Sub panel tie in

[Scott A. Figert]

2002 I believe is when this was done. This is a 200 amp main panel in a detached garage feeding a 200 amp panel in the house. The wires are tied directly into the hot bars at the bottom of the main panel with no breakers at all except the main disconnect at the top. I've never seen this type of hook up before. I know the licensed electricain that was labeled on panel. Although I do not know if he did this. Owner bought this place in '05 so she does not know either. Technically it does follow a disconnect but I'm not sure it is right or wrong this way. Help me out guys.

[Marc D. Shunk]

That panel has "feed through lugs". You're fine. As long at the service conductors hit that main breaker first, and not those main lugs, it's correct. The main breaker will kill the power to that panel as well as those feed through lugs. In resi work, you'll normally only see panels with feed through lugs in association with mobiles and modulars.

Your second panel says those conductors are "from main panel". Do you mean they go "to" the panel in the home? That's sorta what I suspect.

I'd sorta like to see some green tape on the black EGC associated with the subfeeder conductors, but it's not the end of the world type of thing.

[Scott A. Figert]

Thanks Marc I thought it was OK but wanted to know for sure. I'll let the owner know. I really like this message board. You guys are great.

[William E. Siegel]

My only question would be on the service panel. It is hard to tell from the picture if the ground and nuetral bars are bonded together.

[hmiller]

Marc
The topic of feed through lugs raised a question. I am assuming that this is only acceptable when the service conductor size has not decreased. (Like in the photos posted.)

[Thomas H. Dietrich]

I see a lot of cosmteic/logistic stuff like marc said, but I can't see any bonding from the ground bar to cabinet or the neutral. Am I missing it?

[Clearly a chance to use my wiggly. ]

tom

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by hmiller

Marc
The topic of feed through lugs raised a question. I am assuming that this is only acceptable when the service conductor size has not decreased. (Like in the photos posted.)

Essentially, you're right, unless the service conductors were grossly oversized for no good reason at all (in which case, the conductors on the subfeed lugs may rightfully visually be smaller). The feed through lugs will be protected by whatever size main is in that panel. As long as the conductors installed on the feed through lugs are of a gauge that jives with the rating of the main, it's fine. There's a few exceptions, like if the second panel has its own main, and is within a few feet of the panel with feed through lugs, but you're likely to never see a resi installation done that way.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by tdietrich1

I see a lot of cosmteic/logistic stuff like marc said, but I can't see any bonding from the ground bar to cabinet or the neutral. Am I missing it?

Now that you mention it, when you zoom in, it appears that the main bonding jumper(s) may indeed be missing. I wonder if those yellow chromated screws near the top of each bar enter the panel's backpan? Hard to say. If they do, they probably would have been green. Interesting to talk about, in the mean time.