NOT all US states approve this type of work. NEW YORK, Vermont do not allow this all breakers must be inside house. NYC you can only use BX cable,boxes, Vermont allows romex in houses but not over 2 stores or outside then it must be BX..NYC has the toughest codes in the world..
Wonder what the meter jaws look like if no rust maybe that would indicate the panel cover has been off or something.if rusty jaws maybe something with the rain coming off the roof there or rain falling on panel.i would nt want to repair I would replace it .build a wood cover over it .that thing is getting wet
you really just need some nema weather proof boxes that are listed and uv proof for outside install, its hard to believe people just throw shit on a wall and call it good
In drier climates such as the southwest, they used to do this due to little rain. You will never see this in the northeast because even a raintite rated panel 3R rating will not last as long as a panel on the inside. Plus there will not be so much corrosion.
out west and down south i have seen them outside alot, dont know why. up north they are mostly indoors. they might have the meter and the main breaker outside on newer homes but the bulk of the breakers are still inside, i guess so fire dept and such can shut the house down quickly. nice video to!!
In California,the utility company,(S.C.E./ D.W.P.), is responsible for the location of the electrical service. The "service planning dept" or "meter spotter" makes the decision where the service main will be located and the type of equipment used. They will also spec out the minimum A.I.C. rating. Except for beach locations, weather is not a problem. The panel in this video has not been properly sealed and/or the cover/lid has been open allowing water to get inside.
It all started with the tract home boom, paid by the hole construction, the faster you could slam a panel, the fatter the check. Just pop the riser through the overhang straight up. Didn't matter where the homeowner wanted the panel, they got it right outside the back, or garage door. The weather is a factor too, the worst we get in Calif. is a little rain, and earthquakes.
The reason we mount our panels outside is that most are combo's (meter socket/ switchboard) And the meter readers like it that way, saves time from waiting for someone to answer the door, if they're even home. That panel was probably missing the door, and was in sprinkler range. Usually we put them under an overhang and they have to be rain tite(NEMA4)and approved for the application, and conditions, labeled and listed. If it's out in the open without any protection we'll build a "dog house"
@joebananatube yeah I understand the meter being outside, we do it that way in Canada as well, however we don't normally install the branch circuit overcurrent devices outside of the house; although it is interesting to note that sometimes we install a combo meterbase with the main breaker to allow for longer load side conductors from the meter to the panelboard. By doing this then the panel could be mounted at any place in the house (subject to code restrictions)
@joebananatube I'm in western Canada and the electric meter is outside the house, so the meter readers don't have to knock on the door. But our electric panel is inside the house, in the basement, protected from the elements. Mine is 25 years old and still looks brand new.
Another problem in my climate is the temperature. It can get down to -45 degrees. That's a problem for thermal circuit breakers, since the breaker might still be cold due to overcurrent, while the wires inside are overheating.
why do some people even think about putting their panel outside? There is no good reason to do it. Harder to get to it (especially in winter), hard to run wires to it, it's exposed to the elements, and it is a very fun tool for pranksters...
@TheSolarmike there is nothing wrong with aluminum for service wires, as long as they are treated with care, aluminum is cheaper and lighter than copper
@mccallum74 Unfortunately this is dictated by the Utility, not the electricians doing the work. We have to do what they say. period. plus in places like Texas most homes do not have basements.... hope you see the issue here. :)
@sgtgrooover Yep you're right. Even doing my own work with an inspector OKing it I still have to place the service where the utility says it's ok and install it in accordance with current NEC specs. Rare here in KY to see external breakers but some multifamily & business buildings have a disconnect breaker in the meter base box besides the lever or horn bypass, I guess to allow killing power from outside for fires, electrocution, interior service, etc. Mine is in the basement of our '52 house
@mccallum74 And we wonder why you run 220 when we run 110, or why many of your services have a meter in an interior cabinet, or why you have three round pins on your plugs instead of blades and a pin. Everywhere is different and for varying reasons, usually because electrical engineers deem it safer or more effiicient for that area and utility companies follow suit. I dont miss the glass fuses we had in this house but at one time that was considered safe.
@rhblakeman yes I understand that everywhere is different for different reasons, I just never could justify the extra work and expense of puttinng my CB panel outdoors (I live in Canada, btw, we use 220/110 and bladed receptacles here too) My problem has to do with water getting into the panel too easily, also the fact that your CB handles are accesible to anyone...
