Originally Posted By: David Suelflow This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
I need a little help from one of you gurus. I inspected this nightmare, oops, home, today and it had the service disconnect outside at the meter base (not normal around here) with the main panel inside. Now I know the neutrals and the grounds need to be isolated inside (which they are not) but doesn?t that mean that there should be a neutral at the main? I feel a little ignorant here but I can draw a little comfort from the fact that I?m not as dumb (or lazy) as the sparky that created the mess here.
Originally Posted By: jpope This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
The neutral leaving the service equipment would need to be insulated to, in fact, be considered a neutral. I would guess that it was intended as the EGC and that the grounds and neutrals are bonded at the load side panel.
Originally Posted By: bbadger This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
This definitely has some issues.
For this outdoor service disconnect to remain the following would have to happen
1) The bonding of the neutral to the service disconnect enclosure would need to be verified.
2) The grounding electrode conductors would need to be moved from the indoor panel out to the service disconnect. (unless they already run to the meter)
3) The 3 conductor SE between the service disconnect and the indoor panel would need to be replaced with 4 conductor SE in order to separate the grounding and neutral conductors.
I am quite concerned about the service disconnect enclosure bonding.
I can not tell if the neutral terminal bar is bonded to the enclosure.
Considering the raceways are plastic if the neutral bar is not bonded to this enclosure the enclosure could become energized and stay energized until some unsuspecting person touches it and gets blasted.
Recommend an electrician come out and check it out and provide a written report.
-- Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN
Originally Posted By: David Suelflow This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
At what point do you not write up every defect and issue a blanket ?run away? statement? There must be at least 100 (no j-box has a cover, no connection has wire nuts only tape, no wires properly secured, open grounds, no GFCI, etc., etc., etc.). I could be here for days writing this thing up. Unfortunately I just moved and this is my first inspection in my new town and the place was a mess. I?m such an alarmist.
Originally Posted By: lkage This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
bbadger wrote:
This definitely has some issues.
For this outdoor service disconnect to remain the following would have to happen...
Thanks Bob.
I, for one, really appreciate your detailed answers.
Great educational opportunities.  
-- "I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him."
Galileo Galilei
Originally Posted By: David Suelflow This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Me too, thanks.
Here's the general note I'm thinking of putting in my report:
It appears that the entire electrical system has been replaced recently. The installation was not done in a workmanlike fashion as current standards call for. Every effort has been taken to report on the visually accessible issues but it would be technically exhaustive and beyond the scope of a home inspection to diagnose the entire system. Advise a competent, licensed electrician evaluate the entire system to determine the extent of repairs required. I also recommend further investigation to determine if the work was properly permitted and inspected by the authority having jurisdiction (no inspection stickers were present at time of inspection).
Originally Posted By: lkage This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
jpope wrote:
The electrical system appears to be improperly wired at the service equipment and electrical panel [insert a few specifics here]. Repairs by a state-licensed electrical contractor are needed for safety.
Says a lot in few words.
As Mark T. would say "Very nice". 
-- "I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him."
Galileo Galilei
