Did an inspection today. 1965 house in an uppper income neighborhood. Many “deferred maintenance” items.
But, I saw this service equipment panel and the adjacent distrobution panel. What can you state, based upon this picture only, about the electrical panels?
Hint: Take the time to look at the panels. The distribution panel was, obviously, added. Why? One interesting feature (with no connection to the question, nor was it a defect, was that the meter was in the basement. VERY uncommon for this area, where the meters are always on the outside.
The panel requires that the branch circuits be labelled. It it permissible to run the branch circuit conductors through one panel to another. Might be a problem with the fill of that nipple.
Yes, the observation was that there was no conduit going to the sub panel. They ran the feeders and branch circuit conductors through that one pipe connecting the two. Not a dfect, per se, as long as the max conductors in one pipe is exceeded.
Yes, the plywood seems to be a Chicago area thing.
I posted this not because it was defective but because it demonstrates that we must be observant. If so, we can see indications of out-of-the-ordinary before we open panels or access panels.
Keep those eyes working AND connected to the good ol’ Mk I brain.
That’s a bit like saying that grounded conductors look like ungrounded conductors.
Accurate identification of conductors within a system is an important part of the electrical-systems’ inspection. Regardless of what the conductors may “look” like, we should always attempt to properly identify them.
True, but we can deduct from what we see in the photos.
An EGC would be part of a circuit, so it would include a neutral and 1 or 2 “hots.” Additionally, it would be contained in conduit or part of a cable assembly.
That leaves us with (A) a GEC, or (B) a bonding jumper.
