How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manfuactured and modular homes
ELECTRIC PANELS
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about "ELECTRIC PANELS":
• Why is there a 3-phase breaker in a single phase electric panel with only two bus bars?
• What causes copper wires to turn green or black in an electric panel?
• What is the maximum number of circuit breakers allowed in an electric panel?
• What does maximum sum of breaker ratings per stab mean in an electrical panel?
• When should a corroded or damaged electric panel cabinet or disconnect box be replaced?
• Why is spray paint on the bus bars of an electric panel a safety defect?
• Why is it unsafe to bond neutral and ground wiring at subpanels?
• What are the code requirements for an old fuse panel/box?
• What is a tandem circuit breaker?
• When did arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers first become required?
• Can an electric panel be located in a closet?
• Can an electric panel be located in a bathroom?
• Can you add circuit breakers by different manufacturers to an electric panel if they fit?
• What is a split bus electric panel?
• How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker?
• What is three phase electric service?
• What is a reliable way to tell if the electrical service is 3 phase or single phase?
• Can a doorbell transformer be installed inside an electric panel?
• What does a circuit breaker with a yellow or white test button indicate?
• How far away should a sink be from an electric panel?
• What are the requirements for NM-cables entering an electric panel box?
• Can a washer or dryer be located in front of an electric panel?
• Why do some wires in an electric panel have tape wrapped around them near their connections?
• Why is a fuse box/panel an insurance problem for homebuyers?
• Why is bundled wiring in an electric panel a defect?
• What is the difference between GFCI and AFCI circuit breakers?
• What is the voltage rating of a house electrical system?
• Why are old electrical components not always "grandfathered" as acceptable by home inspectors?
• What happens when you press the "TEST" button on a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
• What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)?
• What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors?
• What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?
• Why is there a GFCI breaker in the electric panel for the bathroom shower light and exhaust fan?
• Why is an old fuse panel dangerous?
• Why are Zinsco and Sylvania-Zinsco electric panels a problem?
• Can an electric panel be mounted upside down?
• Who is the manufacturer of those "bad" electric panels?
• Can multiple neutral or ground wires be secured under the same terminal in an electric panel?
• What is a lock device on a circuit breaker for?
• Why is the circuit breaker stuck in the middle?
• What is the gooey stuff on some of the wire connections in the electric panel?
• What is a "missing twistout" at an electric panel?
• Can an electric panel be mounted sideways-horizontally?
• What is a double tap at a circuit breaker?
• What is the right electric wire size for a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
• What is the life expectancy of a circuit breaker?
• My circuit breaker won't reset. What's wrong?
• Why do some breakers in my electric panel have a "TEST" button on them?
• What is the right size electric panel for a house?
• The electric panel is marked "Trilliant" and it's all grey plastic. Is it alright?
• What do I need to know about buying a whole house surge protector?
• Is a refrigerator required to have its own dedicated circuit?
• What is the maximum allowed height of a circuit breaker (OCPD) above the floor?
• What is the maximum height you can mount an electric panel above the floor?
• What is the code required clearance in front of an electric panel?
• What is a "missing knockout" or "open knockout" in an electric panel box? Why is it a problem?
• When did the code first set a limit of one neutral wire (grounded conductor) connection per lug/set-screw in an electric panel?
• What is the main bonding jumper and where do it find it in an electric panel?
• What is a “bus stab” in an electric panel?
• What is a "backfeed" main breaker at an electric panel?
• How do I find out the manufacturer of an electrical panel?
• Where do I find the the main electrical breaker/disconnect to shutoff power for a condominium?
• What causes a hot circuit breaker in an electrical panel?
• Why is the National Electrical Code (NEC) so hard to understand and complicated?
• Why is there no main shut-off breaker in my electric panel?
• Why did my generator hookup get tagged as defective by the home inspector?
• Can an unused (spare) circuit breaker remain in an electrical panel or does it have to be removed?
• Can circuit breakers be installed upside-down, with the breaker "ON" in the down position?
• When did circuit breakers replace fuses in homes?
• How can I tell the age of a Square D electric panel from the serial number?
• Should I buy a house with a fuse panel/box?
• How dangerous is rust and corrosion inside an electrical panel?
• Does a subpanel require a main breaker by code?
• What is the six breaker throw rule?
• Is a home inspector allowed to open an electrical panel?
• Why are Challenger electrical panels not insurable?
• When did they stop using aluminum wiring in houses?
• Can you splice wires in an electrical panel?
• Are double tapped breakers illegal?
• Does code allow an electrical panel in a storage room?
• Can an electrical panel have more than one main breaker?
• How far away do plumbing pipes have to be from an electrical panel?
• Why are there no neutral pigtails at the AFCI and GFCI breakers in the panel?
• What electrical panel locations are prohibited?
• Can an electrical panel be in a bedroom?
• Are Wadsworth electrical panels dangerous?
• How many NM-cables allowed in an NM-connector clamp?
• What is the correct size breaker for the tons of my heat pump or air conditioner condenser?
• Where are electrical breaker panels not allowed by code?
• How old is a Wadsworth breaker panel?
• How old is a Walker EQ Load Center electrical panel? Is it unsafe?
• How old is a Pushmatic electrical panel? Is it safe?
• What is the breaker with a blue test button?
• Can you use an electrical panel as a feed-through raceway for wiring that is not connected it?
• What is a service conductor?
• What are the busbars at electrical panels made of?
• What are the code requirements for an electrical panel cover and door?
• What temperature is too hot for a circuit breaker?
• How do I determine the age of a Gould electrical panel?
• How do I determine the age of a Challenger electrical panel?
• How do I determine the age of a Westinghouse electrical panel?
• Can you mount an electrical panel face down?
• Can you mount an electrical panel face up?
• Can an electric panel be mounted over stairs?
• Can an electrical panel be located under stairs?
• Can an electrical panel be located at a stair landing?
• What is a classified circuit breaker?
• What is the difference between specified and classified circuit breakers?
• What is the fireman’s switch emergency disconnect requirement for residential electrical service?
• What is the code minimum height for an electrical panel?
• What is code for relocating an electrical panel?
• What are common problems with split-bus electrical panels?
• Are split-bus electrical panels illegal?
• How do I determine the age of an electrical panel?
• How do I determine the age of a Thomas & Betts electrical panel?
• What is an electrical subpanel?
• Are Westinghouse electrical panels dangerous?
• How do I determine the age of a Murray electrical panel?
• How can I keep wasps out of my electrical panel box?
• Are Murray electrical panels safe?
• Does a subpanel have to be the same brand as the main panel?
• How do I determine the age of a Bryant electrical panel?
• When is an electrical panel overcrowded with too much wiring?
• How can I tell a main electrical panel from a subpanel?
• What is the difference between specified and classified circuit breakers?
• Can you substitute two 120-volt breakers for a 240-volt breaker in a panel?
• Does code require a whole-house surge protector for houses?
• Does a whole-house surge protector need a dedicated circuit breaker?
• What are the requirements for an electrical panel cover (dead front)?
• Can I use a 240-volt (double-pole) breaker for 120-volt circuits?
• How many circuit breakers can I add to my electrical panel?
• How close can an electrical panel be to a toilet?
• What is an electrical dead front?
• What are the common problems with an electrical panel dead front?
• Which Square D electric panels were recalled in 2022?
• How often should I exercise the circuit breakers in my electrical panel?
• Where can I get replacement screws for the cover of my electrical panel (dead front)?
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