I am doing a review and looked over this image. The neutral bus bar is grounded by the multi-strand aluminum wire. Then each branch circuit neutrals are terminated into the same bus bar. Is bonded together like this appropriate?
Here is the main panel. Only 1 earth ground exists. Should there be 2 grounds? I want to write this up as needing a second earth ground. I did mention the double taps. And, this is all very old, amateurish, and to bring in an electrical contractor.
Yep, a lot of wrong going on! I would just call for a licensed electrical contractor to evaluate and make necessary repairs to both main and sub panels.
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My big question was if/should I say something generic about the panel and move on. Thanks for the tip.
Example:
Missing knockouts, undersize wires (12 gauge on 30 amp?), double lugged neutrals, etc. recommend qualified electrician assess panels and wiring and make changes as needed for operational safety of complete system.
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A circuit that lacked overcurrent protection was viewed, double tapped hot and neutrals were viewed and corrosion was viewed in the main distribution panel. The sub-panel was improperly wired. Recommended that a qualified Electrical contractor make corrections as needed.
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Thanks Kevin and Larry. To provide some more context. I am revisiting an early inspection and updating things after taking courses and understanding more about how to write certain narratives. Also, I am testing out and learning my software. So, I’ve learned a few things. 1. Knowing a double tap exists is one thing. Knowing how to write it up is a completely different skill. 2. The canned narratives are limited and I need to add a few. 3. Our jurisdiction should require an inspection before rental property can be rented. This is still a mock / training inspection. I’ll review several more times.
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I do those in Maryland in a couple of jurisdictions. They are basically safety and sanitary. As such the panels are never opened. Plumbing with no leaks, smoke and CO alarms in approved locations, railings, etc.
Maybe that is something you could propose to your local jurisdiction. The problem we have here in GA is that it’s an unregulated, non licensing state for HI’s. It’s pretty much a “wild, wild West” for HI’s and some sort of standards need to be adopted.
I am afraid it would drive up the rent of the slum lords had to fix the issues. As a Firefighter, I saw plenty of things that were allowed that in other municipalities would get you thrown in jail - as a landlord.
No excuse!
Minnesota is also non-regulated… except for 15 cities making up the Minnespolis/St.Paul Metro area… which falls on the SELLER to have performed, NOT the Buyer…
Regulating HI won’t do anything for slum lords. But, I have brought it up to our county council. Our biggest slum lord is our country attorney. So that suggestion went over like a lead balloon.
It does drive up the rent. Just as minimum wage increases drive up the cost of burgers and everything else. Government is the root cause of all inflation.
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Think you missed my point about local jurisdictions deciding on something that is not regulated by the state…
I’d share this report with you all once I get it completed. Just as a reference to why I think some oversight is required. What i’m afraid of local building inspector would be required to do the inspections and then it would take weeks to get an inspection.
Perhaps you need to better explain then?!
Perhaps you missed my point, that being, you don’t need the State to make Regulations, just a Jurisdiction that sees the need and benefit to enact their own Regs! (See my Links above, which are Municipal Regs NOT State Regs).
You advised Levi to…
You could take your own advice!
The change for subpanels was in the 2008 NEC where they eliminated 250.32(B)(2) which appeared in the 2005 and earlier code editions… and added an exception for existing installations in 250.32(B).
So while the main is a mess, the neutral/ground thing on the three wire subpanel is not itself a defect given the age of the panel.
NOTE: When taking or posting panel pictures, please take and post a picture of the rating label and or breaker labels.
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Yes there was a code change in the 2008 NEC but if the sub-panel is within the same structure the feeder EGC’s and neutrals must be separated at the sub-panel. The code change that you mentioned is only for sub-panels in a separate structure.
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Levi, I hope you don’t mind me relighting this older thread- but I saw where you said you were going through some older stuff to glean more insights… Anyway, some additional things I saw on your main panel- I can’t see where the ground conductor enters the enclosure at all, and the ground lug appears unused. Am I missing it? Also, I noticed signs of heat on the double-tapped Square D breaker (copper turning dark, and blue). That’s what I personally mention regarding double taps- bad connection, leads to arcing, which makes heat, which is bad… Regarding your sub panel, I’m lost on that- I see where the neutral terminates to a lug, but I don’t see a neutral bus- only a ground bus. I understand those should be separate in a sub panel- unless I’m not looking at it right. Appreciate any feedback!
