Electrical Safety Inspection Problem - Car Lift

[Ezzie]

Just want to get your facts straight in my head. You installed the lift before your final inspection, you are a hobbyist and this is in your home or extension to your home, the lift was hard wired to the house/garage/shop, and you didn't have a plug/receptacle interface from the house to the lift, and you were using SO cord hard wired to the lift from a junction box or did you use flexible conduit?

You are correct sir (except the installation is in a detached shop on it's own electrical service/meter totally independent from my dwelling). In this jurisdiction, however as far as I understand, it does not fall under the OHSA. I believe the OHSA's mandate is to protect employees working for a public or private employer - not private residences or personal use. OHSA covers such additional worker safety things as confined space gas, protective clothing, etc.

It falls under the mandate of the ESA in this case. You are required to pull a permit to install any additional "hardwired" electrical equipment such as an A/C unit, furnace, extra light fixtures, etc. Items with plugs (such as a welder, refrigerator, television, etc.) are OK providing they have a label on them bearing either CSA or ULc marks. So it doesn't really matter if the lift in this case has a plug on the end of a flexible cord or if it is hardwired. It also doesn't matter if it was installed before or after the final electrical inspection of the building wiring had been completed, it would still be in violation of the law to connect it to the "grid". If the building were to ever burn down or if there was a personal injury, the insurance company would look at any and all permits that had been pulled over the years for wiring that had been done as part of their claim investigation. I would think this is the same situation as in many US states and municipalities if you really looked into it. I don't believe that Ontario is much different than many equivalent US jurisdictions.

 

[Ezzie]

By the way, I contacted your supplier and they confirmed that the equipment is not listed in any approval organization.

Earlier this week, I emailed the person that you identified in your post to ask for their permission to post her company's responses to my inquiries on this forum. I provided her with the name of this forum and a web address for it. She responded to me that she was referring the matter to her "boss" who would be getting back to me. So far I have not received their permission to post their responses here nor has her boss contacted me. I don't know if it is a good idea to be posting their responses here without their permission (see privacy disclaimer on the bottom of her email response) but thank you for taking the initiative to see what their response to your question about certifications would be. I think if they start getting more people asking about it they are going to get moving on doing what is necessary.

The local dealer also gave me the name of a guy in the distributor's tech support Dept. named "Dave" who I have spoken with once. He did confirm that there has been some issues in other jurisdictions with certifications on their lifts. He also indicated that the owner of the company (somebody named Randy) has started to investigate what is involved in getting the proper approvals for all of the products they distribute in the USA & Canada. He said he would be getting back to me once he had spoken with the owner. He hasn't yet. Only the manufacturer in S. Korea has contacted me so far.

 

[babzog]

It falls under the mandate of the ESA in this case. You are required to pull a permit to install any additional "hardwired" electrical equipment such as an A/C unit, furnace, extra light fixtures, etc.

If the building were to ever burn down or if there was a personal injury, the insurance company would look at any and all permits that had been pulled over the years for wiring that had been done as part of their claim investigation. I would think this is the same situation as in many US states and municipalities if you really looked into it. I don't believe that Ontario is much different than many equivalent US jurisdictions.

I'm no expert, but I believe the requirement for permits does vary by jurisdiction. For example, I just looked at my local schedule of fees and while they specifically list constuction, wood stoves, plumbing, pools, etc, they do not specifically state electrical, as requiring a permit. Doesn't mean there isn't a permit required, but based on what I'm reading, it's not listed.

I've also been told by a GC and an electrician (licenced) that contractors now require a licence in Ontario to do electrical work for their customers (didn't used to be the case). Consequently, many GC's don't do electrical anymore, however, the homeowner can (again, what I've been told by those who know more than I). Some GC's get around the law by informing the homeower of that factoid, getting permission and then doing the work as before. For those who understand electrical work, this is no big deal, but the casual homeowner who might not have the foggiest clue how to wire up a plug is now responsible and has no recourse.

In any event.. I see two issues here: 1) your final inspection being held up and 2) the lift not being CSA certified.

