During my inspection on the electrical system, I encountered a few issues concerning the service panel. First off, they have a 200 amp panel of which they bypassed the main breaker and installed a 2-pole 100A as the main breaker. There appears to have been some arcing in the past due to the burn/weld mark on the panel tub. A couple abandoned wires and multi-conductor cables are still in the panel, not being used. No AFCI breakers were installed, due to the installation being pre-code implementation. I would recommend a licensed professional to further investigate these issues and bring it up to code.
Hello, Here is a photo of the main service lines being connected within a box inside the home. Thanks
Hollo Again, I just got done reading the article regarding the Dangers of Arc Flashes. WOW! I think I will start wearing my protective welding mask while inspecting the panel. My favorite quote in the article was when they said that if/when an arc flash does accrue its “visually spectacular”. Thanks
this image shows a “push-a-matic” 200A. 40 cir. service panel. The breakers on the left are all 20A 1p . The breakers on the right are 2p 240v. The breakers on the top of each side are 100A. 2p mains
The panel I looked at was not bonded and there were many instances of the neutral and ground under the same lug. This is a common practice I have noticed.
[FONT=Arial][size=2] Recommend permanent removal or securing of abandoned circuits in breaker panel. [/size][/FONT] Recommend licensed electrician evaluate and repair.
This is the back of dead front that had signs of arcing. There were several problems with this installation. Incorrect panel cover screws, nicked ungrounded conductors and moisture.
This is the back of dead front that had signs of arcing. There were several problems with this installation. Incorrect panel cover screws, nicked ungrounded conductors and moisture.
I inspected the service panel. There were signs of arcing on the inside of the dead front. Thankfully I had my 600V gloves because I could not see any signs of trouble until I removed the cover. Sharp screws were used to fix the cover to the enclosure. Looking more closely you can also see nicked insulation on ungrounded conductors. This was a seller inspection so I showed the owner and requested they contact a licensed electrician to make the necessary corrections. They did, and were thankful for my recommendation.
This is an image of a properly installed sub-panel in an apartment. As you can see there is no main shutoff.This is because this is a sub-panel, and the main shutoff is located outside the building. This picture also shows a proper label as well as correct size and type breakers.
Very intensive course isn’t it?
I have taken a picture of the sub-panel in my apartment.
There is no labeling so no idea what breaker is for what.
In doing my electrical inspection on my apartment I was able to locate the main disconnect (400 amp) in the utility room along with meters for all the suites. There was no service drop or anything visible outside as everything was delivered underground. The main panel interior was inaccessible to me because it was padlocked. My suite had no AFCI or GFCI receptacles or breakers due to the age of the building. Other than no labeling on the sub-panel breakers everything checked out good.
Good afternoon fellow InterNACHI members.
Here is my picture from a previous inspection to complete the electrical portion of the course.
Enjoy,
Gavin Caleb CHI
In this panel there is a triple tap into the bottom left 15Amp breaker.
I’m sure the majority of us have seen double taps but I figured a triple tap would one up the double tap…
Also there are 3 splices with marrettes in the panel.
Attached is a picture of the electrical panel at my old house. It is 200 amp service and the service is underground to the house. I did not notice any defects at the panel.
Attached is an electrical inspection that I performed at my house. There were a few defects that were noticed - missing GFCI`s in the kitchen and exterior, as well as a missing junction box cover on the basement over the furnace.
Almost could not find the panel. Not only what you see is bad, what you can’t see is the water heater just to the right of it.
“Electrical service Panels” & “Electrical Terms”
As a home inspector, I want to be confident in the terminology I am using when writing my reports. The terms I use when writing about electrical service to the home, especially when reporting a defect that may need to be evaluated by a professional electrician need to be correct. My goal is that I dont look as though I am not competent, but more important than that is the electrician having a firm understanding of what the potential defect is and how to fix it.
The article on electrical service panels reinforced the step by step procedures and safety points for removing dead fronts and inspecting the service panel. Test first, listen for any noises from inside the panel, then proceed with caution.