Friday's STV.... a --real-- shocker!

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LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
480sparky said:
I landed the neutral on the assumption it's for something as it is drawing power.. it arced when I did so. I left the hot undone.
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I've come across what have accidentally become MWBC's with each hot supplied by a different panel. It's amazing what you find in older buildings. Suspect K&T.
 
S

steve066

Senior Member
Sounds like there was a load that had the hot wire from the panel in the other duplex, and the neutral ran to this panel.

Someone on the forum once asked if they could do this to split the bill for the common lights between the two units.

If you break a neutral wire, it becomes a hot wire. You found a great example of this when you pulled the neutral wire off the neutral bus (the 5th photo posted).

Steve
 
TOOL_5150

TOOL_5150

Senior Member
Location
bay area, ca
480sparky said:
Only because....... you asked for it!

finished.jpg
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Show me the guts a panel cover doesnt do it for me.

~Matt
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
TOOL_5150 said:
Show me the guts a panel cover doesnt do it for me.

~Matt
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Sorry.... I got so wrapped up in it I didn't get one taken with the cover off. I was busy with this and helping my buddy with the dryer run and finding the short circuit. By the time we were done, I just wanted to leave and didn't have the gumption to go get my screwdriver out of the van just to take a shot of a panel interior that looks like just aobut every other interior after a panel swap.
 
George Stolz

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
480sparky said:
I just had the camera and the NCT handy. I didn't want to take the time to go get my meter out of the van.
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Ken - priorities, man, priorities. :D

I have to admit, about all I would normally do is test the mains in the panel with the Vol-Con that is always on my bags, poke each cable with a non-contact tester, and get to it.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
480sparky said:
Well, when you pull the meter and go back in to find all the lights, fridge, stove, etc. not working, you kinda get the idea the panel is dead.
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Sounds like the mistake of a newbie. :grin:































(OK truth be told I got whacked about a month ago for assuming everything in an emergency panel was dead just because the I had already removed the feeder. DOH! Someone had used a neutral from that e-panel for a 'normal' circuit)
 
P

Power Tech

Senior Member
Location
Lebec, California
480sparky said:
ITE Electro-Matic......... AKA push-matic.
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Somebody filled up this area with the old Bulldog equipment.

I had one service that had a bare wire, but it was dark. After throwing the main took the proximity tester and the bare wire was hot. Pulled out the flash light and followed it to the top meter lug. #10 solid with the insulation burned off from a loose connection.
 
Pierre C Belarge

Pierre C Belarge

Senior Member
Location
Westchester County, New York
Power Tech said:
Somebody filled up this area with the old Bulldog equipment.

I had one service that had a bare wire, but it was dark. After throwing the main took the proximity tester and the bare wire was hot. Pulled out the flash light and followed it to the top meter lug. #10 solid with the insulation burned off from a loose connection.
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A good eye is the electrician's best tool.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Pierre C Belarge said:
A good eye is the electrician's best tool.
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Maybe, maybe not. ;)

This does point out that non-contact testers do have their place. A regular tester required a reference to test against, while the NC tester shows if there power relative to the world itself, which is often when we get unexpected shocks.
 
TwinCitySparky

TwinCitySparky

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
iwire said:
Sounds like the mistake of a newbie. :grin:

































(OK truth be told I got whacked about a month ago for assuming everything in an emergency panel was dead just because the I had already removed the feeder. DOH! Someone had used a neutral from that e-panel for a 'normal' circuit)
Click to expand...

Bobs having problems with his text size option again. :confused::grin:
 
cschmid

cschmid

Senior Member
Location
Northern cold country
I used to see that stuff regularly and it is amazing that allot of older houses in america are still standing and there is not more electrical accidents then there is. Just goes to show there will always be job security. the question is whether there is enough cash to pay the bills being generated.:grin:
 
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