Please help me identify what the circuit breaker component is that’s missing a switch on the main bus bar of this GE panel.
It has a flat face where I usually see a switch. Conductors are attached to it on the side.
Please excuse my blurry photos. I’m just trying to get a basic understanding of what the component is, what it does, and how to inspect it.
I see numbers stamped on the lower component which I can’t read from your photos. I would start with a google search of those numbers if you haven’t already.
Only thing I can think of is surge protection.
It’s a lug kit (as shown above).
It is just a “Tap” to provide current to another device/panel. It does not function as a circuit breaker despite what John’s post says they call it.
I agree with the above posts, it’s a feeder for a sub-panel. Strange that they bonded the ground to the sub-panel to the disconnect panel shown, there’s nothing wrong with it and it works because the green screw indicates that the the neutral bus in bonded to the panel, but I’m curious why they just didn’t attach it the same way as the neutral. And it’s possible I’m over thinking this.
Maybe Robert @rmeier2 will chime in and give an explanation, if there even is one.
Yes! It does. However, I doubt that it is a circuit breaker.
It’s making sense to me, now. Thank you, @bcawhern1 .
If it’s only purpose is to act as a lug, or a tap, then it makes sense to me. Thank you, @rkenney .
The grounding conductor is too large for the bus holes so an adapter lug was added to the neutral bar.
So in this situation is the panel downstream viewed/inspected as a remote/sub panel or a main panel? I would think it’d be a remote/sub since it’s downstream from the main shutoff and that the same bus bar isolation and bonding would be in place.
This is an exterior electrical service disconnect panel. The component is just the lugs for connecting the main wires to the main panel located somewhere inside the home.
When I find a disconnect I call the downstream panel with all the breakers the “main panel” for report purposes, but it needs to be wired as a sub-panel.
I would call this one a main electrical service panel. This panel is on the exterior wall of the garage. The green bonding screw can be seen on the bottom of the right neutral bus bar, according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions. It’s not the greenest screw that I’ve ever seen.
Someone is probably going to question the language that I’m using to describe this to you, but it’s the best way that I know how to describe it to you.
The sub panel is inside the garage.
Thank you for clarifying this for me, @fcarr1 . This is now my understanding of the component in question, as well.
I prefer the use of the term service or service panel for the first means of disconnect where the neutral to ground bond occurs. The NEC does not define what is commonly referred to as a subpanel. A service is defined.
Some may get confused by a panel having a main breaker when it is not a service.
I’ve read what you wrote several times, but I cannot figure out what you are saying. The panel is wired correctly. What does “they bonded the ground to the sub-panel to the disconnect panel shown” mean?
Sorry for the confusion and for my lack of proper electrical terminology George.
What I inartfully described was the bonded block (yellow arrow) which has the ground feed to the sub-panel attached. I don’t know why they simply didn’t attach it to the neutral bus, since it’s bonded (green circle) to the panel as well, in the same fasion that they attached the neutral feed for the sub.
I agree, it is correctly wired, just seems extra effort was needed to bond & attach that that ground block to the panel.
It’s likely that the conductor was too large for the holes in the neutral bus so they opted for an additional terminal that accepts the larger conductor.
I’m just not sure why they simple didn’t attach it like they did the neutral wire (White Arrow) on the upper LH neutral bus bar with the use of an adapter. 
It doesn’t matter and it works as is, I was just wondering if there was any particular reason it was done that way.
inquiring minds and all that…
GE offers several different types of add-on terminals. As long as it’s listed for the connection type, wire size, etc. it’s code complaint.
