Distribution and Main panel

[Joshua L. Frederick]

Just need some helpful insight on this setup. What would need to be done in order to be safe & proper electrical practices. The first pic is the main exterior panel. The second shows the whole distribution panel in the garage. The third shows the feed at the bottom (distribution panel) from the main exterior panel.

The fourth pic is the range breaker, which is 40 amp - the house was built in '04, now shouldn't that be a 50 amp? And is it supposed to be 6 or 8 ga. wire? I don't recall. This looked like 8 ga.

Just let me know what you all think about this whole setup and how you'd write it up. Thanks in advance.

[William E. Siegel]

Grounds and neutrals need to be separated in the distribution panel.

There is a double tap in the third picture on the right pole.

Havent quite figured out what those aluminum grounds on the left pole are, but they are not right.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

well I will get it started by pointing out a few things.

1.) Since the main service disconnect is in the FIRST picture I will say that once the conductors leave the load side of that service disconnect you have feeders now and you are not allowed to have an improper case to neutral connection on the load side of the service disconnection means ( some exceptions may apply...lol )..NEC 250.24(A)(5) and ofcourse 250.6(A)

2.) I am a bit confused at all the conductors in picture 1. I am hoping the stranded copper goes to a grounding electrode as I dont see it making the connection in the panel....

3.) Notice the connection bar on the bottom of this panel which connects each bussbar together....should be removed and equipment grounds to one side and grounded conductors to the other side where the grounded conductor terminates.

4.) in picture 4 it shows a copper with black insulation to the larger lug...is that one end of the copper shown in picture 1....?..it does not appear to be run with the feeders....They should bring the larger aluminum conductor in that SER Cable to the left terminal buss, remove the bridge at the bottom and move all the "grounded" conductors to the right side terminal buss with the grounded conductors and visa versa with the grounding conductors on the right side bussbar.

It does beg me to ask a few questions......Where is the copper conductor in picture 1 going up to....and why?.....need more info than just pictures as I need to know the layout of the conductors in question.

5.) In picture 2 and 3, the larger aluminum conductor can't be split up like it is being done and BTW...where is it coming from and what is it supplying?

I am sure others will fine much more......I am off to richmond.

P.S. ......when the range is 8 3/4KW or Larger but in every event it has to be sized to no less than the load to be served. Now lets say the range is a 8KW unit and note 4 of table 220.55 says I can use the table for lets say an 8KW range, convert to watts from kilowatts by doing 8KWx1000= 8,000 Watts and since the range is sized within column B of the table on 220.55 we can apply 80% demand factor...giving us 6,400 Watts.

Now we convert Watts to VA....now in this case we consider 6.4KW as also 6.4KVA because the code says we can...lol...now
we convert to VA doing 6.4x1000= 6,400 VA / 240 = 27 AMPS

Now since I dont know the KW of the range in question I will stop there and let you ponder it.


(3) Household Ranges and Cooking Appliances.

Branch circuit

conductors supplying household ranges, wallmounted
ovens, counter-mounted cooking units, and other
household cooking appliances shall have an ampacity not
less than the rating of the branch circuit and not less than
the maximum load to be served. For ranges of 8 3/4 kW or
more rating, the minimum branch-circuit rating shall be 40
amperes.

[Joshua L. Frederick]

How should the large aluminum conductor be installed(pics 1 & 3)?

[Jim Port]

The grounding conductor in those pics should be attached to the metal enclosures with an appropriately sized lug.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

In a single termination. They can install a lug to connect to the existing bussbar. They do make lugs that connect to the bar using (2) available holes to hold the one larger lug.