I understand that this is beyond InterNACHI SOP, but I wondered if any of you ever do load testing of branch circuits or find it useful?
I did it in my own house, and in relatives’ and friends’ houses and had quite a variety of results. Some circuits had 10% voltage drops or greater even at just 10-12A.
I spot checked this at a vacant new construction home and found similar results. Some of the 15A branches lost up to 10% when at a 12A load.
Just curious to know if anyone else tests this and how you would interpret or report such results if you do.
No, I never have and never will, and I could see it potentially opening a really big can of worms if one ever were to report that as a defect in an inspection report.
I would suspect most voltage drops are from backstabbing a receptacle. But there could be other issues are no issue at all. At what point is a voltage drop a material defect?
This formula only works for a purely resistive load (light bulb or toaster). Soon as you introduce an inductive load that formula is no longer valid (AC voltage).
Yeap! At the end, if you wanna play Master Electrician, that’s fine…! Are your Home Inspection Clients paying you for a home inspection or for an electrical load test? So, yes! You are assuming an additional liability, are you receiving adequate compensation for such? That is the question! Do you see those abbreviations after my name? I am an Electrical Engineer, for the right price, I can do anything they want, but not as part of the regular Home Inspection Fee.
So, my question was whether others have done these tests and how they would interpret such results if they do so.
I’m not sure how “you are assuming an additional liability” addresses that. I’m also having a hard time imagining precisely what “liability” it is that I’m assuming by noting that the voltage on a circuit dropped significantly when a load was on it.
Well, first of all, doing home inspection work always expose the inspector to potential liabilities due to client’s interpretation of the facts or realtor’s lack of acceptance of your findings and analysis. Furthermore, every time you touch something within the premises of the subject dwelling, you are assuming a responsibility for its current condition and possibility misfirings (i.e. stepping on a rotten roof shingle) All of the sudden you were trying to impress someone by climbing on the roof and your big-foot comes across the ceiling, bang! You can live with the fact that your business liability insurance will respond satisfactorily, because inspecting the roof is an integral part of your home inspection job, but… that electrical load test is not. And if something goes wrong while at it with the house… your insurance may want to look to the other side.
Backstabbed connections, loose screws, or aluminum wiring can show dangerous heating under load. Interior arcs, receptacle failure, overheating circuit breakers, etc. are just a few things that can go wrong.
For that reason, most of our Inspection procedures are ‘visual observations’, your hands stay inside your pockets, like those soccer players..!
Are you open to sharing? How are you performing load testing of branch circuits?
I know of at least one device that performs this testing. I own one. It stays in my truck and I don’t use it to perform load testing of branch circuits on any of my inspections. I do use it at my own home for certain applications and troubleshooting and in the field occasionally for my other business.
Exceeding the SoP is common, we all do it. But understanding the additional liability will help you survive in this business.
Exceeding the SoP establishes a higher standard of care which reduces the defensibility provided by the SoP.
Furthermore, when you report on things you don’t understand, have trouble comprehending the consequences, or can easily misinterpret findings; your reputation will suffer, your clients will suffer, and the transaction will endure unnecessary stress.
At which point, you may be accused of a lack of standard of care associated with your profession or even gross negligence .
