Neutral to Ground strap

The neutral conductors and bare grounds are properly separated in this subpanel, but I’m thinking the strap on the bottom should be removed?

(The double tap will be reported)

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Yup, what kind of feeder cable is that?

Thank you, Robert. The feeder cable is for yet another sub-panel to a detached workshop out in the yard.

The subpanel in the pic is being fed from the top by 2/0 copper (not shown in this pic)

Oh yes – sub=NO neutral to ground bond.
Neutrals at the subs should be “floating”.
To echo the previous post – what kind of feed is that double-pole 100A – is that feeding this panel, or is it a feeder/branch circuit for another sub or an appliance?
If it’s feeding this panel, it should be secured with a proper device or a kit to prevent it from accidentally falling out.
I know that the likelihood of that is slim, but that’s what NEC says: all backfed breakers must be secured to the panel by something other than being pushed in or onto the busbar.

Also after the jumper is removed a bonding jumper or bonding screw is required in the bus on the left to connect to the enclosure.

Is this a sub-panel or a main panel? It appears to me that this is a main panel and the breaker on the lower right is feeding a sub-panel with a 4 conductor branch circuit.

It’s a sub-panel, David. The breaker at lower right is a generator feed to it.

Wow, so that 100A two-pole breaker is backfed by a generator?
That raises some serious questions then:
How is it interlocked with the main panel’s main breaker, in other words, what’s in place to prevent accidental backfeeding the utility power lines with generator power?
Not to mention (although this is a small thing compared to the previous item) the fact that it’s not secured to the panel like any backfed breaker should.

If that’s a generator feed to a subpanel you have bigger problems than the lack of separation between the EGC bus and the neutral bus.

That’s an understated. Robert.

Nothing like the possibility of energizing the the grid and killing someone working on it.

Sheesh

I suppose it’s possible that the transfer switch is located elsewhere.

Jeff, I’m trying to figure out how that is possible could you explain? :smiley:

Sometimes the transfer switch is actually on the generator itself, or near the MDP. It just has to be between the generator and whatever it’s feeding.

This case here the homeowner utilized a “dead man’s plug” (as I used to call them). It had all been removed before the inspection, only the wires to that sub panel and the junction box outside remain.

I explained how dangerous this scenario is to the homeowner, the possibility of back feeding. When I was in the standby generator business, I had seen many generators melted down. After talking with him for a moment, I realized he did it in a “safe” manner,(turned off the main while backfeeding) but I wasn’t there to lecture him on generator and transfer switch use anyway.

Seen it lots of times. It’s done with an Automatic Transfer Switch, which locks out the incoming power and transfers the generator power to a main panel, subpanel, emergency panel, or whatever.

Sounds like the entire system is setup as one big safety hazard as well as numerous code violations.

Exactly looking at this set up you would be back feeding to the system
you must break the incoming feed when you energise the system with another feed .

Here is a picture of a manual generator transfer switch .
It opens one breaker when closing the other breaker

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Wishful thinking, I guess. I’m just picturing a panel and transfer-switch like what Roy posted (post 16), near the generator and feeding that 100A breaker.

Given the obvious defects in the OP picture, it’s pretty unlikely that the generator hookup was done properly…

Correct, Roy. A manual transfer switch is essentially just a 3 way switch. Usually a knife or blade switch, so that power can only go one way. The problem is most people don’t realize the 3 way switch, when connected to utility, must have the same rating as incoming utility. DIYers will buy a switch rated for the generator amps.

This guy did everything wrong, and very dangerous. He relied on memory to open the main breaker before connecting the generator. I have done this at my home, but if left to someone untrained, can be very serious, even deadly.

I told my client not to hook any generator up, especially not the way the homeowner did it, to seek the advise of myself or someone else trained in the field before installing a generator.

Thanks for putting it mildly, Jeff. What I told my client was a little harsher…like… YOU COULD DIE OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE!!!

The Transfer switch should be as large as the panel feeds circuits are.
In Canada the switch breaks all three feed wires 2 hot and a neutral .
This is so the generator is completely isolated the house feeds from the supplier.
They can not have any back feeds going into the supply system for safety reasons .
We do not want the lines man getting electrocuted.

http://www.renovation-headquarters.com/generator-transfer-switch-p2.htm#.UugBLhAo7X4

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