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

 
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  #1  
Old 1/27/08, 11:45 PM
Bob Elliott's Avatar
Bob Elliott Bob Elliott is offline
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Default Problem?

Main breakers at meter which was on other wall.
Note covers for different units touching
ground and neutral bond strap in place
bottom two breakers not wired
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  #2  
Old 1/28/08, 1:08 AM
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Default Re: Problem?

The bond strap should not be in place when the panel is fed from a meter center such as the one you have shown, where overcurrent protection is provided in the meter center. Those panels should also be subfed, with 4-wire cable. All the grounding electrode conductors should terminate in that meter center.

The covers overlapping is more of a workmanship issue, and I personally don't see any real hazard. Seems like you can get either one or the other off without removing both. Looks ugly, but that's about the extent of it.

The breakers that are installed without any wiring is of no consequence, and is certainly not a hazard. It is quite common to have a commercial panel fully loaded with "spares". There is no general requirement that a spare breaker be labeled as such, as there is no particular hazard created by having an unlabeled breaker that doesn't serve any loads. It is rather uncommon to find installed spares in a residential setting, but some installers may pop one in to fill a mistakenly removed cover knockout if a filler plate isn't right at hand.
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Old 1/28/08, 2:02 AM
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Default Re: Problem?

Thanks Mark.
1 I was referring to the entire panel having no labels.
2 Conduit is ground so you mean 3 wires right
3 thought the panels touching is like them being bonded together hence an issue if one is electrified

I have been calling out the neutral / ground bond issue, and notice it is common when the Remote distubution panel is in the basement rather than in the condo units.
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Old 1/28/08, 2:28 AM
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Default Re: Problem?

Quote:
Originally Posted by relliott
1 I was referring to the entire panel having no labels.
Yes, that's a technical problem. I'd be hard pressed to say how it's a hazard myself, however. Might screw up someone on life support equipment if one tennant started mussing with another tennant's panel mistakenly, thinking it was their own.

Quote:
Originally Posted by relliott
2 Conduit is ground so you mean 3 wires right
Yes, when properly done (ie, that 3rd conductor in the pipe properly sized for use as a neutral and properly identified, grounds and neutrals separated in the tenant panel, etc.).

Quote:
Originally Posted by relliott
3 thought the panels touching is like them being bonded together hence an issue if one is electrified
I'm not sure I follow your reasoning, but suffice it to say that there is no electrical hazard with respect to the panel covers touching, and there never can be. It's a dumb way to install equipment, but that's about all I can say. Everything metal related to the exterior of the panels is at the same potential already anyhow.

Quote:
Originally Posted by relliott
I have been calling out the neutral / ground bond issue, and notice it is common when the Remote distubution panel is in the basement rather than in the condo units.
It's a complicated subject that many people still don't grasp. You're doing a good job.

Last edited by Marc D. Shunk; 1/28/08 at 2:32 AM..
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