Funny thing.... This customer just called my office wondering why I wouldn't install a circuit at her home.... I forwarded this thread to the office

-Randy

Randy,
I hope that that box and conduit in the first and second pics are grounded well, by the looks of things, they could well be live in the not-too-distant future, looking at the wires feeding the recept.
In the 4th pic, is that a Live linking bar to the left of the Main Disconnect?, if it is, I'd sure hate to put my hand in there in poorly lit conditions.
What brand panel is this?.
In pic No. 5, have them blue wires been cut down to fit into the MD terminals?.
That lug above the MD, doesn't look too happy, the result of a loose connection?
Personally, I'd run as quick as I could away from a job like this!.

{Edited to add a few missing words}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 08-21-2004).]

A mess! The UG conversion (pic # 7)is pretty goofy too.


Mike: The panels are a Murray/Arrow-Hart Murray/ Crouse-Hinds,the name would be dependant on the age of the panel, now owned by Siemens.

randy just tell me if i am right did that 40 amp breaker is backfeeding to work as main breaker ?? if so that is very rare i ever heard to work. I know for 60 amps and larger can used for backfeed setup but not for 40 i did try once and it dont work that way i think it was CH classic series breaker if i recall it right

but hope that the tentent do understand the ponital expensive upgrading to min of 100 amp service but i dont dont know about your area still required do that or what ?

that orange repectale is spooky to me that remind me that is islolated grounding device if i get it right

and by the way i look at one photo where the poco feed going in the meter socket there are two conduct going to one common pull box or what ?? i dont see that arrangment at all.

merci, marc

If that is in fact a backfed main breaker, it should have a means for holding it in place (screw, rivet, bracket, etc) so it doesn't just pull off the bus, or it's a violation. Sorry, no Code book today, so I can't give a reference.

Randy, what's the 3rd pic? Is that a flex connector with something slid over it like EMT or maybe a white garden hose??...S

A backfed C/B without a holddown device was not a problem until the 1990 NEC 384-16(f). Those panels likely predate that.

NORCAL,
Thanks! I can remember installing lots of plugin breakers as backfed mains in my younger days. When I found out that it was not permissible, I thought that I had been "sinning" all of that time.
[relief]What I was doing was OK for when I did it.[/relief]
Somehow I missed getting a 1990 NEC...S

Its nice to have old copies to research when rules took effect, right now I am looking for the 1968 NEC.