@mccallum74 I don't know how I thought you were in the UK on 220 50hz. I know Canada uses basically the same as here in the US, spent a number of years in Plattsburgh NY not far from Quebec and spent a lot of time over the border. I too think that outdoor CB panels are odd but some areas they require them, others require an outdoor disconnect as mentioned. Here the firemen know how to pop a seal and pull a meter, and they carry 5kv gloves on the trucks for times when they need to cut the power.
@DEEREFAN555 mostly because of the construction of the foundation in most Canadian homes. The footings must be placed below the frost line to prevent heaving due to annual freeze/thaw conditions. This means that most home in Canada have full basements instead of crawlspaces. It's easier to mount the panel sideways and avoid any wall depth transitions that result from the foundation wall having a different thickness than the stud wall.
@mccallum74 lol was going to post the same thing. It's like the stupidest idea. I could see having a cut off that is watertight, but the whole service?
@mccallum74 I don't get it either. I'm in Canada and I've never seen an outdoor panel. But my parents have a place in Palm Springs with an outdoor panel. It would work OK in a desert like that. Almost no rain, very low humidity.
@AntoDamicoShow Ah I'm in Saskatchewan. Not sure if the code here allows outdoor panels. Even if it does, they must be very rare since I've never seen one.
@mccallum74 This is an old installation, in my experience not use that much in my area. This is mounted outdoors because it's also the meter mount. AFIK all new installations in the USA have the circuit panel indoors
@airsoftisawsome In this case, all of the circuit breakers are mounted in the service box, on the outside of the house, along with the meter for the electric company to read. In this case there is no panel inside the house, everything is contained in one panel mounted on the outside. This is the proper method for the local jurisdiction, but is unsafe (imho)
@mccallum74 Mine is inside the house in the basement. These people must be faced with a combination of ground water issues and space constraints inside the house. I don't understand how a non water/moisture resistant electrical panel can just be put out in the elements like that.
@mccallum74 wrote a comment about "you Americans" with a condescending attitude. Don't be like so many other europeans, canadians, etc, and slander a whole nation based on the bad example of some individuals. I am American, and I have never seen this particular practice. It seems bizarre to me as well. Where I live, the panels are always inside.
@mccallum74 NOT all US states approve this type of work. NEW YORK, Vermont do not allow this all breakers must be inside house. NYC you can only use BX cable,boxes, Vermont allows romex in houses but not over 2 stores or outside then it must be BX..NYC has the toughest codes in the world..
There is a list of items wrong in this panelboard. First off, it appears to have had major water intrusion in the NEMA 3R enclosure-likely due to the meter cover that does not appear to be seated properly around the meter. No oxidation inhibitor appears to have been used on any of the aluminium conductor terminations, and the threaded nipple used at the rear of the panel should be bushed with a bonding-type bushing per Code. The PVC conduit in the bottom should be bushed also.
I like ITE breakers and panels. But prefer Square-d QO. The breaker snaps onto the busbar rather than a slide in. Over time the slide in loosen, and doesnt handle large loads very well.Outdoor panels are very common in the southern states because its cost effective for the structural building materials.
Please tell me you're not an electrical engineer. Otherwise, you could easily see the safety issues with this configuration such as the additional resistive heating on corrosive AL conductors (just a matter of time before this heat breaks down the insulation), and rusted CBs that may no longer work as overprotection devices. Please reassure me that you're a train operator instead.
Those panels are meant to be installed outside (to: MyfaceisonFirenow) That's a surface mounted panel. They're supposed to be weather-proof. If water is getting inside, then conductivity is certainly hindered, not to mention the fact the intricate, moving parts that make a breaker do what its supposed to do, is also compromised. All of that aluminum wiring should also have a de-oxidizing solution applied to all of the ends where it is set screwed under the breaker.
To the engineer who thinks the panel is safe, it may be marginally functional but the mere fact that something is functioning doesn't mean it's safe. The Hindenburg was flying moments before it crashed in flames. What I would be concerned about is what caused the corrosion and if the circuit breakers have been affected. The connections between the ground buss and all of the alluminum wire need to be checked because of increased resistance across the connection. The panels is made for outside.
Shouldnt the box near the meter be inspected, repaired and maintained by the city, not the homeowner?
Homeowners are hesitant to inspect/modify the panel not inside their house (i.e. the panel near the meter) for fear of being suspected of tampering with the power input into the house. Not to mention that sometimes these meters are not physically connected to the house, what then?
