ECN Forum
Posted By: electure Secret Upgrade - 01/21/06 06:58 PM
Quote
We are doing service changes and re-locations in a neigbouring town for the PoCo as they are taking out the backyard overhead and moving it to the front where they can get at it...
In this particular house the homeowner said it was a " 200A service".. yet the PoCo said they have him down for "60A"... This is what we found in the basement!!!

Rewired (Adam Derus)


[Linked Image]


[Linked Image]


[Linked Image]
Posted By: Dave T Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/21/06 07:23 PM
I guess he made up the extra space for the small service entrance cable in the main breaker lugs by adding a wire and looping it back into the same lug. Cute I must say. And using white is precious.
And that EGC attached to the lug bolted to the back of the box. Interesting.
And the connection with that clamp type connector with the red and white insulated wire to the bare copper.
Posted By: Celtic Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/21/06 08:07 PM
Nice crosby for "bonding".
Posted By: Hemingray Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/21/06 11:59 PM
In #2, are those main wires TAPED together where they appear to take a real sharp bend?
Posted By: Larry Fine Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/22/06 03:36 AM
Upon blowing up that image, it almost looks like they're split-bolted!
Posted By: Larry Fine Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/22/06 03:38 AM
Also, the "red" wire mentioned by Dave is actually white inside the panel. Heat damage???
Posted By: RODALCO Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/22/06 10:15 AM
Not to forget the "fireproof" enclosure.
Posted By: Rewired Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/22/06 06:08 PM
Yes, this one was one of a kind.. those black wires are joined under the tape with those same little clamp things!!
As for " heat damage".. I am not sure I did not get a good look at it but it would not surprise me.. there were a pile of 1 pole loads that could have been out of balance but there were 2 stoves, a dryer, garage sub and also a now disconnected electric water heater.. so chances are that service was WAY overloaded at one time.

The kicker is, if the homeowner would have done it correct and not "temporary" as he called it, the PoCo would have paid to have the service re-located to the front and supplied @200A.. The PoCo in this case PAID for the re-location BUT only an upgrade to 100A, if he wanted to go to 200A it would have cost him extra..
Posted By: frenchelectrican Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/22/06 11:58 PM
hey you guys i dont know if you catch this one or not but look at the main breaker connetion did you notice the white wire looped and " tripled " lug in the main breaker lug landing connection that is sure fire for code volitations there.

the other thing is that breaker box located on the oppitside wall look like each induvual conductors ran to main breaker so i am supecting it was on other location before they make it perment there

Merci, Marc
Posted By: sandsnow Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/23/06 03:16 PM
The drop coming through the wall has four conductors, it appears. Are all of them connected (or were) at the POCO end??

It looks like the POCO is supplying an equip. grd; which would be unusual!!
Posted By: Rewired Re: Secret Upgrade - 01/23/06 10:21 PM
The fourth woire is actually going to a metal "ground bushing" to ground the 1" metal conduit entering the building.
Posted By: Texas_Ranger Re: Secret Upgrade - 02/04/06 02:16 PM
Quote
The drop coming through the wall has four conductors, it appears.
I thought that too, but with the explanation of the split bolts I guess it's just two conductors that were too short and thus spliced and taped. That's a _real_ ugly one!
© ECN Electrical Forums