Remote panel board feed from main panel buss bar

Gerald Wilcox · 08-19-2011, 02:19 PM

Remote panel board is fed from main panel buss bar. The only OCD is the main disconnect. Electrician said that this is ok. The remote panel is not protected from excessive amp draw and potentially dangerous. How does the NEC read on this.......

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**Jerry Peck** · 08-19-2011, 04:36 PM

The electrician would be right in the right circumstances, but not in what your photos are showing.

The right circumstances would be when the main service equipment has feed-through lugs, and the feeder conductors to the remote panel are sized for the main service disconnect (basically same size as the service entrance conductors, and possibly may need to be larger), and the remote panel has the same or higher rating of the service equipment (i.e., if the service equipment is 150 amp, you could use a 150 amp or 200 amp remote panel, but not a 125 amp remote panel), and ...

... and it looks like that remote panel in your photo is only 120 volts.

So, you can tell the electrician that, yeppers, in SOME installations you would be correct, BUT NOT with THIS installation.

Gerald Wilcox · 08-19-2011, 04:52 PM

Thanks Jerry for all the info, I really appreciate it!

Roger Frazee · 08-19-2011, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by Gerald Wilcox

Remote panel board is fed from main panel buss bar. The only OCD is the main disconnect. Electrician said that this is ok. The remote panel is not protected from excessive amp draw and potentially dangerous. How does the NEC read on this.......

Don't refer that electrician to anyone .....

What your showing in your attached pictures is a real mess. I especially like the large awg bare copper being used as neutral to the remote panel. Not to mention the grounding lug that is terminated directly to the main panel bus and the single feeder to the remote panel terminated to that same lug.

This whole installation smells like phoney electrician work or homeowner and his buddies....

**Rollie Meyers** · 08-19-2011, 07:37 PM

I don't care for the installation such as the double tapped lug, bare neutral, & no sep EGC, on the Homeline subpanel but the main is only 100 or 125A.

**Jerry Peck** · 08-19-2011, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by Roger Frazee

Don't refer that electrician to anyone .....

What your showing in your attached pictures is a real mess. I especially like the large awg bare copper being used as neutral to the remote panel.

Now you guys are starting to pick on the small things ... there are way too many to pick apart.

Not to mention the grounding lug that is terminated directly to the main panel bus and the single feeder to the remote panel terminated to that same lug.

That what I was pointing out, that there is only 120 volts at that remote panel, not 240 volts ... of course, though, there is that uninsulated neutral (bare ground being used for the neutral) you pointed out, and the neutrals grounded in the remote panel, and the ... the list in that panel goes on.

Then in the service equipment panel, the list only gets longer ...

I was trying not to be negative with that electrician, under the right installation ... (which is quite obviously not what is shown) ... he 'could be' correct in what he said - just not when referring to anything like that installation.

Jeez, you guys are getting picky, but if you want to pick that apart ...

Roger Frazee · 08-20-2011, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Now you guys are starting to pick on the small things ... there are way too many to pick apart.

That what I was pointing out, that there is only 120 volts at that remote panel, not 240 volts ... of course, though, there is that uninsulated neutral (bare ground being used for the neutral) you pointed out, and the neutrals grounded in the remote panel, and the ... the list in that panel goes on.

Then in the service equipment panel, the list only gets longer ...

I was trying not to be negative with that electrician, under the right installation ... (which is quite obviously not what is shown) ... he 'could be' correct in what he said - just not when referring to anything like that installation.

Jeez, you guys are getting picky, but if you want to pick that apart ...

Well ya gotta admit that an electrician that said all was well with that installation wouldn't be doing any work on your home or mine ....

You are also right the list is pretty long ... but I'm just saying .... and trying not to be picky .....

As for the electrician I really don't wish him ill will I just want to say ....

YOUR FIRED !!!!! ....