120 volt disconnect?

[Erby]

Anybody else see a problem with the way this is wired.

It's a 120 volt circuit for a radon fan.

The neutral is hooked to the normal hot bars on the disconnect instead of a floating bus bar.

The red wire is being used as a neutral wire.

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[Marc]

It doesn't look like a 120V circuit. Looks alright if it were 240 except that the white wire needs to be marked 'black'.

Marc

[Jim Katen]

The only problem I see is that the neutral wire isn't white or gray.

With #6 and smaller wires, you're supposed to use white or gray for the neutral. With cables and wires larger than #6, you can re-identify the wire with tape or paint.

[SNations]

The neutral is hooked to the normal hot bars on the disconnect instead of a floating bus bar.

The red wire is being used as a neutral wire.

The two lugs on the left side are the hot side line and load. The two lugs on the right side are neutral side line and load. I don't see where the neutral is hooked to the hot bars. I'm with Katen: all I see is the wrong color wire.

Fusing the neutral is wrong, but having the neutral on a manual disconnect isn't wrong. Is it?

[Speedy Petey]

The only thing wrong is the cheap ass contractor used a red wire for a neutral because it came with that cheap sealtite whip assembly.

It should be white. I don't think it's anything that should hold up a house sale, but it is wrong.

[Jim Katen]

The only thing wrong is the cheap ass contractor used a red wire for a neutral because it came with that cheap sealtite whip assembly.

It should be white. I don't think it's anything that should hold up a house sale, but it is wrong.

Of course, home inspectors don't make the call about what does and doesn't hold up a house sale. I only mention this because many electricians seem to think that we do.

[John Kogel]

1) Call for replacement of the red wire?

2) Call for white paint or tape?

3) Apply a piece of white tape and say nothing?

4) Apply nothing and say nothing?

A mini-poll for y'all. []

[Jim Katen]

1) Call for replacement of the red wire?

2) Call for white paint or tape?

3) Apply a piece of white tape and say nothing?

4) Apply nothing and say nothing?

A mini-poll for y'all. []

Personally, I would just note it and mention that it's not worth fixing.

[Jim Port]

All that effort to do it wrong when a single pole switch would have worked.

[Erby]

C'mon Jim Port, we're always seeing what great lengths people will go to in proving that they don't know what they're doing.

[Speedy Petey]

All that effort to do it wrong when a single pole switch would have worked.

Still probably cheaper than a switch and box. I get pullouts for like $8 and they're quick and easy to wire.

[Speedy Petey]

Of course, home inspectors don't make the call about what does and doesn't hold up a house sale. I only mention this because many electricians seem to think that we do.

Oh please!

You know for fact that buyers use your reports for extortion, plain and simple.

I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers.

Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that.

All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this.

I know this seems like a flame, but I am just calling it like I see it, on a regular basis.

[Marc]

Of course, home inspectors don't make the call about what does and doesn't hold up a house sale. I only mention this because many electricians seem to think that we do.

Oh please!

You know for fact that buyers use your reports for extortion, plain and simple.

I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers.

Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that.

All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this.

I know this seems like a flame, but I am just calling it like I see it, on a regular basis.

Maybe in your part of the country, certainly not mine.

We offer a valued service here and I suspect the same for most parts of the country.

Marc

[Bill Kibbel]

Of course, home inspectors don't make the call about what does and doesn't hold up a house sale. I only mention this because many electricians seem to think that we do.

Oh please!

You know for fact that buyers use your reports for extortion, plain and simple.

I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers.

Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that.

All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this.

I know this seems like a flame, but I am just calling it like I see it, on a regular basis.

So, is this promulgation based on any type of valid research or is it based solely on your own handful of experiences in your pathetic little world.

[hoosier inspector]

Of course, home inspectors don't make the call about what does and doesn't hold up a house sale. I only mention this because many electricians seem to think that we do.

Oh please!

You know for fact that buyers use your reports for extortion, plain and simple.

