Need an explanation

[Gerald C. Wilcox]

I've got two questions. The first is with a remote panel fed from the main panel (pic 1). How does the main disconnect on the remote panel ( it used to be the main panel ) safetly kill all power to the remote panel. Lugs adjacent to main power buss/lugs back feeds 100 amp breaker.........

Second, remote panel in garage (pic 2) fed with 120v from remote panel ( pic 1 ). 12/3 w/ground red wire cut off and jumped across both buss bars.......what is going on here?

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Your "remote" panel is attached directly to the service conductors, which essentially makes your "remote" panel part of the service equipment. As such, appropriate bonding between panels should be established.

I don't know how to answer your "how" question except to say that when the breaker is in the off position, power cannot be back-fed through it.

In your second picture, this is just a poor attempt at a 120V remote panel. The jumper allows the other bus to be fed from the same 120V leg.

[Robert Meier]

Do you have any other photo's of the panel in photo #1? It would seem to me that it was supposed to be set up as a split bus panel. Panel #2 is just a disaster probably wired by someone with little knowledge of electrical work (cutting off the red conductor) which is why it contains many violations.

[Gerald C. Wilcox]

[quote=jpope;695761]Your "remote" panel is attached directly to the service conductors, which essentially makes your "remote" panel part of the service equipment. As such, appropriate bonding between panels should be established.


Jeff-I assume you mean a grounded conductor from the remote panel to the main panel.....correct? This 100 amp Square D panel ( original service equipment ) has basically no grounds, house circuits 2-wire install.
Robert-Jeff I agree with pic 2. What a mess......wait till he tries to add a 220v breaker.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by gwilcox

Jeff-I assume you mean a grounded conductor from the remote panel to the main panel.....correct?

No. There needs to be a mechanical bond between the two panels, in other words, they need to be "connected" to each other, whether by conductor or raceway.

You cannot disconnect service from the building with the panel you have pictured. The feeders for the "remote" panel remain hot even when the pictured panel has been switched off in its entirety. Both panels have to be shut down individually in order to disconnect power from the structure.

This means that your "remote" panel is now part of the service disconnect for the structure. Essentially, you have "grouped" disconnects. As such, both panels need to be mechanically bonded, and wired as service equipment with grounded and grounding conductors bonded to the enclosures.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by gwilcox

I've got two questions. The first is with a remote panel fed from the main panel (pic 1). How does the main disconnect on the remote panel ( it used to be the main panel ) safetly kill all power to the remote panel. Lugs adjacent to main power buss/lugs back feeds 100 amp breaker.........

Second, remote panel in garage (pic 2) fed with 120v from remote panel ( pic 1 ). 12/3 w/ground red wire cut off and jumped across both buss bars.......what is going on here?

On the main panel, right SEC lug, I see a small (#14 or 12) red wire. This does not appear to feed the subpanel as that feed is black. This wire is illegal and not properly protected.

Couple of other items on the subpanel also not mentioned:
- No box connecter at 1 upper wire
- neutrals run up behind breaker frame that has sharp edges

[dhuxted]

in the first panel is that large silver wire a ground? if so does it come from the main and second are the main feeds to this panel fed from a breaker in the main? Third are these panels (pic.1 and the main) in separate buildings? That all matters, a pic of the whole panel would help as well.

[Tim Larsen]

Anyone notice the arcing at the left lug and frame pic. 1?

Tim

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by dhuxted

in the first panel is that large silver wire a ground? if so does it come from the main and second are the main feeds to this panel fed from a breaker in the main? Third are these panels (pic.1 and the main) in separate buildings? That all matters, a pic of the whole panel would help as well.

It appears to be the grounded conductor in the SE cable feeding that panel.