No. 1 is easy to remedy - take the lift completely out of the picture, as mentioned before. Put a plug on it, render it "inoperable" by cutting the wire, etc. Whatever makes the inspector happy and gets the signoff.

No. 2 is the trickier spot where you are currently focusing your efforts. Frankly, I like the thoughts indicated above of getting a refund in full and simply walking away from this whole mess.

 

[babzog]

I put a lot of nudy pictures all over the walls, and the inspector can't think much of anything during the inspection - well...not with his big head anyways as he reluctantly pole vaults out the door!

Dude... just blow up and post your avatar pic on the walls! She is one beautiful woman!

 

[rinny_tin_tin]

Dude... just blow up and post your avatar pic on the walls! She is one beautiful woman!

Yeah..thanks...she is hot..ain't she!

 

[tfi racing]

For those outside of Ontario,IMHO the ESA is an organization that seems to be drunk on its own illusion of power.They want to control and regulate everything electrical and are willing to trample over the rights of anyone in their way and fine them into compliance,or even better out of business!I have heard horror stories of inspectors "surprising"workers at 3AM and whipping out $400 fines for the slightest of infractions-get this for wearing pants with a bit of polyester in the blend,and $250 fines for not having the ESA mandated contractor decal in the correct location on a van!Just a bit of insight of why the OP is trying his best to do what the inspector demands.

 

[Tech Guy]

Any updates Ezzie ?

 

[Ezzie]

Any updates Ezzie ?

Nope - Intertek is sending an engineer out to inspect and ESA label it for me - next Tuesday. I'll post an update once he has seen the lift. Still no response from Complete Hydraulic. If I don't hear from them, I'll just send them an invoice for my "out-of-pocket" expense to get it past the ESA inspection.

 

[Tech Guy]

I think they should pay for your inspection if they are selling the lifts in Canada without proper listings. Good luck

 

[Ezzie]

Just a bit of an update. I had a good chat with the owner of Complete Hydraulic yesterday (Randy). He seems like a person very dedicated to offering excellent customer service. He has offered his company's assistance to resolve this issue so that we can get the lift past electrical inspection and get my building finalled. It certainly seems like Complete Hydraulic is a company that is willing to stand behind their products. He also indicated they are currently in the process of getting a number of their lifts ALI certified in the US. This is a process that costs about $30,000 per lift and will result in the product becoming slightly more expensive in the future - but he feels this is a necessary step for the US market at least.

As soon as I have had the electrical engineer look at it on Tuesday I'll give you all an update on what he has found.

 

[Tech Guy]

Good news all around then

 

[Ezzie]

The Sr. Inspector from the local branch of Intertek came this morning to check the lift over. He was very thorough and even went up the scaffolding to inspect the overhead and cylinder limit switches. Certainly impressed me with how thorough he was.

The lift will need to have some changes made to bring it into compliance with the CSA/ESA safety rules. It all seems pretty reasonable from a perspective of ensuring operator safety. There are actually some components that already bear CSA/UL certifications - the operator switches (up & down buttons, key switch and the hydraulic motor/pump assembly). List of changes required as follows:

1. Replace contactor with CSA rated contactor with integral 20A thermal protection unit (for 2.0 HP motor used).
2. Replace all cabling with SOW type or equivalent (rated for oily environments) that bears CSA or UL certification. 14/3 is OK for this application but would recommend the power unit feeds be upgraded to 12/3 to coincide with circuit specification (20A). The lower current application such as the down valve solenoid can have a lower current rating (16/2 or 18/2). The reason for this is that all cabling carries 220V in this wiring scheme.
3. The fuse holder in the control box needs to be replaced with a type that does not leave the contacts exposed when the fuses are pulled out. Fuses must be of a certified type. He would also recommend a lower fuse rating of no more than 5A since it is only protection for the controls and not the motor.
4. Need a strain relief on the down valve micro switch (wire that comes out of the down valve solenoid that is mounted on the side of the hydraulic pump unit).
5. the 2 limit switches (overhead cutoff and cylinder cutoff) need to be a certified type (bearing CSA or UL markings).

Total cost was $375 + taxes but unfortunately since it didn't pass I will have to have them come back to do a re-inspection so I can get my ESA label.