In NC. The power company only pays for work on panels they own.
Years ago, the power company owned the meter and panel at the connection. They do so no longer. Some homes still have those panels, and the PC still provides services for them.
Zinsco is the only brand the PC used. If you have a Zinsco meter/panel combo for your service entrance system, the Duke Energy will replace/provide breakers, or service change if it's damaged.
@Ripu2 Utility co's here don't supply anything but the meter and the crimps to your pigtails at the weatherhead anymore, they used to supply the meter socket box. Of course both their standards, meter types and NEC dictate what they require for customer purchased sockets now. Our old 60A with asphalted non-conduited conductor was a plug in with a ring to hold it on. New must be horn or lever bypass, ringless (cover holds meter on) and metal or PVC conduit. Much better and I feel safer with it.
Almost all service panels in this part of the country are outside, and they only look like this if the cover has been off or there are knock-outs that have been abandoned and left uncovered. This is not normal for an exterior panel. Either way it's a small boat anchor now....
at least the bus bars are made in copper, but if my elec panel i would change it out. And if i could i would have changed out the AL conductors to Copper. And i would use no ox on the copper conductors if it is installed outside. And this panel is.
I use ITE Seimens circuit breaker panels now and days around here as the bus bars are in copper. I don,t like the AL bus bars that other manufactures use.
If you don't want to replace this pile, then you're not a qualified electrician. Any electrician would change it out, I hope!! Besides the fire hazards, the buss bars are rusted! Buy a new panel!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
so typical that all the responds who say its safe get rated negatively, and who says the thing has to be crushed and everything new installed gets rated positive.
that panel is complete safe. it's like saying that u have to take all the forest on the world down because it's a fire danger.
If you want to debate this issue, please...I'm down for a debate. That panel is not safe. But more than anything, its guarantee to be 100% functional is completely not guaranteed. Are you an electrician? Certified? Licensed? If you worked for me, I'd fire you. :) Then I'd teach you. Then maybe re-hire you.
of course the aluminum conductor has corroded, aluminum is very active chemically while exposed to oxygen, thats why you need to use noa-lox to prevent oxidation on the aluminum which this guy didnt appear to use
probably the elec panel was installed outside as no basement for the panel. and al wiring is junk in my opinion. we still use it around here for some things . but never use it for feeder circuits as illegal since the late 1970,s . as a major fire back then from a small 12/2 or 10/2 romex al cable melted down and the place burned down. Use no ox on the al conductors exposed in the circuit breaker pane.
If you do use aluminum conductors on breakers or lugs, use ANTI-OX or NOALOX (hope I spelled it right) to help prevent corrosion on your wires and termination points.
1. Recommend repairs...Yes 2. Those breakers might be rusted to be in the "ON" position forever. 3. If your lights in your home get dimmer/brighter, you're losing a phase due to corrosion.
Aluminum wiring! This is the worst wiring they made. I had an aluminum wire cable connecting my mobile home to the meter box and over the years it corroded and started shorting out . copper is the best for wiring.
If it worked for the previous owner it will work for the next owner.
PilotVBall 1 month ago
some people say square D is the best. i have cutler-hammer in vermont house and square D in garage, My house in NYC has bryant boxes all are inside..
exporms 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
NOT all US states approve this type of work. NEW YORK, Vermont do not allow this all breakers must be inside house. NYC you can only use BX cable,boxes, Vermont allows romex in houses but not over 2 stores or outside then it must be BX..NYC has the toughest codes in the world..
exporms 3 months ago
Wonder what the meter jaws look like if no rust maybe that would indicate the panel cover has been off or something.if rusty jaws maybe something with the rain coming off the roof there or rain falling on panel.i would nt want to repair I would replace it .build a wood cover over it .that thing is getting wet
albduke1 3 months ago
you really just need some nema weather proof boxes that are listed and uv proof for outside install, its hard to believe people just throw shit on a wall and call it good
bardminnewaska 4 months ago
In drier climates such as the southwest, they used to do this due to little rain. You will never see this in the northeast because even a raintite rated panel 3R rating will not last as long as a panel on the inside. Plus there will not be so much corrosion.
