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Wire routing question

mm08822

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Jan 13, 2012
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5,763
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NJ
I just finished blowing up a home inspector on some electrical issues. This place was odd- two separate houses with a two meter stack containing two 100 amp breakers on one house; back to back with the panel on one, underground feeder to the other. The easiest to do was explain why the first house had the bonding jumper deleted; it's a sub panel. Then he wanted the second house panel replaced because it's a Murray and had a Bryant 230 and GE 115 in it. A couple of Eaton CL's later as well as showing him the listing shut him up about that but the panel still needed replaced due to the self tapping screws holding the cover on so I pulled four panel screws out of my van a day to my surprise, I was able to get them tightened.

This is the first time I've seen a HI on a job, it turns out that he's married to the selling agent.
Behind the scenes frat club....no wonder.

New panel b/c of 4 screws is crazy!!
 
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larry4406

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Jan 27, 2006
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Northern Virginia
I’ve taken a center punch and peened adjacent a stripped panel cover threaded screw hole that was stripped. Worked great afterwords.

And I didn’t stay at Holiday Inn last night nor am I a sparky. Home inspector was content as it was no longer stripped.
 

sparky 1971

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Oct 9, 2018
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Central Iowa
Nothing sketchy there
And it gets better... A nephew is the buyer, I just found that out when I called the owners handyman to get the email address.

Regardless of who is who and buying what, if this MF'er thinks those are legitimate reasons to change a panel, he needs a whoopin. I will admit to letting both the bully and smart *** inside of me come out at the same time today and I had him feeling like an idiot without calling him an idiot.
 

sparky 1971

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Behind the scenes frat club....no wonder.

New panel b/c of 4 screws is crazy!!
It wasn't because of the screws, everything was because it's a Murray and since it's no longer made, there are no parts available for it. Duh, try to follow along please.
He also had down that there were exposed energized part at the AC disconnect so I went out there expecting to see the inside cover missing. Nope, the sealtite had pulled out of the connector so I put it back in, tightened it up, and gave it a tug to make sure it stayed put while everyone watched.
 

PCustoms

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Jul 23, 2011
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VT
And it gets better... A nephew is the buyer, I just found that out when I called the owners handyman to get the email address.

Wow, aren't there at least ethics on the realtor side that should prevent that?

Someone asked me recently for a recommendation, I guess their realtor had someone they were pushing. I told him that's likely a bad idea, gave him the guy I used (since retired) and asked him what he was looking to get out of it.

I used one because it was cheap, because it extended my "out" while under contract and gave me a second set of eyes. In the end he really didn't catch anything substantial beyond what I knew, but for $300 I got a really nice report and some leverage against a slow bank/caretaker. What it didn't catch was the specifics of the butchered wiring buried in boxes (but based on what could be seen we suspected).

Bottom line, if you're an above average homeowner or semi professional it's probably a waste of money. If your toolset consists of a tack hammer and some old ikea hex keys it's probably a good idea.
 

Chuckster in NJ

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Jan 26, 2010
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Hunterdon County NJ
And it gets better... A nephew is the buyer, I just found that out when I called the owners handyman to get the email address.

Regardless of who is who and buying what, if this MF'er thinks those are legitimate reasons to change a panel, he needs a whoopin. I will admit to letting both the bully and smart *** inside of me come out at the same time today and I had him feeling like an idiot without calling him an idiot.
First sue him THEN give him a whoopin. :beer:
 
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sparky 1971

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Oct 9, 2018
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Central Iowa
you can now use siemens in a murray. there is a letter somewhere in cyberspace about it.
I know, but even though I had some Siemens breakers, I didn't have anything to show for it. I did have some Eaton CL's and I was on a mission to prove a point. I put Square D screws in the cover but didn't tell him.
 

Norcal

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Mar 16, 2008
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13,743
I know, but even though I had some Siemens breakers, I didn't have anything to show for it. I did have some Eaton CL's and I was on a mission to prove a point. I put Square D screws in the cover but didn't tell him.
I used SQ D cover screws on a late 1960's C-H panel, they are EZ to get, worked fine.
 

alfredeneuman

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Mar 3, 2011
Messages
4,580
Location
Fullerton, CA
Respectfully, how much time do the Sparkie's spend keeping up with code? Then there is the IRC, IBC, local requirements.
The IRC isn't applicable in CA. Neither is the IBC.
CA prohibits local amendments to building codes except for "special conditions" and they require the State to issue prior approval of them.
It's essentially the NEC verbatim.
 

sparky 1971

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Oct 9, 2018
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Central Iowa
I used SQ D cover screws on a late 1960's C-H panel, they are EZ to get,
Yes, especially since SQD throws about four extra screws in every panel. I keep 'em cause I'm gonna need 'em sooner than later. The damned things disappear when dropped.
worked fine.
I'm sure they are all the same, I've used them in just about every brand out there and if the hole is stripped I tap it out to 1/4-20 and put 1/2 or 3/4 long stove bolts in. If the HI knew I put SqD screws in a Murray panel he would have the new owners convinced they would die on the first night.
 
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