 

[mrb]

Thats good that its just those parts that need to be replaced to get the approval, but I am curious why you didnt go over it and make these changes first? I guess it doesnt matter since the lift co should be picking up the tab....

 

[Ezzie]

.... but I am curious why you didnt go over it and make these changes first?

... because I didn't know for sure what parts they would or would not accept and the manufacturer didn't know either when I asked them for assistance with it. This way, we now know for sure what is required. I would expect this is going to be a similar story for many of the other lift manufacturers and their distributors who are using some imported components in their products.

Hopefully this post will help others that will find themselves in the same situation in the future.

 

[mrb]

I see. I would have done the obvious which would be make sure all components, wire, and cable are listed, that everything (including fuseholders) is fingersafe, and the motor and control circuitry have proper overload protection before having the inspection. Especially considering the parts you need arent expensive at all, seems like it would be worth the cost for a chance of avoiding the second inspection.

 

[Ezzie]

You are correct sir. I wish I had done more ahead of time now.

 

[mrb]

You are correct sir. I wish I had done more ahead of time now.

well, the important part is you have the approval in process and you know what you need to do.

 

[rhandwor]

I would check with another lift manufacturer about coming out and installing their certified controls on your lift. This is much cheaper than going the other route. Call the inspector and ask him for a couple of references.

 

[mmg440]

The Sr. Inspector from the local branch of Intertek came this morning to check the lift over. He was very thorough and even went up the scaffolding to inspect the overhead and cylinder limit switches. Certainly impressed me with how thorough he was.

...

Total cost was $375 + taxes but unfortunately since it didn't pass I will have to have them come back to do a re-inspection so I can get my ESA label.

After you complete the changes I am assuming you will have to call him back out. Do you know what he will charge you for that visit to get his stamp of approval and the second inspection?? This could gett really pricy if it for some reson doen't pass next time.

 

[mhm993]

Lordy
Send the lift back, cancel the credit card payment, and take em to small claims court for your expenses.
They admitted to knowingly selling you a machine that can't be legally installed in your location.
Stop being nice, and don't throw away any more money at this thing.

My 2cents.

Go get a bend pak or a backyard buddy or a rotary or something!

 

[Tech Guy]

Good news for now at least Ezzie. Is the lift company you purchased from going to help you out at all with the upgrades ? If the parts you need are sold through electrical distributors like Gerrie or something then let me know as I can get them wholesale for you.

 

[Ezzie]

Is the lift company you purchased from going to help you out at all with the upgrades?

I have sent the parts list to Randy at Complete Hydraulic and am awaiting his response. What I have asked him for is to supply me with the certified components and I'll install them and get the final inspection done. I would also like them to reimburse me for the inspection costs, in essence just my "out-of-pocket" expenses to get through this.

I think this is very reasonable request since Complete Hydraulic now has a very good idea on what is required to bring their Powerex line of lifts into compliance with the electrical code for Ontario. It also seems to me to be the fastest and least hassle solution to the problem. I really want to keep this lift if I can since it has nice features I like - asymetrical design, the steel work is of extremely good quality (IMHO) and there is nothing wrong with the power unit (a good quality SPX-Stone/Monarch unit).

Changing the lift out would be a lot of work and much more costly - and I'm not sure if any of the other lifts such as Bend Pak, Rotary, Backyard Buddy, etc. are acceptable for electrical safety in this jurisdiction either without doing more research. I think it would also be more costly to swap out the lift. After all of the inspection and replacement component costs are added in - I will have about $3k invested in it.

 

[porschedude996TT]

You are correct sir (except the installation is in a detached shop on it's own electrical service/meter totally independent from my dwelling). In this jurisdiction, however as far as I understand, it does not fall under the OHSA. I believe the OHSA's mandate is to protect employees working for a public or private employer - not private residences or personal use. OHSA covers such additional worker safety things as confined space gas, protective clothing, etc.

