Pandora's (electrical) Box

Local Inspection Issues North Carolina Home Inspectors
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Going to put together a electrical training panel board mockup with as many defects as I can think of. I started a list but I know there are a lot more defects so add your suggestions. Pulling together the bits and pieces. Your help is appreciated.

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Mixed Breakers
Open & missing knockouts
No strain reliefs
Improper wire size for breaker rating
Double taps
Reversed wire color
Undersized ground wire
Clipped back multi stand wire to fit under lug
Wires crossing buss bar
Missing bonding connector
Rust and corrosion
Burned or melted insulation
Poor or missing circuit labeling
Improper panel cover screws
Aluminum wiring on 15 & 20 amp branch circuits
Missing handle ties on multi branch circuits
Double tapped neutrals on terminal strip
Over stripped wiring
Missing lockouts for water heater or generator
???

2

thats great, but nachi did this for you already?

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Not much left! Personally I would leave the bonding screw, but take off the bonding clamp that connects the two bus bars. Harder to notice.

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Got the bus & attached breakers to a Stab-Lok panel if you want it

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  • Nicked wire just at the insulation edge (squeeze too hard with wire strippers)
  • Make sure one cover screw uses a sharp tip.
  • Use a blowtorch to scorch something in the panel
  • Open up a contact with screwdriver so one of the breakers barely holds on to the lug.
  • Install a surge protector, but make sure one of the lights is burnt out.
  • Overstuff something.
  • Under tighten something
  • Wrong brand or rating of breaker – preferably something that does not quite fit.

Donate the mess to the Nachi House of Horrors.

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6

How about missing antioxidant paste on aluminum service conductors, unterminated conductor end, and paint or lace overspray in cabinet.

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7

Always interested

8

I remember they had an electrical challenge with like 80 or so defects but couldn’t locate it

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Ground/neutral from the same circuit under the same lug

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MWC with a common neutral, with the two hots going to non-tied or different breakers.

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11

Oversize main breaker for panel rating 150 amp rated panel with a 200 amp main breaker

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Mount the panel sideways.

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13

…in a closet.

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An inside panel used in an exterior application (guess I’d need to have a description of where the panel was located)

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… in a bathroom closet.
(oh yeah, seen that).

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3+1 wire pack (shared neutral) with both hots on the same phase.

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Over spray or debris.

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Don’t care if InterNACHI covered this. Good mock-up project. Koodo to you, Ken.

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19

Since this is a Brand New Panel… Put in some double pole (240V) Miss-matched Breakers like I’m finding on at least 50% of all new construction in my area…and if it is an Eaton/Cutler Hammer Panel…Make that 95% of the new panels/New Construction…old banged up “Siemens” breakers seam to be the choice of our local Electricians (that use Eaton Panels). They blame it on the scamdemic supply chain problems.

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Missing bridge for a 240v breaker