Screw in breaker

[Thomas R. Hession]

Can someone tell me if this is normal for this breaker??

Thanx

[Robert Meier]

Are you referring to the 100 amp marked MAIN? A back fed breaker is required to be held in place by a screw or retention clip. I'm guessing that's why the screw is there. The question is was that breaker designed and listed to be held in place by that screw?

408.36(D) Back-Fed Devices. Plug-in-type overcurrent protection devices or plug-in type main lug assemblies that are backfed and used to terminate field-installed ungrounded supply conductors shall be secured in place by an additional fastener that requires other than a pull to release the device from the mounting means on the panel.

[Robert J. OConnor]

That looks like it might be a Cutler Hammer Type BR 100A breaker feeding that panel. They come with a special hole in the breaker for a hold-down retainer screw when used to backfeed a panel. Did it look like the attached pics?

P.S. Backfeeding means that the feeders supply power to the panel through a typical breaker position, and not a factory installed main breaker at the top (typically on a panel that doesn't have a main breaker, called an MLO panel).

It's OK to do it that way, but the main breaker for the feeders in that panel needs a special hold-down retainer clip or screw from the breaker manufacturer to keep the breaker in position. Otherwise if the breaker is removed or comes out without shutting off the power from the source, the breaker will still be hot ...

[Robert J. OConnor]

Here is a photo of a CH backfed panel with the screw type main breaker hold-down.

And ya just have to ask yourself, how long did it take sparky to wire up this panel ...

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by roconnor

And ya just have to ask yourself, how long did it take sparky to wire up this panel ...

A highly skilled electrician can install that kind of work in almost the same amount of time as low skilled electrician installing sloppy work. IMO all panels should look like that.

[Robert J. OConnor]

One of the neatest panels I have seen ... but if you look close he didnt re-identify a white wire on one of the 2-pole breakers ...

(Forget the ground wires ... RM's right, it's twisted bare grounds)

Here are two of my favorites ...

[Jim Port]

I think the grounds are just bare color that has been twisted together. They do not look like red insulated conductors.

Also the requirement to re-mark a white as a hot may post date this installation.

[Robert J. OConnor]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

I think the grounds are just bare color that has been twisted together. They do not look like red insulated conductors.

Im even more impressed with the time he took to twist them together like that.

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Also the requirement to re-mark a white as a hot may post date this installation.

I thought that requirement has been around for a long time?

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by roconnor

I thought that requirement has been around for a long time?

Not very long. Maybe 2 or 3 code cycles.

[Jim Port]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

Not very long. Maybe 2 or 3 code cycles.

Thanks for the confirmation and taking time to look that up Robert.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

Thanks for the confirmation and taking time to look that up Robert.

Actually I didn't look it up because I cannot find some of my electrical reference books.

I will try to confirm what I was saying from memory, this one gathered a lot of complaints about sanitizing the NEC for DIYer's.

[Robert J. OConnor]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

Not very long. Maybe 2 or 3 code cycles.

NEC 200-7 which has the requirement for white wires to only be used for neutral (grounded) conductors unless re-identified dates back at least to 1996, the earliest NEC edition I have handy. I think it goes back a lot farther than that.

[Jim Port]

I might be thinking about re-marking the white in a switch loop.

[Robert J. OConnor]

Here is essentially the same requirement in the 1959 NEC ... I dont have anything older than that in the archives.

.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by Jim Port

I might be thinking about re-marking the white in a switch loop.

I might have been thinking of that as well. My only question is if it has been required for so long why is it that every 20 year old or older panel never has the white re-identified when used on a two pole breaker?