It falls under the mandate of the ESA in this case. You are required to pull a permit to install any additional "hardwired" electrical equipment such as an A/C unit, furnace, extra light fixtures, etc. Items with plugs (such as a welder, refrigerator, television, etc.) are OK providing they have a label on them bearing either CSA or ULc marks. So it doesn't really matter if the lift in this case has a plug on the end of a flexible cord or if it is hardwired. It also doesn't matter if it was installed before or after the final electrical inspection of the building wiring had been completed, it would still be in violation of the law to connect it to the "grid". If the building were to ever burn down or if there was a personal injury, the insurance company would look at any and all permits that had been pulled over the years for wiring that had been done as part of their claim investigation. I would think this is the same situation as in many US states and municipalities if you really looked into it. I don't believe that Ontario is much different than many equivalent US jurisdictions.

Wow, there are some huge differences between Canada and the US. If a building inspector in my city failed someone on equipment not being UL Rated, he would get run out of town or at least a polite "Bite My Bag Dude". I wonder if a similar law pertaining to your dilemma that exists in the US or California and it is just not enforced?

 

[Ezzie]

Wow, there are some huge differences between Canada and the US. If a building inspector in my city failed someone on equipment not being UL Rated, he would get run out of town or at least a polite "Bite My Bag Dude". I wonder if a similar law pertaining to your dilemma that exists in the US or California and it is just not enforced?

It was not the "building" inspector who failed this, the building passed it's final long ago - it was the "electrical" inspector who has failed it. In this jurisdiction, the building permits cover everything BUT the electrical work. The electrical inspection authority (ESA in Ontario) is a provincial (state) body. The issuance of building permits and inspection of structure, plumbing, HVAC, sewer, etc. is all done at the municipal (city, town, regional municipality, county) level.

 

[mrb]

Wow, there are some huge differences between Canada and the US. If a building inspector in my city failed someone on equipment not being UL Rated, he would get run out of town or at least a polite "Bite My Bag Dude". I wonder if a similar law pertaining to your dilemma that exists in the US or California and it is just not enforced?

In both Los Angeles and Las Vegas, anything electrical -even if it plugs in, has to be listed. I have seen some very expensive equipment in Las Vegas get ordered disconnected and removed because it didnt have a listing. They will make you remove it from the premesis so it doesnt get reconnected after they leave.

 

[Tech Guy]

Good for you Ezzie, sounds like Complete Hydraulic will help you out based on his past response. And as you mentioned you are helping them out with what they will require in the future. Keep us posted.

 

[tdkkart]

The pisser here is that you are having to go to all this expense when more than likely you an throw a rock and hit another shop with a lift that has the same "problems". But because the inspector hasn't seen it, it gets by.
You know there are thousands of them in use with no probems other than missing labels on components, yet they are still technically illegal.

 

[mrb]

any update?

 

[Ezzie]

Had a conference call with Randy Brown (the owner of Complete Hydraulic) and the local distributor who I bought the lift from this morning (Automotive Equipment Solutions) to develop an action plan. Neither of these companies appear to be very strong in the "electrical" controls dept. or have a good understanding of the industrial electrical world. It seems I may have more expertise at my disposal than they do since one of my sons is an electrician and the other an industrial mechanic (robotics tech.) by trade.

In order to expedite things, I agreed to help them out by sourcing the components necessary to get the lift up to code and complete the final inspection process with Intertek. We thought it best to do it this way because that will ensure we have proper CSA/UL certified components rather than relying on them to try and source satisfactory items in the US and then send them to me. Complete Hydraulic will reimburse me for my out-of-pocket expenses and they will then have a list of acceptable part substitutions for any future customers in Ontario who run up against the same problem.

I also contacted the ESA inspector doing the premises wiring inspection and he will come after the Intertek final is done on the lift to do the building final.

So the ball is back in my court now. I have stripped all the wiring and sensors off the lift and am ready to go shopping for acceptable subs to the affected Korean components.

 

[Tech Guy]

Nice job there Ezzie ! Glad to hear they are covering your costs on material and hopefully the engineers' report. Speaks volumes about the customer service of this company.

 

[Tech Guy]

any updates ?