MGiants82 8 months ago
out west and down south i have seen them outside alot, dont know why. up north they are mostly indoors. they might have the meter and the main breaker outside on newer homes but the bulk of the breakers are still inside, i guess so fire dept and such can shut the house down quickly. nice video to!!
bryan1282 9 months ago
I'm and American and I've never seen a breaker panel on the outside of a home. They are mounted inside. I've also never seen one corroded like that!
pennsylvaniaboy63 10 months ago
Glad that's not my electrical pannel lol!!
woodentoolcompany 11 months ago
Tell me how much cost a kilowatt-hour (Kwh) in USA?
telosfd 1 year ago
wtf is with yankees and thier "aloominum" and "oxidatation"? and best of all sodder for your soddering iron. your fkn wierd... learn to read.
Jimmeh30 1 year ago 4
In California,the utility company,(S.C.E./ D.W.P.), is responsible for the location of the electrical service. The "service planning dept" or "meter spotter" makes the decision where the service main will be located and the type of equipment used. They will also spec out the minimum A.I.C. rating. Except for beach locations, weather is not a problem. The panel in this video has not been properly sealed and/or the cover/lid has been open allowing water to get inside.
ytmachx 1 year ago
I believe ontario code stipulates all el panel boards be installed inside the house?
meter readers do not have to read anything inside the house anyway.
prognanica 1 year ago
Looks like someone wants to be a Darwin award winner.
That consumer unit is scrap.
mangogrooveworkshop 1 year ago
In Ireland it would be illegal to put the fuse board outside. but anyway, that's just basic common sense.
johnmcc8 1 year ago
Who puts a panel on the outside?
DrMR2002 1 year ago
It all started with the tract home boom, paid by the hole construction, the faster you could slam a panel, the fatter the check. Just pop the riser through the overhang straight up. Didn't matter where the homeowner wanted the panel, they got it right outside the back, or garage door. The weather is a factor too, the worst we get in Calif. is a little rain, and earthquakes.
joebananatube 1 year ago
The reason we mount our panels outside is that most are combo's (meter socket/ switchboard) And the meter readers like it that way, saves time from waiting for someone to answer the door, if they're even home. That panel was probably missing the door, and was in sprinkler range. Usually we put them under an overhang and they have to be rain tite(NEMA4)and approved for the application, and conditions, labeled and listed. If it's out in the open without any protection we'll build a "dog house"
joebananatube 1 year ago
@joebananatube yeah I understand the meter being outside, we do it that way in Canada as well, however we don't normally install the branch circuit overcurrent devices outside of the house; although it is interesting to note that sometimes we install a combo meterbase with the main breaker to allow for longer load side conductors from the meter to the panelboard. By doing this then the panel could be mounted at any place in the house (subject to code restrictions)
mccallum74 1 year ago
@joebananatube I'm in western Canada and the electric meter is outside the house, so the meter readers don't have to knock on the door. But our electric panel is inside the house, in the basement, protected from the elements. Mine is 25 years old and still looks brand new.
Another problem in my climate is the temperature. It can get down to -45 degrees. That's a problem for thermal circuit breakers, since the breaker might still be cold due to overcurrent, while the wires inside are overheating.
captain150 1 year ago
lol outdoor box that isn't waterproofed (lol outdoor box for that matter)
lol aluminum wires
HWGuyEG 1 year ago
why do some people even think about putting their panel outside? There is no good reason to do it. Harder to get to it (especially in winter), hard to run wires to it, it's exposed to the elements, and it is a very fun tool for pranksters...
redsquirrelftw 1 year ago
Do not use aluminum #1
Do not have your load center outside #2
TheSolarmike 1 year ago 3
@TheSolarmike there is nothing wrong with aluminum for service wires, as long as they are treated with care, aluminum is cheaper and lighter than copper
darkg35 1 year ago
I never could understand why you Americans put your breaker panel on the outside of your house.
mccallum74 1 year ago 53
@mccallum74 same here.
over here they're almost always in the cellar or somewhere else inside the house. but.. outside? hell no.. o.O
Knaeckebrotsaege 1 year ago
@mccallum74 Unfortunately this is dictated by the Utility, not the electricians doing the work. We have to do what they say. period. plus in places like Texas most homes do not have basements.... hope you see the issue here. :)
sgtgrooover 1 year ago
@sgtgrooover Yep you're right. Even doing my own work with an inspector OKing it I still have to place the service where the utility says it's ok and install it in accordance with current NEC specs. Rare here in KY to see external breakers but some multifamily & business buildings have a disconnect breaker in the meter base box besides the lever or horn bypass, I guess to allow killing power from outside for fires, electrocution, interior service, etc. Mine is in the basement of our '52 house
rhblakeman 1 year ago
@mccallum74 And we wonder why you run 220 when we run 110, or why many of your services have a meter in an interior cabinet, or why you have three round pins on your plugs instead of blades and a pin. Everywhere is different and for varying reasons, usually because electrical engineers deem it safer or more effiicient for that area and utility companies follow suit. I dont miss the glass fuses we had in this house but at one time that was considered safe.
