I know this is wrong, just curious how everything still tested grounded?
The subpanel had a 3 wire feed, which typically means the neutrals and grounds are bonded. However, this one was setup like it did have a 4 wire feed, with the grounds separated and bonded to the panel, but there was no EGC connected to the bus. The conduit coming into the panel was also plastic…
So all the grounding conductors dead end at this panel, but everything still tested grounded…
Top right grounding conductor looks to be different size, and there are 12 grounding wires in the panel.
Good eye, but there are actually 12 circuits in the panel. (one double tap)
2nd breaker from bottom (right) has no wires, isn’t connected.
HA! again, good eye! I somehow missed that. Here I was, thinking it would be a mystery… Thanks!!
Metal conduit from the box? Part of the nut at the top is plastic but there is a metal compression ring… Metal conduit coming in?
No, it was plastic conduit.
I think Dom nailed it, with the larger grounding conductor. But now, the question is, is that 12 gauge EGC large enough for all those circuits?
Curious how you know for sure? From the pics it’s all behind drywall.
You said this was a sub?
What size is the OCP for this sub? What size are those feeders? Look about like #6 which is enough for 50 amps.
To me, that top ground looks like #10. There’s a chart for this but for a 50 amp breaker a #10 is sized appropriately. If it’s just #12 it is not.
So look at the upstream breaker. If it’s a 60amp breaker or larger, all the feeders appear to be small. Of course I’m not there, so they could be a size bigger than they look to me.
What kind of wall framing is there, metal studs?
Wood frame
I could see the inside of the conduit at the feeders
It may be size 10. I didn’t measure it, and didn’t think about it until Dom pointed it out. All of the other grounds are 14.
The ocpd was 60
If you have access to the service panel where the feeders originate, It might be easier to confirm if it is a 4-wire feed.
Couldnt tell… Too much going on. But this panel was fed by another subpanel right next to it. Service panel was just a disconnect at the exterior.
But its gotta be that larger 10 or 12 awg, as Dom pointed out, because there is one additional ground then there are circuits. And everything else in that panel is 14 awg
Could it have been one of the 40s feeding that?
Then there must be a junction box between the two panels somewhere.
They are connected upstream, as is always the case. A common misconception among home inspectors is that the grounds and grounded conductors are isolated in sub-panels. They are not. The grounded conductor are all always solidly grounded. That’s why they are called grounded conductors. They are obviously tied together elsewhere in the system.
I feel like I want more details. “As is always the case…” makes me think I’ve missed something. Maybe a lot of somethings.
