Dryer OCPD breaker and fuses.

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
#1

I have a few questions about a 30 amp fused OCPD designated for the dryer.

The one issue I observed was with a wire splice. Could this splice connector be the one that was recalled.

http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PREREL/prhtml08/08367.html

Now there was already a 30 amp breaker in the panel so why have the second OCPD?

Also the wire is reidentified as blue. It was not reidentified in the panel. What does blue designate?

Is it acceptable to double tap the fuse? One is incoming from the panel and one feeds the receptacle.

Please help me better understand this older wiring. I called out the fused OCPD due to the poor connection at the wire splice. I figure they could just remove the entire fused OCPD and just use the 30 amp breaker in the main panel.

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#2

The fuses are obsolete. The “double tap” makes a direct connection that bypasses the fuses.

The knife switch acts as a disconnect (when wired properly) such as what you would expect on an A/C condenser.

Blue means nothing other than “that’s what was available.”

#3

I was kind of thinking along the same lines as Jeff, but why not just connect using the wire nuts and be done with it?

It would be hard to tell if that butt connector was made by GB.

#4

David,

From the image we are not going to be able to tell if that splice was from GB and again the report show no injuries to at least the date of that press release. While the splice may not hold it also appears that it was done improperly which tells me someone did not know how to do a proper butt splice anyway because that is way too much conductor exposed and with the lack of conductor itself and room for making the splice, chances are any butt splice they used would probably have a poor connection. If their were OTHER issues wrong with this dwelling then I would indeed put it on the list to check because it may be showing wire simply because it has already pulled loose, probably due to poor installation and not the butt splice itself.

Remember, sometimes a little defect may not bring down the SHIP…but if you observe many leaks in the SHIP you should then list them if the ship is going down anyway.

BTW…go read my comment David on MY FORUM…lol