rhblakeman 1 year ago
@rhblakeman yes I understand that everywhere is different for different reasons, I just never could justify the extra work and expense of puttinng my CB panel outdoors (I live in Canada, btw, we use 220/110 and bladed receptacles here too) My problem has to do with water getting into the panel too easily, also the fact that your CB handles are accesible to anyone...
mccallum74 1 year ago
@mccallum74 I don't know how I thought you were in the UK on 220 50hz. I know Canada uses basically the same as here in the US, spent a number of years in Plattsburgh NY not far from Quebec and spent a lot of time over the border. I too think that outdoor CB panels are odd but some areas they require them, others require an outdoor disconnect as mentioned. Here the firemen know how to pop a seal and pull a meter, and they carry 5kv gloves on the trucks for times when they need to cut the power.
rhblakeman 1 year ago
@mccallum74 most dont
tonyteb 1 year ago
@mccallum74 why do most Canadians mount their panels sideways?
DEEREFAN555 1 year ago
@DEEREFAN555 mostly because of the construction of the foundation in most Canadian homes. The footings must be placed below the frost line to prevent heaving due to annual freeze/thaw conditions. This means that most home in Canada have full basements instead of crawlspaces. It's easier to mount the panel sideways and avoid any wall depth transitions that result from the foundation wall having a different thickness than the stud wall.
mccallum74 1 year ago
@DEEREFAN555 , new to me.
where in canada?
prognanica 1 year ago
@mccallum74 lol was going to post the same thing. It's like the stupidest idea. I could see having a cut off that is watertight, but the whole service?
redsquirrelftw 1 year ago
@mccallum74 nor can i and i live in canada!
GrantLogan2 1 year ago
@mccallum74 I don't get it either. I'm in Canada and I've never seen an outdoor panel. But my parents have a place in Palm Springs with an outdoor panel. It would work OK in a desert like that. Almost no rain, very low humidity.
captain150 1 year ago
@captain150 In Quebec they're all outside. But they are very waterproofed and protected.
AntoDamicoShow 1 year ago
@AntoDamicoShow Ah I'm in Saskatchewan. Not sure if the code here allows outdoor panels. Even if it does, they must be very rare since I've never seen one.
captain150 1 year ago
@mccallum74 This is an old installation, in my experience not use that much in my area. This is mounted outdoors because it's also the meter mount. AFIK all new installations in the USA have the circuit panel indoors
5lkk 1 year ago
@mccallum74 We pretty much invented electricity so I think we know what were doing.
ArchNME 1 year ago
why do they do that i wonder
mr854johnathan 1 year ago
@mccallum74 there is also one on the inside the one on the outside is the one that the electric company reads so they know how much to charge you.
airsoftisawsome 1 year ago
@airsoftisawsome In this case, all of the circuit breakers are mounted in the service box, on the outside of the house, along with the meter for the electric company to read. In this case there is no panel inside the house, everything is contained in one panel mounted on the outside. This is the proper method for the local jurisdiction, but is unsafe (imho)
mccallum74 9 months ago
@airsoftisawsome yeah there must be another panel on the inside of the house, this is just not the way we do things where I come from
mccallum74 9 months ago
@mccallum74 That must be in Cali. Thats the only state that puts a main panel or disconnect outside the house to my knowledge.
TheSyncopator 9 months ago
@TheSyncopator They do it in Colorado too. I suspect several south west states do that. Just guessing.
myfletcher 9 months ago
@myfletcher Yea I'm guessing all the brush fire states.
TheSyncopator 8 months ago
@TheSyncopator I've seen it like this in Colorado
mccallum74 4 months ago
@mccallum74 Even some houses in Sweden do, and in Finland 2003!
randomforum 9 months ago
@randomforum Never seen one here in Finland, were they houses you saw old?
JARMOPOWER 4 months ago
@JARMOPOWER It's our supper place, built 2003, the house is from 1940+ something, but got electricity 2003.
randomforum 4 months ago
@randomforum Never seen one, Not in this 1970's house, my parents 1910 house, or any other house for that matter.
