At this inspection I found the service entrance conductors were trimmed to fit into the 100amp service lugs. Has anyone seen this before and if so what is a good write up for this situation?
Any input is appreciated.
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(Pushmatic?) Panel is outdated and with modified and damaged conductors that are potentially hazardous. A qualified electrical contractor should evaluate the entire electrical system, and make all necessary repairs and updates for safe habitation of the home.
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The haircut reduces the current rating.
If there is heavy use it could overheat
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SEC conductor strands were removed to allow the cable to fit the lugs on the panel. This reduces the current handling capacity of the cable and may cause overheating under heavy demand (load).
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I agree that this is improper and needs to be corrected but I would stop short of saying that removing a few strands could cause a heating issue. The conductor is oversized that’s why it doesn’t fit in the terminal. Removing a few strands so that it fits will only make it the same size as the proper sized conductor so heating would not be an issue. Now if too many strands are removed then that could be problematic. Either way it needs to be corrected.
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Robert would it be OK to separate them under multi lugs as opposed to trimming them?
That’s pretty much how I’d write it up as well.
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I feel it is in line with Roberts comments.
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That wasn’t what the question was… Huh?
That wasn’t either! ‘Walk the talk’, hypocrite!!
How many strands does it take? That’s the rub. As a generalist I have no idea. Once you start cutting strands you begin whittling away at its capacity, correct?
In a report narrative we should mention why it is a concern or a consequence. So what is the consequence?
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Nuff said, IMO.
Too many inspectors just don’t know when to stop talking!
Not picking on anybody, but here’s a good example of saying too much…
https://forum.nachi.org/t/defect-found-post-inspection-client-frustrated/231203/5
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The conductors need to terminate in a single lug or terminal.
The unknown is the ampacity handling capacity of the reduced conductors.
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It’s a good question I was only pointing out that removing a few strands may not be an overheating hazard. You’re correct in asking how many. I don’t know but if you had a terminal rated for up to #2 AWG and you had a #1/0 and took off just enough strands for it to fit you would probably have the equivalent of a #2 anyway so there is no overheating hazard. As I said before either way (hazardous or not) it needs to be corrected.
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I would say the terminal was undersized. You cannot modify a conductor fit a terminal. Wrong is wrong on this one, and you cannot try to color the picture a different shade.
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The terminal is sized according to the equipment it is connected to so I’m not seeing how that makes it undersized but either way it’s splitting hairs. I think that we all agree that trimming off a few strands is improper and would require correction.
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The terminal is not undersized, it was sized from the factory for whatever this panel was rated for.
It’s no different than installing a #6 conductor on an hvac breaker that only needs #8… sometimes they run a larger cable on purpose in case the hvac is ever changed with higher requirements.
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No bueno. Comprende?