I am currently completing my mock inspections and and studying up on electrical inspection issues. Please feel free to correct any errors I make in identifying components and terminologies.
The service wires enter the home directly to a 100 amp main disconnect panel, then go through a meter and then to a service panel containing the breakers for the homes branch circuits.
I am unclear on what the proper terminology should be to identify the 2 panels, I am using main disconnect and service panel to identify the 2 panels, but I am not sure if this is correct.
I am aware typically the service connection goes through the meter and then to the service panel and main disconnect, so I am unsure as to the best way to state this as an issue.
The following are my preliminary assessments and comments / questions from my observations.
Main Disconnect
It is identified as a Square D Panel rated for 100 A, The main service conductors are aluminum and should be #2 AWG. (I am unable to visually confirm that this is the actual gauge) I am planning to get samples of different wire gauges to have as a reference and to be able to better verify wire sizing in the future.
The panel Knife type disconnect with fuses. Are there any issues or potential concerns for these fuses given their estimated age? I’m assuming installed in 60s or 70s based on research on when aluminum wiring was typically installed.
I could not identify that there was a dielectric grease applied at the connections, but appearance wise they were visually sound.
The wire sheathing looked old, possibly brittle but I did not touch them.
The panel was grounded to the watermain via a bare copper #4 guage wire.
There are two wires (black and white) connecting at the same point of the ground wire and terminating to the screw on the entrance grommet, I am assuming that this is for bonding to the panel?
Service Panel / Breaker Box / Panel Board (let me know best descriptor to use)
Observations made in which a defect was found or suspected:
The panel was a Federal Pioneer StabLok, it was installed upside down, I assume that given the location and existing main disconnect and meter that this was the only way it could practically be installed?
There was one double tap on a 15 amp breaker - one feeding the dishwasher and the other feeding a single outlet near the panel. I am not sure if this is a situation where a double tap is permittable in this situation.I was told by the owner that the panel installed about 15 years ago passed ESA inspection (Ottawa, Ontario)
The panel was
Wire sizes matched the amp rating for each of the circuit breakers
There were a couple of missing panel breaker slot covers which need to be replaced.
This panel was had a ground wire bonded to the panel at a green screw
I did not inspect terminations of the incoming aluminum service conductors as they were
covered by a steel panel (labelled as a mains barrier) that I was not exactly comfortable removing
There was an AFCI for bedroom outlets
There was no grounding from this panel to the water main or connection to the neutral (I am assuming that this is not required as it was performed in the Main Disconnect.
Thanks in advance for assisting me in working through this
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Something is strange about this setup. Is this is allowed by the local power company?