Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is the main panel for a residential property. I found a few concerns upon inspection. I could not locate a green grounding screw. There is a neutral conductors being used as a hot and should have black electrical tape over it but does not. There was one ground conductor that has some damage to it possibly from arching. I also notated a few over stripped conductors.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I learned that conductor wire with non-metallic sheathing is commonly used as residential branch wiring. It is a residential wiring that is composed of two or more insulated conductors contained in a non-metallic sheath. Underground feeder conductors appear similar to NM cables except that UF cables contain a solid plastic core and cannot be rolled between fingers.
I also learned that NM and UF cables are not permitted in residential construction higher than three stories, or in any commercial construction. And don’t ever use bent nails or overdrive your staples when securing your cables.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Moisture intrusion in a service panel causing corrosion / rust. Underground service into panel in basement. No indication of any moisture entering via. service line into panel. 18 in. from the panel the was a basement window that was broke and would not shut. Cold air entering the home and causing condensation inside the warm electric panel caused surface corrosion. Recommend replacement of window.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Outdoor receptacles must have moisture protection and must be GFCI protected. The receptacle can be its own GFCI or can be downstream from one which would protect a user from shock. Outdoor receptacles installed on decks often have extension cords run to them. Extension cords are responsible for many fires and injuries.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The bottom breaker has 2 different gauge wires entering it. There is a 14 AWG and 12 AWG wire on the same breaker. Both should be 12 AWG as this is a 20 amp breaker. This is a safety hazard. Recommend evaluation by licensed electrician.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Double tapped breakers are a safety hazard. There must be one conductor per breaker terminal. Double tapping connects two energized conductors for two separate circuits when they are supposed to be isolated. Always recommend evaluation by a licensed electrician or electrical contractor.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I read the article on electrical panels. Throughout this section I have struggled at times to grasp the terminology and understand certain aspects of electrical inspections. Sometimes it truly is like reading a lost foreign language. One of the things that stuck out to me though was the constant reminder for safety and understanding that electrical inspections are inherently dangerous. Being completely new to home inspections I have found some confidence through the reminders for safety and not being over-confident when dealing with electricity and its components. Because I have no electrical experience I can say with absolute certainty that I appreciate the SOP and the recommendations for performing the inspection without putting myself or the client at unnecessary risk.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Im Writing this essay about the legend on the electric panel as it does have sufficent notification on which breakers are for which components and it is labeled forn every one of the items,as u can tell its clear on which one goes to and u are able to read it.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I have decided too chose an illustration on the right way of breakers need to be one thing when inspecting breakers is that you should never see two or more wires being connected in one breaker that is called double tapping it should always be single tap no more than one wire in a breaker at a time .
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Never judge a book by it’s cover. It is very important that a home inspector get comfortable with removing electrical panel covers in order to thoroughly inspect the system. With a open panel the inspector will be able to identify damaged wiring, double tapping, and other hazards not visible. An inspector must practice removing panel covers in their own home to get comfortable with the task and of coarse safety first. When inspecting a customers location it is important to do a thorough examination of the exterior of the panel and system to determine if it would be safe to remove the panel cover and note in the report why the panel cover was not removed.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Locating all the electrical panels in a building is extremely important. A home inspector should not be shy in asking the current owner of the building because they know their building better than we do when it comes to the exact locations of certain items. I did an inspection where I thought I inspected every panel in the building but didn’t. Sure enough the last panel found happened to be a Federal Pacific Stab-lok that would have gone missing in the report. The importance in making sure our reports note any access restrictions is key to staying out of court from a lawsuit.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I chose the diagram for a duplex receptacle in the electrical folder:
I do not have much knowledge about electricity and how it works throughout a building. So, I have learned about the duplex receptacle that the shorter vertical slot is for the hot, the longer vertical slot for the neutral and the rounded slot on the bottom is for the grounding conductors. I also learned that the receptacle has information on it pertaining to amperage, voltage rating, current type and wire type.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
I tripped this outlet using the tester and it shut it off. That tells me it is GFCI protected and is branched from a GFCI outlet somewhere else in the home. The GFCI that connected to the one in the picture was located in the bathroom down the hall. Once I reset the Bathroom GFCI, power returned to the branched outlet
Research & Writing Assignment:
INSPECTING ALUMINUM WIRING: I knew there were certain hazards and different AWG requirements for aluminum wiring but this article taught me a little more. One thing I did not know was that connections can become loose due to many reasons including expanding and contracting and that they also create more vibration than copper wires. These are two big factors that lead to loose connections and arcing.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
GE 100 amp main service disconnect; The panel seems to be in good working order as no major deficiency noted. Correct identification of the breakers as noted on the dead front panel are questionable. The panel and its components seems to be original to the structure built in 1974, a panel up-grade should be consider.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Any construction site is inherently dangerous and removing a dead front panel on any installation must be done cautiously. The inspector should observe the overall condition of the panels exterior before attempting to remove the panel and should wear PPE at all times. I have learned for experience that one must respect and have complete concentration when operating or interacting with tools, mechanical, or electrical devices.
Research & Writing Assignment:
AFCI indicators while considerably more expensive than GFCI indicators are an important tool as an inspector to have. Not all receptacles are GFCI and the ones that are not also need to be tested. One way to possibly save money would be to buy an AFCI tester with a built in GFCI tester that way all bases are covered when checking breakers and receptacles.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
100 amp distribution panel located on S.W. wall of mechanical room for unit 105. Main shut off is located in electrical room on west end of building complex. Double tapping of breaker #24 supplies exterior G.F.C.I. and light over dart board. Double tapping can cause overloading of breaker, and does not allow for proper connection of wire at the breaker. Recommend having evaluated and corrected by qualified electrician.
Research & Writing Assignment:
After reading the article “Electrical Service panels” I have regained the respect for the dangers that could be hidden when working around or in an electrical panel. After a while one gets complacent, and a reminder needs to be given how fast an accident can happen.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
I took this picture to facilitate a main service panel upgrade for a solar company I currently work for. This is clearly a Zinsco panel. Although the dead front has a lot of rust on it, it didn’t appear to be from any moisture intrusion as the inside of the electrical panel looked much better once the dead front was removed. The lesson here is that just because the dead front is rusty, doesn’t necessarily mean there has been water intrusion; the dead front just might be old and have surface rust from years of exposure. In this case, the home was close to the Pacific Coast in the San Diego area.
