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Posted By: Admin How Bad Is This? - 05/28/03 07:14 PM
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I am not an electrical expert by any means or a licensed electrician. However, as a safety manager I have seen my share of electrical issues. This seems to be a big one and I wanted to get some comments on just how bad it is. We have a local electrical contractor that said that they do not want to work with it. I would like to have comments on how bad the current situation is and some suggestions on fixing it so I know what to ask for. I think it all needs to be replaced with new equipment.

Thanks again for your help.

Richard Davis
Posted By: SvenNYC Re: How Bad Is This? - 05/28/03 09:03 PM
Definitely an access issue there too with all that junk in front of the panels.

Question for you guys. The original contributor says the local EC doesn't want to work on this stuff.

So what is a customer saddled with such a dog supposed to do? You can't "live with this"..it's an obvious hazard..

If anyone hasn't noticed, the signs on the big gray panel is in spanish: The word "PELIGRO" (Danger) in the red oval and the words "Alto Voltaje" (High Voltage) in the white field below the red oval.

I'm assuming this is not in the United States, right? I thought all such signs here had to be in English or am I mistaken?

Thanks!! [Linked Image]


And why is that welder (I assume it's a welder) covered in bird guano? [Linked Image]
Posted By: Bjarney Re: How Bad Is This? - 05/29/03 12:44 AM
I'll pay ten bucks for that gnarley Hobart welder! {Dedungified and delivered, of course.}

Chances are, the “plant manager” would probably have a fit if his power was down for two weeks replacing that stuff. This picture is probably the tip of the iceberg, too. [On very rare occasions, of course] breaker panels like these are found having load-upon-load scabbed on to existing circuits, and then some junior-assistant production manager bitches bloody murder when an electrician unfamiliar with the system wants to cut off a quadruple-lugged branch-circuit-turned-eight-machine-feeder, that might be partially marked with a pencil [or yellow chalk] from 18 years ago.

Realistically, in many areas workman’s comp insurance goes up if bureaucrats even have the slightest suspicion that a contactor’s jobsites MAY be hazardous, and it’s murder to get rates reduced, regardless of a satisfactory record.
Posted By: sparky Re: How Bad Is This? - 05/30/03 12:45 AM
interesting what some consider 'bad'.

'bad' according to what?

a scale of 1-10 progressivly worse to "hasn't killed anyone today"?

perhaps the insurance industry (motto~our worst lawyers can eat your best for lunch) can set a standard?

we EC's certainly can't [Linked Image]
Posted By: njelectricmaster Re: How Bad Is This? - 05/30/03 03:48 AM
Hello from South Dakota!!

This pic reminds me of the list we had called "sparky's Rules". There was a comment about a 200' fish tape falling on the open ends of a welder and becoming 100, 2' pieces.

When I first read that I thought what a crouded room that must have been. WELL.........


LOL, Jon
Posted By: mamills Re: How Bad Is This? - 05/30/03 04:54 PM
In the third pic. I'm kinda curious about the cutout in the dead front there on the left side. It appears that this was intentionally done, since the edges are relatively straight (as opposed to what would result from an arc fault). I just wonder why this was done.

The whole installation seems to smack of poor maintenance; covers off, dirt everywhere, open spaces around breakers, working/operating clearances, etc... [Linked Image]

Mike (mamills)
Posted By: RDavis Re: How Bad Is This? - 05/30/03 07:31 PM
The building where this equipment is located was purchased 'as is' and made to work for the current occupants. Some of the old-timers that stayed on with the new company had been here 30+ years. So the building and electrical systems are at least that old. There are many other issues at this location that are on the "to-do" list and they are being taken care of. After seeing the start-up of other locations in pre-existing structures it surprised me that this wasn't addressed early on. But it is being rectified now.
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