Mark P Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 The set up is something as follows. a #2 copper runs from a 70 amp breaker in the main panel to a lug (no breaker) in a sub. From the 1st sub panel an unknown size wire runs from a 30 amp breaker to a 200 amp breaker in another sub. The 2nd sub is a newer panel and the 200 amp would be the main if it were not a sub. So my question is...? Does the 30amp breaker protect the wire (assuming it is at least #10) running between the 30 amp and 200 amp brekers? Gawd this report may take me the rest of the week. Wire / breaker in question starts at lower left corner Click to Enlarge 93.15 KB End at 200 amp breaker Click to Enlarge 50.67 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Whitmore Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 So my question is...? Does the 30amp breaker protect the wire (assuming it is at least #10) running between the 30 amp and 200 amp brekers? Yes, the 30 amp breaker protects everything downstream of that breaker. Think of it as the 30 amp breaker is running power to a receptacle instead of another panel. I'd have to look up whether the lug was rated for that small of a wire since I can't say I've ever seen a 10 gauge wire feed a 200 amp panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 Addd pictures to orginal post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kogel Posted April 20, 2011 Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I don't think the lugs at the top of the first sub panel are rated for double wires. One pair is coming from the 70 amp in the main, but where do those two others go from there? The other question in that panel is whether those bare conductors can be connected to the neutral bus. It would not be allowed in my area. It looks like the one neutral has been wrapped with tape, but it would be a bare neutral further downstream. If that's a stove circuit, it will carry 120 volts from time to time. Looks fishy. Then the feeder to the second sub, same thing. The bare wire become a neutral for any 120 volt circuits in the second sub. What is supplying the grounding to the outlets? There's enough dubious work there to warrant a checkup by an electrician, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted April 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2011 I don't think the lugs at the top of the first sub panel are rated for double wires. One pair is coming from the 70 amp in the main, but where do those two others go from there? The other question in that panel is whether those bare conductors can be connected to the neutral bus. It would not be allowed in my area. It looks like the one neutral has been wrapped with tape, but it would be a bare neutral further downstream. If that's a stove circuit, it will carry 120 volts from time to time. Looks fishy. There's enough dubious work there to warrant a checkup by an electrician, IMO. That second conductor goes to yet a different sub-panel. This house had two main panels, each with its own meter and overhead service and 4 subpanels. I'm calling for a complete evaluation by an electrician to make all needed repairs to include... a laundry list of what I found. There was just to much going on to think I did not miss stuff. The house also had 4 seperate HVAC systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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