This is my first time seeing a splice like this. White neutral to bare copper inside the main panel. How would you write this up in your report?
What exactly is the bare conductor is it an equipment grounding conductor (EGC)?
1 Like
This is a perfect example of something that should be evaluated by an electrician. As a Home Inspector you should not try to diagnose. What the home owner ultimately decides to do is not your concern. You brought it to their attention as a questionable installation.
Stay within the SOP!
3 Likes
Looks like the wires weren’t long enough so they used butt connectors to extend them. I can’t see how they’re connected but if it’s the main panel they can land on the same bus bar.
2 Likes
Couldn’t confirm, but it appeared to be.
So how would you write it up?
Agreed. I was just curious how others might describe it in their report.
Let’s see. Something like…
“One of the neutral service conductors had been spliced with a bare copper wire. This is not a common practice, and the National Electrical Code mandates that neutral and ground wires must be bonded only through a designated connection in the main service panel, but it is beyond the scope of a general home inspection to determine why this modification was made or whether it conforms to modern safety requirements. Further evaluation by a qualified electrical contractor is recommended to ensure safe and proper operation.”
Being a that I try to keep my narratives simple, I would word it more to:
“One of the neutral service conductors had been spliced with a bare copper wire. This may be against common practice or codes. Further evaluation by a qualified electrical contractor is recommended to ensure proper wiring procedures and make any corrections if necessary…"
6 Likes
Actually I think that you have it backwards. It was one of the branch circuit bare EGC’s that was extended incorrectly.
3 Likes
And if it was an EGC, (or individual circuit grounding) then there is no problem with it. They probably just used a scrap wire laying around.
Which is why you should have followed it to the termination point… It may just be an extension from the EGC to the grounding bus.
2 Likes
The only issue is that if its actually part of the EGC the wire cannot be white so it should be green or bare. Other than that electrically its fine because the wire doesn’t know what color it is.
6 Likes
Right, which wouldnt even make my report. Theres always bigger issues to bog down the report. 
2 Likes
There is questionable, uncommon, or improper conductor installation. I recommend further evaluation by a qualified electrical contractor to ensure safe and proper operation.
I make every effort to avoid using the term “code” in reports, as I am not a code inspector.
Yes you should avoid using words that sound like a code inspection but questionable sounds like the inspector didn’t know what he was looking at. And just because something may be uncommon doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s is incorrect. (For example a house wired with orange, yellow, and gray conductors, would be uncommon but it would still be code compliant). IMO those might not be the best choice of words for describing the problem in the OP.
2 Likes