This was on a 2004 house. The meter sat between the service panel and a small distribution panel for the well and shed. Everything looked good in the service panel but I could not see where the small distribution panel was getting its power. No extra conductors came in or out of the service panel other than the ones feeding the the service and going out to the distribution. Safe to say that the small distribution panel was incorrectly powered by a double-tap in the meter? Thanks.
Thanks Brian. If it originated in the meter, that would be incorrect, right? Just trying to confirm that I’m not making an irrelevant service call from an electrician.
The main breaker apparently will not disconnect all the power. I’d say it’s a safety issue in that someone may work on the downstream devices from the panel on the left thinking that everything was off since they turned off the “main”. I’ve written them up like that before.
The main breaker would not kill all the power if you had two panels paralleled off the meter which is a common installation.
It looks like the power can be killed with less than 6 throws of the hand. One the main breaker to the right of the meter and three throws in the panel on the left of the meter.
Does this 6 throw rule require the throws to be at one location as shown in these photos?
I had one yesterday where the house had two panels apparently paralleled off the meter. (See photo.) The original panel was inside, directly behind the meter with the second panel, feeder coming out of the bottom of the meter than entering the wall and heading to the attic to the opposite side of the bedroom to the second panel. Both panels were 100 amp with panel breakers to shut each one down. Two throws ok?
Not really sure how to write this one up.
Any suggestions?
Since the tap is inside the power companys meter box with their lock, can I assume that the approved the addition of the double tap?
All quick responses would be appreciated, trying to finalize my report this morning.
So could one say this installation was done after the fact since power is ran outside the house to the other panel,like the pic shows. If it was original would it not be inside the wall?
David, if you mean installation instead of insulation, the correct way to do this was to place two disconnects outside, or to place a disconnect next to the panel inside.
