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#53475 06/26/05 05:37 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3
F
fhkelly Offline OP
Junior Member
Hi, I ran into this awhile back. There are 3 tubes in the panel, each about 6 inches long, 1/2 inch dia. They are installed between the breaker lug and circuit. They appear to be a manufactured item but no labels seen. I'm a home inspector, not an electrician and have never seen this. Maybe some sort of choke coil or surge supressor? I was thinking fusable link but why on a breaker? Any help is appreciated.

Sorry, how do I get the photo on?

[This message has been edited by fhkelly (edited 06-26-2005).]

#53476 06/26/05 05:42 PM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,716
R
Member
E-mail the photo/s to

webmaster@electrical-contractor.net


or a moderator and they will post them for you.

Roger


[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 06-26-2005).]

#53477 06/26/05 10:38 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,682
Likes: 3
Administrator
Member
(posted for fhkelly)

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

#53478 06/27/05 10:28 AM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 349
Member
Nice pictures, I can enlarge em way up without getting too grainy.

These things look more like push rod tubes than anything that belongs in a breaker panel. Ya got what, four of them in there that I can see. I wonder what the condition of the wiring inside the tubes is.

One potential problem I see is the over bending of the cable/wiring at the end of the tubes. What keeps the tube ends from wearing / cutting into the insulation (besides the electrical tape)?

Another thing is that in a panel, pretty much all metal surfaces are either live or grounded. These tubes are an exception.

Radar


There are 10 types of people. Those who know binary, and those who don't.
#53479 06/27/05 01:42 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
R
Member
That looks like one of the old underground splice kits where you poured a sealing compound into the tube after making the splice.
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
#53480 06/27/05 06:19 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,429
L
LK Offline
Member
Don,

That is what they look like, i wonder what those circuits are feeding?

#53481 06/27/05 06:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
Quote
the old underground splice kits where you poured a sealing compound into the tube after making the splice.
Why on earth would anybody want to use something like that inside a penel? [Linked Image]

#53482 06/27/05 07:35 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,876
E
e57 Offline
Member
I agree, it looks to be an underground splice. Maybe some one cut the wire too short?

If thats the case, it kind of over-kill for the application, when a wire nut will do the same.


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
#53483 06/27/05 07:38 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,876
E
e57 Offline
Member
Actually the wires aren't too short, on second look.

What are they?


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
#53484 06/27/05 08:45 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 265
D
Member
Its interesting what wires they are connected to: one pole of a 2 pole 30A, one pole of another 2 pole 30A, and a single pole 20A.

I cant think of a single legal application where you would have this on a single pole of a 2 pole breaker.

BTW, are those white wires landing on the breakers, or is the sun just washing out the color?

[This message has been edited by dmattox (edited 06-27-2005).]

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