 

[Ezzie]

Nope - it is currently in my oldest boy's project queue. He has all of the items that need to be replaced and is getting an electrical engineer at the company where he works to assist him with spec'ing in and sourcing the replacement parts. He is an industrial mechanic and works at a company that does robotic welding machinery for auto parts plants. They deal with this stuff every day so I do not anticipate any issues and they have access to some good pricing through their suppliers.

As soon as I get the parts list and costs, I'll post it up.

 

[checkthisout]

Nope - it is currently in my oldest boy's project queue. He has all of the items that need to be replaced and is getting an electrical engineer at the company where he works to assist him with spec'ing in and sourcing the replacement parts. He is an industrial mechanic and works at a company that does robotic welding machinery for auto parts plants. They deal with this stuff every day so I do not anticipate any issues and they have access to some good pricing through their suppliers.

As soon as I get the parts list and costs, I'll post it up.

Not to sound like a women, but why not just return the lift to the vendor and get a different brand lift that is already approved?

 

[Ezzie]

Not to sound like a women, but why not just return the lift to the vendor and get a different brand lift that is already approved?

Number of reasons...

1. I am not confident that there are any other lifts available in this market at this price point that would pass an ESA electrical inspection either. I suspect that all of the distributors of car lifts in Ontario (my jurisdiction) are either unaware, have ignored or have turned a blind eye toward ensuring their products are CSA or ULc approved. I have not researched this extensively however so I could be wrong. If you know of any lift that is under $2000 US that has either CSA or ULc approvals (the whole lift not just the hydraulic pump assembly), please speak up. Here is one of the statements I found on the ALI website.

"All motor operated automotive lift models must be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), in accordance with ANSI/UL 201 entitled "American National Standard for Safety for Garage Equipment"; and for installation in Canada, in accordance with CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 68."

2. A more expensive product such as a USA certified lift (ALI) would be compliant if it bears an ETL mark. The comparable Rotary lift is the SPO10 or SPOA10 but I was quoted around $5,500 CDN to buy one of these. The lift I have will be certified to ETL once Intertek Testing has given it the final inspection and will likely cost about $1K including the parts and the two service calls.

3. I have had the lift for more than a year and have been using it all along. I don't feel it is fair to expect the distributor to take back a product after I have already used it and have had it more than a year. The problem only surfaced when the ESA inspector was in doing the building wiring final inspection and saw it. It was not one of the items I had asked him to inspect but he started poking around it and asked me to get it approved before he completes the final (it is within his authority to do this).

4. The distributor is willing to compensate me for my "out-of-pocket" expenses to bring the product up to code as it will provide them with information they can use to assist other customers that encounter this problem in the future.

5. The dealer I bought the unit from was close enough that I was able to save the shipping costs and hassle and was able to drive there with my truck & trailer to pick it up.

6. It would be a tremendous hassle to disassemble it and take it back - go get another one from somewhere else and put it all together again. Plus, it would involve having to set new anchors in the floor and I don't want a swiss cheese floor.

7. I also think that the "mechanical" componentry (steel, welds, lift arms, hydraulics) are all of exceptional quality - please remember that this lift was built by Powerrex in Korea and is a large global producer of lifts that are sold around the world. I still think it is an exceptional product - just the electrics are "sub-standard" according to North American electrical safety standards.

 

[ArthurPE]

it might be easier to find a UL (UL 508 ) listed panel fabrication shop to upgrade the existing, or make a new panel...can't imagine a panel for a lift being complicated...

http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/industries/powerandcontrols/industrialcontrolpanels/

probably a dozen in your area...they can apply a UL/CSI label...

 

[Ezzie]

it might be easier to find a UL (UL 508 ) listed panel fabrication shop to upgrade the existing, or make a new panel...can't imagine a panel for a lift being complicated...

You are correct sir - it is not a very complicated wiring scheme. The problem though is that just changing the control box out to a ULc or CSA listed component is still not going to be adequate. All of the limit switches and the flexible cord used to connect everything also have to be CSA or ULc listed - in essence, anything that handles electricity on the whole lift.

