Worst breaker panel location contest

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kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Sierrasparky said:
I cannot imagine what possesed somone to place a panel in the ground.

I mean did the guy ever see one done like this before?
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I think I have placed some FPE panels in the ground before, but as a disposal method and it was not energized, not sure if it was face up, face down, or other orientation:)
 
T

templdl

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
kwired said:
I'm pretty sure the entire assembly including the sink, base cabinet, disposer, maybe a dishwasher or other appliances/accessories were designed to fit together and sold as a unit. I doubt the panelboard portion of it was sold independently other than maybe to be intended as replacement parts for this assembly.
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It sure sounds like a logical plan.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Not trying in any way to condone the install (the underground panel) but wonder if the guy at least gave any thought to not putting it in a low spot where water can accumulate easier.

Hopefully he never has a problem with someone getting electrocuted, but hopefully will learn his lesson when he finds things constantly failing from the elements in there after enough time has passed.
 
kbsparky

kbsparky

Senior Member
Location
Delmarva, USA
Worst one I encountered was a panel in a garage that was converted into a family room.

They decided to brick over the end wall as part of a fireplace scheme.

When they got to the panel, they left a "hole" in the bricks --- just large enough for the panel cover door to open. :eek:

Needless to say I wonder how long it will be before someone needs to get inside of that panel for some servicing or maintenance.....

Wish I took a photo of that one!
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
kbsparky said:
Worst one I encountered was a panel in a garage that was converted into a family room.

They decided to brick over the end wall as part of a fireplace scheme.

When they got to the panel, they left a "hole" in the bricks --- just large enough for the panel cover door to open. :eek:

Needless to say I wonder how long it will be before someone needs to get inside of that panel for some servicing or maintenance.....

Wish I took a photo of that one!
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It was not a panel, but I had a customer (I wired the home when it was new) that had an electric fireplace that stopped heating. Really nice fireplace when it comes to electric ones and had natural stone surround. Problem was the surround apparently covered a mounting flange or something and there was no way to get into the unit, but likely would be if you could pull it out:eek:

I explained my dilemma and I don't think it has ever been fixed, and that was probably at least 3-5 years ago.
 
D

Darr247

Member
Location
Michigan USA
RichB said:
how come I don't see any pictures??
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There have been numerous posts with different pictures... the ones hosted on photobucket (e.g. see page 1) appear full size, but will turn into 'broken-link' placeholders here if they're ever deleted off photobucket. The pics attached here (using the Attachments tool between Undo and Smiley) appear as thumbnails and you have to click the thumb to see the full size pic in a javascript 'lightbox'.
e.g. see http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=156650&p=1516567#post1516567

You don't see any of them?
 
Jraef

Jraef

Moderator, OTD
Staff member
Location
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
kwired said:
Not trying in any way to condone the install (the underground panel) but wonder if the guy at least gave any thought to not putting it in a low spot where water can accumulate easier.

Hopefully he never has a problem with someone getting electrocuted, but hopefully will learn his lesson when he finds things constantly failing from the elements in there after enough time has passed.
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According to the contractor, it constantly floods "every time we get one of our famous Texas gullywashers"

Darr247 said:
It appears to be NEMA 4 or 12, ergo rated for outdoors; but not for being mounted laying down on its back. :)
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He said it is an indoor panel. The plastic sheet on the grate was apparently the attempt to make it "waterproof". but keep in mind, he's not an EC so he may not recognize what he saw. Looks like N3R to me. No matter what, it is NOT going to be NEMA 6P for submersion!

mgookin said:
What's going through that u/g panel? Is it a/c line voltage?
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AC line voltage. He wasn't sure what it was supposed to be feeding, but chances were it wasn't doing so any more. The contractor was a GC, so all he did was call in his favorite EC to get rid of it, he didn't know the outcome.
 
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RichB

RichB

Senior Member
Location
Tacoma, Wa
Occupation
Electrician/Electrical Inspector
Darr247 said:
There have been numerous posts with different pictures... the ones hosted on photobucket (e.g. see page 1) appear full size, but will turn into 'broken-link' placeholders here if they're ever deleted off photobucket. The pics attached here (using the Attachments tool between Undo and Smiley) appear as thumbnails and you have to click the thumb to see the full size pic in a javascript 'lightbox'.
e.g. see http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=156650&p=1516567#post1516567

You don't see any of them?
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I don't see any except the one in the ground by mjf
 
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