Todays subpanel

Nice supply conductors, eh? They put this in for lighting in the finished portion of the basement only. 3 -15 amp breakers, 1 -30 amp breaker. Cut in sheathing on the supply conductor. Todays test…what else can you find? LOL.

What was the 30a feeding? What size was the feeder?
If it was four 15a breakers a 10 ga feeder would be OK.
You also have a problem with the grounds on the neutral bus and no ground to the enclosure.

Remember the feeder is protected by the breaker on the line side. That is the limiting factor. You don’t add up the breakers in the sub panel, other than a design decision.

According to the owner, that panel is strictly for lighting in the unfinished basement. Of course the panel was not labeled.

The immediate violation is the missing ground bus and no way to ground the enclosure. You really need to investigate more to see about the other things. You said there was a single pole 30a breaker in there? What size wire was on that?

30 amp was breaker on the left. 12ga wire. The electrician is already coming tomorrow to take care of numerous other items in the house. I had false grounds, non working gfci, non working outlets, lights hanging from wires hanging from drywall in ceiling with no box. Just loads of fun.

Let me guess, the spare breaker was a 15