InterNACHI


Go Back   InterNACHI Inspection Forum > Specific Inspection Topics > Electrical Inspections

Notices

Electrical Inspections Contains discussions about electrical systems. This includes receptacles, panels, wiring, etc.

 
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11/19/11, 5:16 PM
William T. Misegades William T. Misegades is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734
Default Am I seeing this right?

Today's main and sub panel inspection was interesting.
The 1st and 2nd photos are the main panel outside, then the other photos are of the sub panel in the garage.
I would like confirmation of what I am seeing.
Main panel has neutral bonded to the box but the ground is not bonded to the box.
The sub panel has neutral bonded to ground but they aren't bonded to the box.
This is incorrect, right or am I missing something? Shouldn't the main have the neutral and ground bonded to the box and in the sub panel, the neutral is to separated from ground and should NOT be bonded to box?
This looks like it's backwards
Attached Thumbnails
am-seeing-right-dsc03120b.jpg   am-seeing-right-dsc03121b.jpg   am-seeing-right-dsc03129b.jpg   am-seeing-right-dsc03132b.jpg  



Where there is a Will there is a Way!

Will Misegades
TREC# 10465
RedFish Home Inspections
www.redfishinspections.com
Reply With Quote
Need a home inspection in Idaho? Check out InterNACHI's listing of Idaho certified home inspectors. Or, find a home inspector anywhere in the world with our inspection search engine.
  #2  
Old 11/19/11, 6:10 PM
Jeffrey R. Wicklander's Avatar
Jeffrey R. Wicklander Jeffrey R. Wicklander is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Lake Forest, Il
Posts: 1,223
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

In the main you state that the neutral is bonded to the box. I do not see where.

Also, FYI.... the guts in the main panel were installed upside down.

Jeff



Jeff Wicklander
Corwick Home Services

Join my business on Facebook
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11/19/11, 6:10 PM
Robert Meier's Avatar
Robert Meier Robert Meier is offline
Active Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 1,249
Please Note: Robert Meier is a non-member guest and is in no way affiliated with InterNACHI or its members.
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

The subpanel has a 4 wire feeder but there should be a separate EGC bar for the EGC's. I see no bonding of the neutral in the disconnect and no grounding electrodes conductors in the disconnect either.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11/19/11, 6:48 PM
William T. Misegades William T. Misegades is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jwicklander View Post
In the main you state that the neutral is bonded to the box. I do not see where.

Also, FYI.... the guts in the main panel were installed upside down.

Jeff
Thanks for the guts being installed upside down. It looks like the lugs on the each side of the breaker are screwed into the bracket behind the breaker. This is why I thought it was bonded



Where there is a Will there is a Way!

Will Misegades
TREC# 10465
RedFish Home Inspections
www.redfishinspections.com
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11/19/11, 6:53 PM
William T. Misegades William T. Misegades is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Meier View Post
The subpanel has a 4 wire feeder but there should be a separate EGC bar for the EGC's. I see no bonding of the neutral in the disconnect and no grounding electrodes conductors in the disconnect either.
I only see the 3 wires in the subpanel, the 2 at the top and 1 on the right side. Where is the 4th one?
The main panel has grounding rod that needs replacement. It's connected with the conductor that you see at the top left of the 2nd photo
am-seeing-right-dsc03055b.jpg



Where there is a Will there is a Way!

Will Misegades
TREC# 10465
RedFish Home Inspections
www.redfishinspections.com
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11/19/11, 6:55 PM
KEVIN WOOD's Avatar
KEVIN WOOD KEVIN WOOD is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sault Ste Marie ON
Posts: 3,106
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

If you look close in the last picture you can see the EGC on the neutral bus bar. It does not seem to be connected to the panel.
So the question is, Where is it coming from and what is it connected to?



