Thanks Robert! That is about as clear as it gets.
Do you think the reason they do it this way is to be able to shut off all the power to the trailer and existing electrical feeders in an emergency?
Hello gentlemen, if I may I would like to put my 2 cents in. I am a master electrician with 20 years experience currently in Afghanistan and studying online to become a home inspector. Hopefully I can provide some help and ask for a returned favor from you guys in other areas…
So an accurate description of what this is…
We are looking at a Meter/ Main combination can mounted on the outside of a house.
The main breaker is what is protecting the entire bus bar. I cannot tell what size it is but based on a guess of the wire size it could be a 200 amp main.
THe cable is an Aluminum SER (service entrance cable.
The two black wires on the left are tied into some sort of lug and to be honest I have never seen a set up quite like that. The lugs do not look factory… usually we would see a breaker where the wires tie in but that does not mean this is an illegal installation.
The first thing I would check for is if the “lug kit” is listed for the use. And secondly I would see if it is somehow secured to the bus with some sort of clip so that it doesn’t snap away from the bus it is plugged into.
The ground wire taped as green is fine
The bare wire is probably made up of a shield around the jacket and it too seems ok.
The white neutral looks fine also.
However, the next thing I would check for is if there is oxide inhibitor on all the wires.
The bond bar in the upper right corner also looks good and should be there.
I hope that is helpful and let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Sorry I got off track…
Each leg (black wire) is only carrying 120 volts measured individually to ground or neutral
and 240 between them…
The only major difference is that the MH is built somewhere else and trucked in. They are usually manufactured with their own electrical panel. These panels may or may not be listed as “acceptable for use as service equipment,” but generally, will not include a meter or meter base.
In the cases where I regularly see these, the MH panel is located on an exterior wall where an attached garage is built on, after the home is placed. In our area, meters and service disconnects are required to be located outside of the structure.
As Joseph said it is a sub-feed or feed-thru lug kit. I beleive that is a Siemems box. I have attached a photo of an Eaton type.
Seems like a wasted resource. Why not just put in a disconnect?
I agree with Nathan, everything looks fine although the tap blocks instead of breakers is unusual BUT…this is a manufactured home. I found out 20 yrs ago when I put one up for a client that makes a lot of difference in some things.
I don’t know if this is still true today, but 20 yrs ago a manufactured home of any type (including and especially modular homes) was UL approved from the factory, exempting them from all code compliance. Anything the mfgr’s could get UL to sign off on was then completely legal for that product line. These tap blocks look like they were likely made by a breaker mfg for that specific applications, possibly specifically for that panel mfg for that home manufacturing customer.
As long as there is a main in the sub panel this is feeding, there appears to be nothing wrong.
I see these lug kits in condos as well, but on the load-side of the feeders, back feeding the sub panel.
They are a UL listed product and not limited for use in manufactured homes.
Seems like a good way to attach to the bus without the expense of an additional CB.
My 2 cents What I see is the boxed area in left corner is were the feeder from power company are passing through to meter above. Then from meter with buss bars going down to panel you see in pic. This should be your first point of disconnect were CB should be. The conductors leaving back of panel are not protected and should be going to a back to back panel with main CB installed to be legal; If not lug kit needs to be replaced with a CB. Wire with green tape should be going to Ufer or ground rods. But like mentioned before; if this is manufactured home it’s a whole different set of codes. So Kenton, when are you going to show the other pics.
You missed the main CB in the top of the photo. That CB is protecting the feeder conductors.
There is a disconnect at the top of the open area. Those feeders are protected.
I was looking at bottom of meter base and over looked breaker hiding in the dark my bad I take what I said back