Wall switch and shower...

[Mark45439]

Electrical installations deal everyday with the inspectors. simple fact, don't listen to the inspectors, job doesn't get approved. No O.C. issued. You're stuck!
You want to argue the point, take the inspector to court and get the NFPA to back you up.
Meanwhile there sits your house, no approval, no O.C.

Yes, understood and not oblivious at all to this fact, nor to the likely fact of the inspector's honestly good intentions with regard to most requests. Nevertheless, whenever circumstances exist that allow one to have absolute clarification of authority, particularly if the decision is a critical one - one step or six steps to the switch, e.g. - then one ought to take advantage of those circumstances and require such clarification.

Heh, that "holding up everything," is definitely always the trump card, and they know this, so if one has the time....yes, and for more reasons than winning, too.

[HayZee518]

Bob,
You got me stumped on something you said. [electrical] go from 14 to 12 to the outlet? why would you change wire gauges to an outlet? If the circuit feeding the outlet was 14 keep the same and wire the outlet with 14.

[mrcaptainbob]

Wire size change....

It was an existing condition, HayZee. In fact, that 14 to 12 wire fed to a hidden junction box, then continued on to a wall plug that fed the other side of the wall. It was all replaced and that hidden junction was removed, too. I wouldn't have minded if it was from 12 down to 14, but this is just one of many, many electrical issues we found in his house. In fact, it's a running argument about which of us have the house with most challenges. Considering mine is almost 150 years old, I still have to say that Son's is the winner. My previous owner(s) left some to be desired, but the po of my son's house went beyond his calling in ineptness.

[HayZee518]

There was a time where I would wire a house with a combination of cables - #14 and #12, but it came the norm to wire everything with #12 and fuse it accordingly. If in the future a cable fed off a 15 amp breaker and being #12 could be upgraded to a 20 amp breaker without causing problems down the line. Normally when using #14 I would wire the smoke detectors on a 14 and general lighting. #1 its easier to work with, fits easily into a box, smaller wirenuts can be used. AND given wire diameter, the box fill calculation is more than with #12.

[LazyPup]

I asked our inspector and he says if you cannot achieve a 6ft separation from the switch to the shower you have to put the switch on the outside beside the door so you can turn it on as you enter.

[HayZee518]

Lazypup, there was one inspector in Northampton, John Pacorek that said no receptacles -or- switches within reach of a walk in shower or bathtub converted to a shower. Ed Marchefka before he died [from Greenfield] said the same thing. When you think of it, water and electricity don't mix.

[mrcaptainbob]

Wall switch to shower....

Hmmm....not to possibly complicate things further: The actual shower stuff, that is handles, faucets, etc. is on the far wall end of the tub. That switch is on the wall opposite. And is now about an actual 24" from the vertical plane of the tub exterior.

[HayZee518]

Bob,
I feel we are killing a dead rat here. Have your son call your building services and ask the proper authority. After all, I'm assuming you put in for a building permit before you started this project. The powers to be will have the last word. Then if you want to pursue the validity of the claim, go for it! - Hayzee

[dfitz3390]

not to keep killing the same rat here but wouldnt the issue be solved with a gfci breaker on that circuit ?

[mrcaptainbob]

Circuit....

The powers-that-be gave it his blessing. It was far enough from plumbing to not be an issue. As it turns out, even the sink across the room is closer to those light switches than the tub/shower plumbing! But, all is good now, and the rat can rest in peace!