Hello, smart inspectors.
I’m trying to figure out what is going on here. There are two panels on the exterior (pictured) and a distribution panel in the garage. This is a single family with a basement apartment (official but unofficial). It appears that the main breaker on top has a 125 amp main disconnect breaker in a panel rated for 100 amps max. Then it seems to feed into the bottom panel, which has a 100 amp breaker and two other breakers. None are labeled. Both panels have the neutral and ground tied together. Does anyone want to take a guess at what the electrician was trying to accomplish?
And there was only one distribution panel.
Service SEC is an Underground lateral.
If there is a second residential unit or habitable space the civic address would be different. Sometimes a letter is used after the numbers. 1234 - 1234B. Many families housed their parents or a family member downstairs in the basement or renovated the garage.
The second image down labeled Cat No: JC002CZ -X for metering equipment.
Last image for the garage equipment? Q06-12L100 SQUARE D 120/240Vac 100A main lug. G series enclosure.
The main disconnect ampacity is too high.
Wait for others to chime in!
Both the upper panel and lower panel are over-fused. The breaker in the upper panel feeding the lower should be no more than 100-amp.
Thanks for responding. I’m curious why a 100 amp panel was added to a 100 amp panel if the total service is only 100 amp?
Bobby Mascio
InterNACHI® Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)®
Illuminate Home Inspections
Afternoon, Brian.
I revised the post.
I see 125 amp disconnect in the upper panel.
The panel for the socket, the max rating is 100 amp. Note: No visible main disconnect. Even so, that is Poco territory.
Just my opinion.
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Eventually, more lighting and equipment circuits were required. That is why they added another service/remote panel.
You mentioned the basement was equipped to be an independent habitable space. “a basement apartment (official but unofficial).”
Typically, in some jurisdictions, to be official, another metering socket would be required if my memory serves me well.
Perhaps I was confused, but I was seeing 125-amp main breaker in a 100-amp panel.
My self as well. Now that I look closer I can not make out the ampacity. IT appears to be 125.
Sorry, Brian.
That’s not true if the feeder terminates in a properly sized breaker.
It’s a 125 amp breaker but the panel is rated for 100 amps max…
Bobby Mascio
InterNACHI® Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)®
Illuminate Home Inspections
How so? I am seeing a 125-amp service disconnect in the upper panel that is only rated for 100-amps. That exceeds the panel’s rated capacity, creating a fire hazard.
If all the power goes through the first panel before it goes through the second panel, wouldn’t it still only be 100 amps max service? And the basement and the main house are both running on 100 amps max breaker together?
Bobby Mascio
InterNACHI® Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)®
Illuminate Home Inspections
Unfortunately I can not see the configuration.
I made a mistake previously. Best to let others chime in, Robert.
You said “The breaker in the upper panel feeding the lower should be no more than 100-amp”
That’s what I was replying to. If the feeder terminates in a properly sized breaker, the breaker in the upper panel can be any size.
This is all conjecture… The original main breaker (service disconnect) in the upper panel was likely 100-amp, which as you implied, became problematic (frequent tripping) after they added the basement loads. So, a likely non-professional simply upgraded the main disconnection to 125-amp without checking the panel rating. Your client should either restore a 100-amp main breaker or upgrade the top panel 125-amp or higher rating as well as verify the feeder conductors can handle 125-amps or upgrade those as well.
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It is difficult to see in the pictures, but it looks to me like the feeders from the upper panel are connected to the lower panel buss bars. So, the feeder does not terminate in a properly sized breaker. The 100-amp breaker on the left is likely feeding the basement subpanel.
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I was going by the OP’s verbal description. I thought he was saying that the upper panel fed a panel with a 100 main breaker and additional breakers.
However, no subpanel was found for the basement….
Bobby Mascio
InterNACHI® Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)®
Illuminate Home Inspections