CB Lockout/Tagout For Residential Work

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JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Many years ago, I was studying making a two way switch connection with a lamp and some wires after simply switching off the main switch (service disconnector) to our home. With no knowledge of my doing this, my brother switched the main switch on, while he was going out. I received a shock as I was giving connection but fortunately escaped without any injury.

Hence why I've ordered a LO kit. Faster than pulling a deadfront and removing the breaker or unlanding the ungrounded conductor.

Today I got bit doing a garage light. Long story short, breaker was off, wiring checked dead with functioning contact tester. Neutral wires (2) broke upon removing wire nut. Went to strip them and whacked I got. Checked again with contact tester, one neutral is now hot. :? Wire-nutted them back together and test again with contact tester; nothing shows hot. Didnt have time to investigate everything (will in the AM) but I suspect crossed-up neutrals from another circuit that had a load on it.

Quick side question: is it against code to have a j-box blocked by a light fixture fed from said box? iow, you'd have to remove the fixture to access the box. I think it would be tho I cant find it in the book. Not talking about like sconce or bathroom lights that are secured to the box, but like a 4 or 8' fixture secured to the building.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Quick side question: is it against code to have a j-box blocked by a light fixture fed from said box? iow, you'd have to remove the fixture to access the box. I think it would be tho I cant find it in the book. Not talking about like sconce or bathroom lights that are secured to the box, but like a 4 or 8' fixture secured to the building.
Yes, read 410.24(B).
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
read (2008 NEC, assume it hasnt changed much). ty for the code section. .I'd also assume this is why some fixtures have huge (2+") KOs. I cant seem to find bushings for such a large KO to keep wires from rubbing/touching bare metal. ???
I don't know of any section that specifically requires a bushing here, doesn't mean some AHJ's may not require it though. If I had to use something here it may be either rubber grommet or plastic/nylon "caterpillar" like strips - or punch a hole to a standard ko size and use a bushed nipple in it.
 

romex jockey

Senior Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
electrician
So the inevitable Q here would be, how many contact the poco to 'break seal & yank meter' , then loto the meter itself out for resi service work in a then 'dead main panel' to say, intro a new branch circuit....?

I'd wager the answer very few and far between here.....

Further , i'd also wager most ,at best, might shut the main off, and find a way to intro the branch from underneath up, as opposed to top (by hot serv conductors) down.

This is were i need to mention Canadian electrical panels, which are manufactured with a separate inner service entrance conductor shield. It seems they've confronted this problem via insisting manufacturers (which are the same that market to the NEC) provide what is no more than another piece of metal.

So if safety is such a concern in NEC land, why aren't the icons of it insisting on such practicality here, it's not like they'd need to reinvent the wheel.....

~RJ~
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
So the inevitable Q here would be, how many contact the poco to 'break seal & yank meter' , then loto the meter itself out for resi service work in a then 'dead main panel' to say, intro a new branch circuit....?

I'd wager the answer very few and far between here.....

Further , i'd also wager most ,at best, might shut the main off, and find a way to intro the branch from underneath up, as opposed to top (by hot serv conductors) down.

This is were i need to mention Canadian electrical panels, which are manufactured with a separate inner service entrance conductor shield. It seems they've confronted this problem via insisting manufacturers (which are the same that market to the NEC) provide what is no more than another piece of metal.

So if safety is such a concern in NEC land, why aren't the icons of it insisting on such practicality here, it's not like they'd need to reinvent the wheel.....

~RJ~
Good question. NEC doesn't cover electrical work safety practices is probably the first place to start- it just covers making the installations safe for life and property. Choosing to work on something live is outside the scope of the NEC. But yet NEC does require disconnecting means within sight for many items so that the energy source can be removed when someone is going to be working on it, so it is not totally ignoring the need of other codes either.
 
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