Lasts week job - before and after

[TOOL_5150]

I posed this on another forum, so it may be familiar to some of you guys. Just wanted to share it here too.


Was out to install a circuit to an accessory structure. Opened the panel, and found the neutral bar was ready to go into meltdown. Long story short, Customer wanted me to replace the panel. Find out the panel is fed by another panel, right around the corner - a pushmatic. Cust said "the guys didnt want to touch that panel" She had a kitchen renovation a few years ago, come to find out they werent electricians.

Here is an example of their wiring. Both of the neutrals that go down the conduit bottom right land on the neutral bus in the panel they installed. :blink:

Here is the panel they installed:

Here is what replaced it:

**********
Continuing next post with more pics


~Matt

 

[TOOL_5150]

Continuation of post #1:

Here is the 200A service equipment, and CT cabinet, and the liquidtite for the feed to panel B

Here are a few pics of Panel A, The one these guys "wouldnt touch"

To be continued.......


~Matt

 

[TOOL_5150]

Continuation of post #2:


I dont have a before pic of these heater relays, but here is the "after" They were all fed with single MTW wires, All are 240V.

And finally, here are the "almost done" and completed pics of the replacement of the pushmatic panel:

That is it.

~Matt

 

[e57]

I assume those heater relays are accessible?

FYI that has got to be one of the larger bull dog panels I have seen - for their age I assume this was sizable home in an older more afluent area of town?

 

[TOOL_5150]

I assume those heater relays are accessible?

FYI that has got to be one of the larger bull dog panels I have seen - for their age I assume this was sizable home in an older more afluent area of town?

Yeah, the relays are behind a wood panel, remove 4 screws and there they are. This is an all electric house in Fremont, CA. The house wasnt all that big in size, but they had 240v heaters that pulled 9 amps each in just about every room of the house. The house was built about 50 years ago, which sort of makes sence about the CT cabinet.

~Matt

 

[Riograndeelectric]

I cant believe you removed the pushmatic panel. I dearly love those panels the are a pleasure to work in and with. to bad there is not a market for these panels any more. looks like you had some to room to change some of the SP breakers to twins to free up more space. that is if Pushmatic designed the panel for twins.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Yeah, the relays are behind a wood panel, remove 4 screws and there they are. This is an all electric house in Fremont, CA. The house wasnt all that big in size, but they had 240v heaters that pulled 9 amps each in just about every room of the house. The house was built about 50 years ago, which sort of makes sence about the CT cabinet.

~Matt

nice work !

 

[TOOL_5150]

I cant believe you removed the pushmatic panel. I dearly love those panels the are a pleasure to work in and with.

Pushmatic & Bulldog circuit breakers use a thermal breaker design with no magnetic trip mechanism. Modern breakers incorporate both magnetic and thermal tripping mechanisms, increasing safety and the likelihood that they will function properly in the event of an overload or short circuit.

to bad there is not a market for these panels any more. looks like you had some to room to change some of the SP breakers to twins to free up more space. that is if Pushmatic designed the panel for twins.

What I installed was a 40 space panel [actually 2 of them] So I did gain some room, but only because some circuits were pulled to that panel, and didnt need to be.

Not to mention the cost of pushmatic breakers now. 2 pushmatic breakers cost the same as [my cost] for the QO panel itself.

Out with the old and in with the new, otherwise how do we make money?

~Matt

 

[e57]

Yeah, the relays are behind a wood panel, remove 4 screws and there they are. This is an all electric house in Fremont, CA. The house wasnt all that big in size, but they had 240v heaters that pulled 9 amps each in just about every room of the house. The house was built about 50 years ago, which sort of makes sence about the CT cabinet.

~Matt

If you come up to the city (SF) plan to use an access panel.... The inspectors frown on anything that even looks like a finish material over a box that would conceal it, or make it hard to find. i.e. a little rust and paint on the screws and that thing will never be found again.... JMSO. And access panels for say - hot tub motors - one inspector up here will try to get you to prove that the motor can come out...

Anyway - Fremont 50 years ago was in the very early throws of development. I Worked down there for a guy whos family had been there since the early 1900's who ran through the whole history of the area as we drove around.... Strawberry farms & quail hunting in the back yard.... That thing was probably big and pricey for its day.

 

[e57]

I cant believe you removed the pushmatic panel. I dearly love those panels the are a pleasure to work in and with. to bad there is not a market for these panels any more. looks like you had some to room to change some of the SP breakers to twins to free up more space. that is if Pushmatic designed the panel for twins.

And at what cost would that have been???? The years of finding bull-dog parts are quickly coming to an end...

 

[TOOL_5150]

If you come up to the city (SF) plan to use an access panel.... The inspectors frown on anything that even looks like a finish material over a box that would conceal it, or make it hard to find. i.e. a little rust and paint on the screws and that thing will never be found again.... JMSO. And access panels for say - hot tub motors - one inspector up here will try to get you to prove that the motor can come out...

Anyway - Fremont 50 years ago was in the very early throws of development. I Worked down there for a guy whos family had been there since the early 1900's who ran through the whole history of the area as we drove around.... Strawberry farms & quail hunting in the back yard.... That thing was probably big and pricey for its day.

Yeah, I have worked in the city a few times. They like to go by their own rules, to say the least. Ill let ya know what the inspector has to say tomorrow - our final is scheduled for PM.

I am sure that panel was really pricey... the tub was huge, and even with the bus & breakers taken off of it, was still heavy.

~Matt

 

[TOOL_5150]

And at what cost would that have been???? The years of finding bull-dog parts are quickly coming to an end...

Yeah, exactly. Rio... I got a bunch of breakers, along with the bus and deadfront that id sell to you for the right price!

~Matt

 

[e57]

Yeah, exactly. Rio... I got a bunch of breakers, along with the bus and deadfront that id sell to you for the right price!

~Matt

Got no use for them - I too would have yanked that thing right out. Try Circuit 99... If they are still around?