I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers.

Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that.

All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this.

I know this seems like a flame, but I am just calling it like I see it, on a regular basis.

Mr. Petey,

What are the most common "bigger things" you see missed by home inspectors on a regular basis?

[Jim Katen]

Of course, home inspectors don't make the call about what does and doesn't hold up a house sale. I only mention this because many electricians seem to think that we do.

Oh please!

You know for fact that buyers use your reports for extortion, plain and simple.

I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers.

Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that.

Our purpose hasn't changed. We have always worked to find safety problems and expensive defects in homes and we continue to do that. Likewise, buyers have always used our reports as a basis for negotiation. There's nothing wrong with that. It's called the free market.

All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this.

This is a non-sequitur. It offers no proof of your previous statement. It's just a ham fisted attempt at expressing your disdain for home inspectors. Insecure people do this all the time. Not that you're insecure or anything.

I know this seems like a flame, but I am just calling it like I see it, on a regular basis.

And we see poor electrical installations on a regular basis. Should we conclude from this that electricians are really just shysters who charge people a lot of money for shoddy work? Are you really stupid enough to make such a broad generalization?

[Speedy Petey]

HAHAHA, I knew I'd get flamed for that. "My pathetic little world"...that one was FUNNY!

I guess most of the HI's in my area don't come to this site so they are not up to the high standards of you guys.

And to all you guys looking for actual "proof" or "valid research", how the hell would I have actual proof??? I NEVER implied that. The proof I mentioned was my own proof. I was pretty clear of this.

Would you like me to acquire the reports I see and then do my own report on what I see missed?? OK, next time I'll try.

And we see poor electrical installations on a regular basis. Should we conclude from this that electricians are really just shysters who charge people a lot of money for shoddy work? Are you really stupid enough to make such a broad generalization?

Please Jim, I (we) hear the same thing all the time from you guys. Contractors getting flamed for everything from minor issues to major code violations.

Remember, I said I see these things on a regular basis. I did NOT say I see it in every case I come across. Of course there are good inspectors and reports. I just see more bad ones than I PERSONALLY think is acceptable.

[Bill Kibbel]

You ever notice that everyone that talks shit on internet forums won't use their real names.

[Bill Kibbel]

Speedy,

I don't respond to private messages from folks that won't sign their name.

You're starting to seem like the anonymous cowards that troll internet forums. I suspect there's a reason you need to feel superior to all of us moron inspectors.

[Speedy Petey]

Speedy,

I don't respond to private messages from folks that won't sign their name.

You're starting to seem like the anonymous cowards that troll internet forums. I suspect there's a reason you need to feel superior to all of us moron inspectors.

Well, that's a shame.

Like I said already, I NEVER said anything like "ALL of you moron inspectors". You need to get over the fact that I merely expressed an opinion based on personal experience. It's a shame you took it personally. If you do not fit into my opinion you should not be upset, but obviously you are, which is a shame because I get the impression you do not fit it.

And call me all the names you want. I just don't think it's prudent to use one's real name on internet message boards. Obviously it is advantageous for you guys since you are linking to your businesses and trying to get your name out there, so for you maybe it makes sense.

I am trying to stay civil here but I can see some of you would like to make this more than it needs to be.

[Marc]

...I am trying to stay civil here but I can see some of you would like to make this more than it needs to be...

Stay civil?

Do me a favor, take a break, come back later, much later.

Marc

[Jim Katen]

HAHAHA, I knew I'd get flamed for that.

Probably because you knew that it was troll-worthy BS.

And we see poor electrical installations on a regular basis. Should we conclude from this that electricians are really just shysters who charge people a lot of money for shoddy work? Are you really stupid enough to make such a broad generalization?

Please Jim, I (we) hear the same thing all the time from you guys. Contractors getting flamed for everything from minor issues to major code violations.

You seem to have completely missed my point. I'm not "flaming" contractors, I'm saying that it's wrong to make a broad generalization based upon limited evidence.