When a lift manufacturer wants to get their products ALI and ETL certified (to ANSI standards mechanically and ULc or CSA standards electrically) for sale in the US or Canada, they have to take it and set it up at the lab of an independent certification program administrator (in this case Intertek Testing Services). It costs about $30k per item to have both a "mechanical" and an "electrical" certification done. The testing company then goes over the product and once it is compliant with all of the safety regulations, that specific product is then "listed" (meaning it has a unique registration number with ETL) and a special label can then be affixed to it. There is an example of the label on the ALI web site.

http://www.autolift.org/

Look at the gold label on the left side of page. If your lift doesn't have this label, you have to do a one off "special inspection" in order to get a certification label and the legal protection that provides.

If you choose to install an "uncertified" lift - and you have an accident, you could be denied an insurance claim or be sued for damages or both. In my case, I have a lot of friends and family members who will likely also be in and around my lift from time to time so I have decided to do this the right way and get the inspection done.

 

[Ezzie]

We decided to replace the control box completely rather than reusing the Korean one since we needed it to be slightly deeper to accommodate the contactor we selected. We picked a Hammond Manufacturing box since they are also UL listed (NEMA 12, 13).

http://sigma.octopart.com/15086/datasheet/Hammond-1414PHKC4.pdf

Here is the parts list we came up with for the retrofit. I won't know for sure yet if this is all OK until I have Intertek Testing back to the shop to test the lift after we have completed the rewiring. I don't anticipate any problems though since everything we are using has a CSA or ULc label on it. Once we get this put together I'll take some pics and post them up.


Item Description Mfg P/N Note
Contactor Allen Bradley 100-C09
Overload Relay Allen Bradley 193-EA1GB 12-32 Amp
Circuit Breaker Allen Bradley 1492-CB2-G030 3 Amp for control power
Strain Relief Heyco PG9 Down Hyd. Solenoid connector
Limit Switch Omron D4N-3B20 Qty. 3
Control Box Hammond 1414PHKC4 Hinged Cover, Steel; 12"x 6"x 4"; UL Listed, IEC and CSA Certified
Control Cable 16/2 SOW 16 feet
Power Cable 12/3 SOW 28 feet
Fittings Thomas & Betts 1/2" NPT x Cable Dia. 3 @ limit sw. for cable, 2 @ box for power cable, 1 multi @ box for ls cables
Din Rail 8" in control box (to hold circuit breaker)
Terminal Strip Thomas & Betts DIN mount single 12 pcs.
Fork Terminal Thomas & Betts 35 +/- 14ga / 12ga crimp
Hookup Wire 8' - 14ga Hookup wire in control box
Misc. Nuts and Grommets

Notes:
There could be substitutions made with the microswitches etc. but this is all pretty standard stuff used in industrial equipment.
The only things we ended up re-using were the push buttons, the key switch and the pilot lamp since they have CSA markings on them already.
The limit switches we used are close in size but required some modification to mount them (drill and tap new holes).
One change to the wiring schematic - the contactor coil power is now fed through a N.C. contact on the overload relay. This opens the contactor in an overload condition.

 

[Tech Guy]

Thats quite the list you have there Ezzie ! Good luck

 

[Ezzie]

Just a little update on progress this week. The new control box my son built is going on the lift tonight and we have scheduled Intertek to come and do the re-inspection and final for Friday AM. If it passes (and I don't expect any problems) and I get my label, I'll be able to get the ESA inspector back next week to do the final on the building.

BTW - the dealer (Automotive Equipment Solutions) and distributor (Complete Hydraulic) have been working behind the scenes with the ESA and have issued a recall notice on these lifts to all of the previous purchasers in Ontario advising them of the unapproved electrical safety status of these lifts. I got a notification letter in the mail last week. They are going to retrofit them with manually operated control units (hydraulic pump and motor) at N/C to anyone who asks for it. I think they are doing a very good job of customer service on this issue. Cudos to Randy at Complete Hydraulic and his dealers.

 

[mrb]

I see 12/2 SOW for power, wheres the ground? Cord isnt like romex with regard to the number of conductors (12/2 cord has black and white only, 12/3 cord has black, white, green; 12/2 romex has black, white, bare ground, 12/3 romex has black, red, white, bare ground)