THE RIGHT TRAK
CIAQP, IAC2
Certified Master Inspector
kwoodinspections@hotmail.com
www.kwood.inspectorpages.com www.homegauge.com/shgi/THERIGHTTRAKIAQ
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwoodiaq
OOVOO account kwoodinspections
Cell: 705-971-2096
Ph : 705-946-2676
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11/19/11, 7:07 PM
William T. Misegades William T. Misegades is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwood View Post
If you look close in the last picture you can see the EGC on the neutral bus bar. It does not seem to be connected to the panel.
So the question is, Where is it coming from and what is it connected to?
Here are a few more photos that might be clearer. This is a mystery to me, the neutral looks like it's connected to the ground...
In any case, there are ground conductors on the neutral bus bar.
am-seeing-right-dsc03130b.jpg

am-seeing-right-dsc03131b.jpg

am-seeing-right-dsc03133.jpg



Where there is a Will there is a Way!

Will Misegades
TREC# 10465
RedFish Home Inspections
www.redfishinspections.com
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11/19/11, 9:52 PM
Robert Meier's Avatar
Robert Meier Robert Meier is offline
Active Poster
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 1,249
Please Note: Robert Meier is a non-member guest and is in no way affiliated with InterNACHI or its members.
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by wmisegades View Post
I only see the 3 wires in the subpanel, the 2 at the top and 1 on the right side. Where is the 4th one?
The main panel has grounding rod that needs replacement. It's connected with the conductor that you see at the top left of the 2nd photo
Attachment 49930

There are 4 conductors in the raceway feeding this panel.

Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11/19/11, 10:22 PM
William T. Misegades William T. Misegades is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Meier View Post
There are 4 conductors in the raceway feeding this panel.
I see it now. Thanks! I'm still confused with these two panels. I have enough deficiencies with the grounding rod and the other GFCI's no functioning that I'm going to recommend having the system evaluated and repaired as needed by a licensed electrician (I might ask sparky if I can ride along so he can explain these panels to me). Thanks for all the input!



Where there is a Will there is a Way!

Will Misegades
TREC# 10465
RedFish Home Inspections
www.redfishinspections.com
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11/20/11, 8:30 AM
Joseph M. Whitt Joseph M. Whitt is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 123
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Will,

In the same panel where the service disconnect is located, the main as some call it but the one that will kill all power to the building and leave nothing energized but the conductors coming out of the meter, is where the grounding electrode conductor, the neutral, and the metal enclosure must be bonded together.

In any panel downstream from this service disconnect the neutral must be isolated from the metal enclosure and the equipment grounding conductors. The bar that the equipment grounding conductors attach to must be bonded to the metal enclosure.

What you have is a code violation and is unsafe.



Mike Whitt
Contractor/Instructor

Last edited by jwhitt; 11/20/11 at 8:33 AM..
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11/20/11, 9:40 AM
William T. Misegades William T. Misegades is offline
InterNACHI Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 734
Default Re: Am I seeing this right?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jwhitt View Post
Will,

In the same panel where the service disconnect is located, the main as some call it but the one that will kill all power to the building and leave nothing energized but the conductors coming out of the meter, is where the grounding electrode conductor, the neutral, and the metal enclosure must be bonded together.

In any panel downstream from this service disconnect the neutral must be isolated from the metal enclosure and the equipment grounding conductors. The bar that the equipment grounding conductors attach to must be bonded to the metal enclosure.

What you have is a code violation and is unsafe.
Joseph, thanks for the input! That is what I thought but this whole installation looked different from what I usually see around this neighborhood that I needed to have confirmation. I am glad I asked as other issues where pointed out.



Where there is a Will there is a Way!

Will Misegades
TREC# 10465
RedFish Home Inspections
www.redfishinspections.com
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 5:31 AM.


Popular Sections

:

All Sections

Inspection News

InterNACHI Membership

Inspection Standards

Inspection Education

InterNACHI Inspectors

Inspection Links

 

 

 

NACHI.ORG Statistics

 

 

no new posts