Remember, I said I see these things on a regular basis. I did NOT say I see it in every case I come across. Of course there are good inspectors and reports. I just see more bad ones than I PERSONALLY think is acceptable.

But you never said that.

You said, "I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers. Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that."

And you, for some reason that make no sense whatsoever, offered this broad generalization as proof of that statement, "All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this."

If your real thesis is that there are too many incompetent home inspectors out there, then just say that. I'll bet that everyone on this board will agree with you.

[Speedy Petey]

You said, "I've been saying it for years now: Home inspectors used to have a definite purpose for safety and finding high $$ future problems for potential buyers. Now your sole purpose is to get a lower price for buyers, simple as that."

And you, for some reason that make no sense whatsoever, offered this broad generalization as proof of that statement, "All the stupid things listed, and all the bigger things missed I see are proof of this."

If your real thesis is that there are too many incompetent home inspectors out there, then just say that. I'll bet that everyone on this board will agree with you.

Then I apologize. This has gotten off in two directions, and I guess that is my fault for not being more clear.

I do still stand by my assertion about what a HI's purpose has become, but in saying this I did not mean to imply all HI's were poor.

The fact that HI's are mainly used to get lower prices for buyers is not exactly your fault either. Folks just seem to use HI reports for pricing leverage and getting things done for free. IMO it has just been an unfortunate evolution.

Listen, my reason for coming here is not to troll and piss people off, although I guess my opinions can come off that way sometimes, especially to angry people like Marc and Kibble. I have no problem with them ignoring me since I am probably not much help to them anyway.

I'll try to keep my opinions less confrontational. If that is not acceptable, and somebody wants me out of here just have the admin let me know.

[Jim Katen]

Petey, thanks for taking it down a notch.

Buyers certainly use home inspection reports in an attempt to leverage repairs or a reduction in the price of a house. But from what I'm seeing this behavior is not becoming more prevalent that it was, say, 20 years ago. The tendency of buyers trying to negotiate with sellers seems, rather, to go up and down with the dominant market. When it's a buyer's market, such negotiation rules. When it's a seller's market, as it very much is now in my area, buyers don't dare to negotiate for anything but the most egregious problems. In a free marketplace, these kinds of things seem to have a life of their own, and it's been like that for as long as I can remember.

A home inspector's job is to define the condition of the house, including as many defects as he can reasonably find without taking stuff apart. We do this whether we've been hired by a buyer, a seller, or even a static homeowner. We don't create *requirements*. We only give advice. If a buyer chooses to turn our advice into a requirement of a sale, then it's his right to do so. The seller can say yes or no. If a seller doesn't want to accede to the buyer's request, the seller can say no, allow the buyer to walk away, and find another buyer - especially in this market, where buyers are lined up at the door.

If a seller has heartburn with post-offer negotiations, he should simply have the house inspected before he lists it, and disclose the inspection to the potential buyers. Or, as is being done in some markets right now, require the buyer to have his inspection done *before* making an offer on the house. In either of those cases, once the offer is made and accepted, then the buyer has no basis on which to *extort* further concessions.

[gtblum]

The fact that HI's are mainly used to get lower prices for buyers is not exactly your fault either. Folks just seem to use HI reports for pricing leverage and getting things done for free. IMO it has just been an unfortunate evolution.

How did you arrive at that conclusion, Peety?

You're forgetting, somewhere in the area of 80% of the inspections hired, are by way of a realtor referral.

You don't think for a minute, those agents are looking for a way to cut into their own commission checks, do you?

Trust me, Peety. I'd love for what you believe to be the case. That would mean the clients were educated in the ways of how the system works, they'd seek their own inspector rather than end up with a hand picked good old boy, and you might not see as much of the incompetence you seem to run into.

Peety, it's never going to be about the quality of the inspector, until the quality inspectors are being hired. That ain't happening until the current referral system is challenged and eliminated by everyone.