Trailer wiring

[Ralph Smith]

Hi Folks, I inspected a double wide this morning, with additions, where the main disconnect in the yard had been eliminated and conduit was run to the interior sub-panel. The ground and neutral buss bars are seperate. There also is a sub-panel in the attached garage, that is fed from the sub-panel in the trailer, with a bonded neutral and ground buss!
I know that the sub in the garage is bad but can the main disconnect be eliminated by some proceedure? The owner kept telling me that a licensed sparky did the work.{not the garage, that was Johnny home owner job.}
I need to take some education on electrical panels! It is my weak point.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Ralph

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Ralph,

We have a Electrical Training Seminar coming up in a few weeks in New York which will probably help you. Check out www.nachice.com for details.

In your question.......if the panel outside is eliminated and the lateral is ran directly to the panel in the doublewide....then it would not be a "remote distribution panel " any longer....that is IF their is no main shut off outside at the outside......

Now if they run the service directly to the double-wide which is probably set on a foundation now......The panel inside the doublewide needs to be wired like a normal panel.....grounded and grounding conductors need to be bonded together.....the feeder going to the detached garage would still remain a " Remote distribution panel "......

An electrician may have done it...BUT was a permit pulled.....and was it done to code.

We need some more details here........

1.) Is the panel located WITHIN the doublewide....and I mean in the middle area of the double wide....not on a outside wall.....

2.) Is their ANY service shut off on the outside of the double wide....or are you saying they simply bypassed and removed the previous exterior panel that feed the doublewide?

3.) When you looked into the panel within the doublewide....how many conductors did you have in association to the service......3 Conductors or 4 conductors......

Please answer these questions and we can assist more.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Something to consider.

Generally, mobile/manufactured home panels are not listed to be used as service equipment. There is usually a label right on the dead-front that states something like "this panel must be protected by a an overcurrent device not to exceed _____ amps on the line side of the supply feeders." In other words, there must be a service disconnect outside of the home.

The inside cover of the panel will tell you for sure if the panel can be used as service equipment.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Was trying to pull as much information as possible jeff from the poster on the panel within the dwelling...

Many double-wide style homes today do have setups where the panel is on the outside wall allowing for installation like a typical service setup....as well as manufactured homes.......BUT if totally done wrong it simply defeats all the "SAFE" guards designed into the concept behind the remote distribution setup.

Actually in this case...the thougt of it having an outside disconnect ( which i should have based on what is said ) to now it is being bypassed......and the statement an electrician did it.......we need to have the questions I posted answered.....to see what was found in the actual panel.

[Ralph Smith]

The panel is on an interior dividing wall, near the rear exterior wall. [1']
There is no longer any service shut off on the exterior of the structure. They simply bypassed and removed the previous exterior panel.
The entrance cable has four wires coming in to the panel. Also the neutral and ground are not bonded.
The trailer sets on a concrete pad with block piers.
Thanks again, Ralph

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by rsmith5

They simply bypassed and removed the previous exterior panel.

How did they bypass the panel?

The SEC would only have 3 conductors. So one of the four conductors feeding the interior panel connects to "what?"

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Tells me someone did this without permits or knowing what they are doing.....defer this as the panel in the trailer is within the trailer and not on an outside wall...so regardless of the other info....labels or anything ...with the fact it has (4) conductors inside....and seperated grounding and grounded conductors tells me all I need to know.......you need to DEFER it and have the whole thing looked over....

[Ralph Smith]

Thanks Guys, The SEC goes into the meter on the exterior wall of the trailer, then conduit continues to the interior panel where I can see four wires. Unknown how this is connected elsewhere or goes from three to four wires as it is not readily visable. The panel in the garage is definately fed from the interior panel.
I already had recomended that the entire system be evaluated as there are other problems also. Addition built in 2002 with a bathroom/laundry, has no GFCI at the sink but the washing machine 10' from the sink has one. That is just one of several. Definately did not pull a permit or the COE is inept.
Thanks again, Ralph