garisilver
Member
I had a friend call me to look at his panel. It's an older Square D panel and the bus was burnt under the water heater breaker. I tried to locate a good used replacement, but couldn't, so I told him I needed to replace the panel. It's in a condo and the main for his panel is in a locked meter room. The condo management told him that they wouldn't open the room so we could shut it off without a permit.
I'm a master electrician, but I have my license inactive since I work for someone else. I can't pull a permit.
But with or without a permit, I wouldn't do what I'm about to tell you.
My friend calls a contractor who tells him the job will be $1,700, but if he will let them do it without a permit, it will cost $850. He said okay. Well, I think we all know that some contractors have 2 levels of work, one permitted and one not permitted.
For $850, they took the live feeder off the panel main lugs and taped them up. No electric room access needed. Then they pulled the bus out of the existing Square D can and screwed in a new GE bus with GE breakers. Then they screwed the GE panel cover to the wall.
I'm pissed.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
I'm a master electrician, but I have my license inactive since I work for someone else. I can't pull a permit.
But with or without a permit, I wouldn't do what I'm about to tell you.
My friend calls a contractor who tells him the job will be $1,700, but if he will let them do it without a permit, it will cost $850. He said okay. Well, I think we all know that some contractors have 2 levels of work, one permitted and one not permitted.
For $850, they took the live feeder off the panel main lugs and taped them up. No electric room access needed. Then they pulled the bus out of the existing Square D can and screwed in a new GE bus with GE breakers. Then they screwed the GE panel cover to the wall.
I'm pissed.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.