for your and Jayson's cooperation, particularly in signing and returning the
Voluntary Compliance Agreement and Temporary and Conditional Certificate of Occupancy
for the house 9505 SW 74th Ave., Tigard that you are renovating.
I've signed the agreement for the City of Tigard and a copy for your files is attached.
As we've discussed, the key point at issue is the fact that the electrical service to the house, as
it has been altered by your electrical contractor, is in clear violation of the electrical provisions
of the Oregon Residential Specialty Code (ORSC) and of the Tigard Municipal Code (TMC)
I hope the explanation I gave you in conversation the other day was of some help in
understanding the situation. Here's an outline of the points I was trying to make:
1. The 200 amp service, meter location, service (circuit breaker) panel, and location of
that panel are all new so they all must meet current code requirements.
2. The code requires that "the service disconnecting means (or "main disconnect ") be
installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside
nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors." ORSC E35- 230.70(A)(1).
3. The "point of entrance" is not necessarily the point at which the service entrance
conductors physically penetrate the building wall, but, rather, the point at which, under
the definitions of the electrical code, they are no longer outside the building.
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Obviously, conductors that are not yet attached to a building in any way, such as the
overhead service conductors from the utility pole, are "outside" the building, but once
those conductors reach a meter mounted on the building, as in your case, they are no
longer "outside" unless they meet code requirements for being considered "ouside."
Those requirements are very specific. Section E35 -230.6 of the ORSC says that
"conductors shall be considered to be outside of a building or other structure under
any of the following conditions:
(1) Where installed under not less than 50mm (2 in) of concrete beneath a building
or other structure;
(2) Where installed within a building or other structure ina a raceway that is
encased in concrete or brick not less than 50mm (2 in) thick;
(3) Where installed in conduit and under not less than 450 mm (18 in) of earth
beneath a building or other structure.
The service entrance conductors for your house meet none of those conditions and
they are, therefore, not "outside" the building. The "point of entrance" for your
service conductors is not where they physically penetrate the building wall but, rather,
where they leave the meter terminals. Accordingly, a main disconnect must be installed
either:
A. Outside of the building, such as immediately at the meter, or
B. Inside the building at a point nearest the meter, e.g., on the interior face of the
same wall the meter is mounted on and immediately or very closely opposite
the meter.
I believe that I explained that, to meet these requirements on most newly constructed houses
either a main disconnect is installed at the meter (a "meter main ") or in the main service panel
which is itself located immediately or closely opposite the meter on the same wall.
In the case of your building, the new service panel has been located a floor below the meter so
that it is appx. 8 ft below the level of the meter and appx. 15 ft. to the side, leaving a run of
appx. 20 to 25 ft. of service conductors unprotected by a disconnect or by any overcurrent
device such as a fuse or circuit breaker.
The purpose of the National Electrical Code and of the electrical provisions of the Oregon
Residential Specialty Code is "the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards
arising from the use of electricity"
The City of Tigard will not approve or accept the electrical service installation as it now exists
because it is in violation of ORSC E35- 230.70(A)(1) above and of MC 14.16 our opinion,
constitutes a hazard to fire and life safety. We have written inspection corrections to this
effect and those corrections constitute an order to you, as the persons responsible for the
property, and to your electrical contractor to make whatever changes to the system are
necessary to bring it into compliance. In fact, under Oregon Administrative Rules Section
918 - 271 -0030, your contractor was required to make those corrections within 20 days of the
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date they were first written, which was April 16, 2007. Accordingly, you and your contractor
have been in violation of OAR 918- 270 -0030 since May 7, 2007.
If compliance is achieved within the 30 days provided by our Voluntary Compliance
Agreement we will issue no citations and assess no penalties.
•
If, however, this correction has not been made by the expiration of those 30 days we will issue
appropriate Summonses and Complaints against both you and your contractor and we will
seek both an order of compliance and an award of penalties in the Tigard Municipal Court.
Please understand that
4. The service entrance conductors
The particular issue is the fact that, by simultaneously upgrading the service, replacing the
meter pan, and relocating the service panel
particularly the requirement to correct what is currently a potentially dangerous situation with an excessive
length of unfused service entrance cable looped around the exterior of the building from the meter pan to the
interior service panel. This was neither a preexisting condition nor a like for like replacement: the service
panel was relocated at the owner's request from the main level rear wall to the basement level on a different
wall and the contractor's installation, which greatly increases the length of unfused cable versus the original
installation, is a code violation and is unacceptable. It could readily be cured by the simple installation of a
main disconnect at the meter
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