Writing report on house I did last night. What you see is the main service wire traveling along a back outside wall from point A - Service Mast to point B - Service Meter. Would you write this up as needing replaced or would you state to monitor?
Good Lord–Not only is it installed improperly, it’s SHOT—Replace it and install it correctly, by a electrician naturally—
Dale how should the service wire be installed?
Have the Buyer or Owner if they are making the upgrade ask the Electrician, your not an electrician, nor am I, and I don’t know what the pictures are representing, need the full story. Large picture of the whole gig.
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Short answer: In conduit…
Pictures on this inspection weren’t necessarily of the conduit, but I think you get the idea.
Agree it is time to replace.
All I see is some straps missing. I don’t see where conduit would be called for, at least as far the the pictures show.
SE Cable is perfectly allowed for exterior applications…However, this SE Cable is “SHOT” and should be replaced as it presents a hazard. The Grounded conductor is exposed and it does carry current as well the ungrounded conductors I would bet are close to being exposed in some portions as you can see the insulation is nearly done as well. I can guarantee you the “insulation” properties on that ungrounded conductor is about “SHOT” as well…since they will certainly have to replace it…you are doing them a GREAT service by informing them now…!!!
Pics of the panel… Thanks everyone. Let me know if you see anything else. No manufacture data and no indication on the main breaker. My educated guess was corrected by a good friend to 100-125AMP MAX split buss panel. Manufacture is Cutler Hammer.
Seriously??? You can’t make that call? I can’t believe you actually thought about writing it up as just something to “monitor”. WTF!? Hell, while your at it just tell them to wrap it with some duct tape, while standing in a puddle of water.
Just my opinion. 
http://www.nachi.org/forum/attachments/f19/32195d1254010353t-frayed-service-wires-jperez-052.jpg
10 (?) gauge wire connected to the main bus looks like a problem to me.
Triple tap at feeds, Open knock out at base of panel. Upper right corner of the panel buss… I see 30 Amp but can’t make out what that is all about. Wire sizing maybe wrong there…
Opening in the bottom of pic 1. Looks like a double tapped breaker in pic 3. Exposed romex should be in conduit in pic. 1. Where are the grounds?
Shouldn’t the cables feeding the lower bus be protected from the sharp edges of the cabinet?
Brian nice to see you wondered where you went. Yes I have a bad habit of second guessing myself. First time I’ve ever ran across a SE cable in such a condition as this one. Just wanted a sec opinion from the pros.
– Panel is only grounded to earth. The entire home has no GFCI or three prong outlets.
– Where do you see exposed Romex? Guess I’m missing it.
– Not sure i see the sharp edges your talking about either.
– Triple tap at feeds — agreed
– Open knock out at base — agreed
– 30 AMP I saw no problems. I can’t remember exactly however it was for the furnace if I recall right could be wrong.
Ralph you talking about the red wire? If so I wonder why its there as well. Any idea?
The 10 or 12 guage red and white wires on the right side and the black wire on the left side are all under rated. They may have no over current protection at all. Somebody must have thought it was OK to connect a circuit there for some reason. I don’t know why they wouldn’t have just double tapped onto an existing breaker (not that double tapping is necessarly OK, but at least the circuit would have over current protection).
Off to the right side of photo 1, it look like a small sub-panel with romex wiring coming out of the top of it. As a general rule of thumb, it should be protected from potential damage, which means behind walls or in conduit.
The cables at the lower main lugs (top part of the panel) bend over a metal tab that is unprotected by a bushing.