Serostern 4 months ago
@mccallum74 Mine is inside the house in the basement. These people must be faced with a combination of ground water issues and space constraints inside the house. I don't understand how a non water/moisture resistant electrical panel can just be put out in the elements like that.
MIKON8ERISBACK 4 months ago
In a lot of houses they are inside. So not all of them are outside. @mccallum74
alarmDX 4 months ago
@mccallum74 wrote a comment about "you Americans" with a condescending attitude. Don't be like so many other europeans, canadians, etc, and slander a whole nation based on the bad example of some individuals. I am American, and I have never seen this particular practice. It seems bizarre to me as well. Where I live, the panels are always inside.
Your derisive tone is ugly.
rmcdaniel423 3 months ago
@mccallum74 NOT all US states approve this type of work. NEW YORK, Vermont do not allow this all breakers must be inside house. NYC you can only use BX cable,boxes, Vermont allows romex in houses but not over 2 stores or outside then it must be BX..NYC has the toughest codes in the world..
exporms 3 months ago
There is a list of items wrong in this panelboard. First off, it appears to have had major water intrusion in the NEMA 3R enclosure-likely due to the meter cover that does not appear to be seated properly around the meter. No oxidation inhibitor appears to have been used on any of the aluminium conductor terminations, and the threaded nipple used at the rear of the panel should be bushed with a bonding-type bushing per Code. The PVC conduit in the bottom should be bushed also.
russdonruss 1 year ago
Replacement is the only option here. $800.00
ClassicElectricNJ 1 year ago
beach home?
MsPhuckme 2 years ago
Protip: hold the freaking lens cap in your hands when filming so it doesn't whack against the side of your camera and become very annoying.
SilentServiceCode 2 years ago
Is Your Main Electric Panel Safe?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz stoooook. stung
hahaha greatings from italy
riflessoblu 2 years ago
i live in northers california right on the coast so i don't use aluminum for anything.....
joekiddent 2 years ago
I like ITE breakers and panels. But prefer Square-d QO. The breaker snaps onto the busbar rather than a slide in. Over time the slide in loosen, and doesnt handle large loads very well.Outdoor panels are very common in the southern states because its cost effective for the structural building materials.
megariot 2 years ago
Please tell me you're not an electrical engineer. Otherwise, you could easily see the safety issues with this configuration such as the additional resistive heating on corrosive AL conductors (just a matter of time before this heat breaks down the insulation), and rusted CBs that may no longer work as overprotection devices. Please reassure me that you're a train operator instead.
postchevelle 2 years ago
Those panels are meant to be installed outside (to: MyfaceisonFirenow) That's a surface mounted panel. They're supposed to be weather-proof. If water is getting inside, then conductivity is certainly hindered, not to mention the fact the intricate, moving parts that make a breaker do what its supposed to do, is also compromised. All of that aluminum wiring should also have a de-oxidizing solution applied to all of the ends where it is set screwed under the breaker.
ChaiVat 2 years ago
To the engineer who thinks the panel is safe, it may be marginally functional but the mere fact that something is functioning doesn't mean it's safe. The Hindenburg was flying moments before it crashed in flames. What I would be concerned about is what caused the corrosion and if the circuit breakers have been affected. The connections between the ground buss and all of the alluminum wire need to be checked because of increased resistance across the connection. The panels is made for outside.
LIcensedContractor 2 years ago 4
No wonder its rusted. Why is it outside?? What dumbass thought that one up?
Myfaceisonfirenow 2 years ago
Shouldnt the box near the meter be inspected, repaired and maintained by the city, not the homeowner?
Homeowners are hesitant to inspect/modify the panel not inside their house (i.e. the panel near the meter) for fear of being suspected of tampering with the power input into the house. Not to mention that sometimes these meters are not physically connected to the house, what then?
Who exactly is responsible for these?
ixamraxi 2 years ago
In NC. The power company only pays for work on panels they own.
Years ago, the power company owned the meter and panel at the connection. They do so no longer. Some homes still have those panels, and the PC still provides services for them.
Zinsco is the only brand the PC used. If you have a Zinsco meter/panel combo for your service entrance system, the Duke Energy will replace/provide breakers, or service change if it's damaged.
