Electric Panel

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by bboerner

Nope not one bit. Just building me a checklist.

Oh, good...I thought for a moment there I was going to have to move again...

[Billy Boerner]

So Jae do you have a good checklist for the electrical panel?

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by bboerner

So Jae do you have a good checklist for the electrical panel?

Only in my own mind.

I've been at it so long it just hangs around rattling in my brain. Nothing written, all rotten.

[Jae Williams]

Dave's list is good. If you read it a few times, and truly understand the content, then you could write your own checklist.

[Jae Williams]

And here's a little something that DV offered one time some years ago, I believe. At least I hope he offered it, because I took it.

I edited his original and use it to explain sub-panels...

A SUB-PANEL, or REMOTE DISTRIBUTION PANEL, is merely an extension of the main service panel. Since the neutrals are bonded to the grounding wires in the MAIN SERVICE PANEL, the grounding wires (bare) and the neutral wires (white) should never be connected in any manner beyond the main panel. However, the grounding wires should be bonded to the sub-panel.

And “objectionable current” may flow on metal parts (grounding wire or metal conduit) when the grounded neutral conductor (white wire) is bonded to the metal case of a panel-board that is not part of service equipment (such as a sub-panel). Occasionally, the wires may come in contact with each other in their jacket causing a short circuit in the grounding/grounded system.

[If a neutral wire became disconnected (and, it does happen), the return path for electric current could be along a ground wire. While that itself may not always be a hazard, if that ground wire also became disconnected somewhere, parts of the ground system could be energized. That is NEVER supposed to happen.]

The neutral wire is essentially a "low-risk" return path for the electric current in that branch of the system. All of the neutral wires have the same electrical potential...zero. At least, no potential compared to ground. There is, of course, 120 volts of potential difference between a neutral wire and any hot wire in the average residential system.

If one were to touch the metal part of a live neutral wire one should not receive a shock. (Don't try it!) By tying the neutral to ground at one point (in the main panel), half of the conductors (in a typical 120 volt circuit) have no dangerous electrical potential. Of course, as always, the hot wires are still dangerous.

[Jeff Moore]

David,
I'm curious about your statement of code violation if there is not a light near the panel. Here in sunny Arizona most do not have light near any of the exterior mounted panels.

Could you enlighten me about the code requirements?
I know we are not code inspectors but this is interesting.

Thanks
Jeff

[Jae Williams]

In the East US, weather precludes outdoor installation, as a rule. And then we have those things called clouds that hide the sun and we can't see inside the house without artificial lighting.

[Jae Williams]

Wait a minute...I'm not David......sorry for the intrusion.

[Jeff Moore]

Jae,
No problem. We have those things called clouds and even water falling from the sky maybe 15-20 days a year here in "The Valley of the Sun"

Jeff

[Christopher Currins]

Here is check list Paul A. shared with us before. I'm sure (hope) he won't mind.

[Billy Boerner]

That is a great list. Exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks Chris!!!

[Jim Port]

Originally Posted by jwilliams4

One should also see two 1/4 bare wires in the panel--one to bond the water line and one to the earth-ground rod outside.

If the water line is non-metallic and a Ufer ground was installed there may only be 1 wire. There is no requirement for ground rods with a Ufer.