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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,669 Likes: 4
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![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/Forum/Images/IR_Therm1.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/Forum/Images/IR_Therm2.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/Forum/Images/IR_Therm3.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/Forum/Images/IR_Therm4.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/Forum/Images/IR_Therm5.jpg) Recently someone asked if there was anyone that had used this sensor in the field, so I thought I would pass this along.
I was sent to troubleshoot a water heater that was blowing 30 amp fuses in a disconnect. The amp reading on each leg,(after I replaced one blown fuse), was 15.5 on each leg (220 volt 1 phase), so I took out my trusty IR thermometer, model 470, and read 70 deg F on one leg, and 100 deg F on the other, on the line side of the disconnect. When I opened the trough up, I found a loose bug nut.
My question is, is this tap legal(as far as the five foot tap rule is concerned), and if so, do you see any hazards with this setup? (said with a straight face).
-richard
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Joined: Jan 2003
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The problem I see is the disconnect is a tap of a tap.
It looks like a fat 10 awg or skinny 8 awg was already a tap feeding a disconnect so this second tap could overload the first tap.
Is this the service for a building?
How many disconnects are here, more than 6?
Bob
Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
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Are my eyes going, or do I see three (3) "white" conductors at the 2" (guess) nipple going to the "large' disc?? One appears to have a ring of black tape near the bug.
The tap of a tap is a problem, as Bob said, and from the pics, it looks like there are many more issues here.
John
John
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John I was trying to stay on the disconnect he was asking about. I did not notice the whites heading up the 2" I am curious as to what looks like a new 2/0 or 3/0 heading out in a raceway by itself as it was the GEC but it is marked white? Looks like a rip it all out and start over with a nice new panel type installation. ![[Linked Image]](https://www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/smile.gif)
Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
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Joined: Apr 2003
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The copper water pipe sneaking by with valve placed conveniently at disconnect height appears to be the least of the problems. It looks like a buffet of fuses here, and the objects to the left of the screw in type fuse are either dimes, small knockouts or... slugs to solve blown fuse problems? lol.
Good catch, and great use for that meter!
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Joined: Dec 2000
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I've never heard of a "5 foot tap rule".
See NEC 240.21(B)(1) for taps 10' or less.
This entire installation is bad, bad, bad.
(If the white taped conductor is indeed a GEC, it should be connected to a grounding bushing where it enters the gutter)
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Joined: Jan 2004
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pure junk get out while you still can. besides the tap looks way to small to be cosidered legal.
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Joined: October 2000
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