Ripu2 2 years ago
@Ripu2 Utility co's here don't supply anything but the meter and the crimps to your pigtails at the weatherhead anymore, they used to supply the meter socket box. Of course both their standards, meter types and NEC dictate what they require for customer purchased sockets now. Our old 60A with asphalted non-conduited conductor was a plug in with a ring to hold it on. New must be horn or lever bypass, ringless (cover holds meter on) and metal or PVC conduit. Much better and I feel safer with it.
rhblakeman 1 year ago
@ixamraxi In Calif. we're responsible for it all. Edison supplies the drop and meter, the rest is the homeowners.
joebananatube 1 year ago
Is this house still there ?
Mess1410 2 years ago
Almost all service panels in this part of the country are outside, and they only look like this if the cover has been off or there are knock-outs that have been abandoned and left uncovered. This is not normal for an exterior panel. Either way it's a small boat anchor now....
sgtgrooover 2 years ago
at least the bus bars are made in copper, but if my elec panel i would change it out. And if i could i would have changed out the AL conductors to Copper. And i would use no ox on the copper conductors if it is installed outside. And this panel is.
I use ITE Seimens circuit breaker panels now and days around here as the bus bars are in copper. I don,t like the AL bus bars that other manufactures use.
buzzobug 2 years ago
If you don't want to replace this pile, then you're not a qualified electrician. Any electrician would change it out, I hope!! Besides the fire hazards, the buss bars are rusted! Buy a new panel!
sgtgrooover 2 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
so typical that all the responds who say its safe get rated negatively, and who says the thing has to be crushed and everything new installed gets rated positive.
that panel is complete safe. it's like saying that u have to take all the forest on the world down because it's a fire danger.
now u can start rating my post negative
Engineer9736 2 years ago
If you want to debate this issue, please...I'm down for a debate. That panel is not safe. But more than anything, its guarantee to be 100% functional is completely not guaranteed. Are you an electrician? Certified? Licensed? If you worked for me, I'd fire you. :) Then I'd teach you. Then maybe re-hire you.
ChaiVat 2 years ago 2
That panel needs to be trashed and all new installed, that is in bad shape.. can you say house b-Q
noaa555 2 years ago 18
exactly
mr854johnathan 1 year ago
Those are subpanel feeders, not branch circuits, aluminum wiring is used all the time for this, just use noalox.
deathcow 2 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
i say this panel looks fine you passed my inspection.
kijifled2 3 years ago
crappy aluminium wires tut tut you should use copper like we do in uk, much better
bellkxboy 3 years ago
yep
sniperusg50 2 years ago
Why, yes, my panel is extremely safe. It's so safe, I keep my money in it and hide in it during emergencies.
chompychomps 3 years ago
@chompychomps
now THAT'S funny!
rabie4x4 1 year ago
of course the aluminum conductor has corroded, aluminum is very active chemically while exposed to oxygen, thats why you need to use noa-lox to prevent oxidation on the aluminum which this guy didnt appear to use
Etrician55 3 years ago
is this normal? why dont you keep it in the house like we do in the uk.
sniperusg50 3 years ago 3
This was probably normal back then, but panels I've seen now have all these 2 pole breakers inside the main panel in homes. I rarely do residential.
accesselectricaprent 3 years ago
probably the elec panel was installed outside as no basement for the panel. and al wiring is junk in my opinion. we still use it around here for some things . but never use it for feeder circuits as illegal since the late 1970,s . as a major fire back then from a small 12/2 or 10/2 romex al cable melted down and the place burned down. Use no ox on the al conductors exposed in the circuit breaker pane.
buzzobug 2 years ago
If you do use aluminum conductors on breakers or lugs, use ANTI-OX or NOALOX (hope I spelled it right) to help prevent corrosion on your wires and termination points.
accesselectricaprent 3 years ago
1. Recommend repairs...Yes 2. Those breakers might be rusted to be in the "ON" position forever. 3. If your lights in your home get dimmer/brighter, you're losing a phase due to corrosion.
accesselectricaprent 3 years ago
Aluminum wiring! This is the worst wiring they made. I had an aluminum wire cable connecting my mobile home to the meter box and over the years it corroded and started shorting out . copper is the best for wiring.
ivanbunny25 3 years ago
That panel is an epic failure waiting to happen.
acronus 3 years ago
very very good !thanks alot!!11
aladyn65 3 years ago
mine is safe. but i am a electricity nerd.
jeabo0adhd 3 years ago
Cool.
JENSSCHLAU 3 years ago