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[tonype]

1st photo from an old home with alot of homemade wiring - not an infrared camera, just kept the flash and lights off. Who ever installed had the #14 wire connected upstream of the main breaker for the apartment (3 family home). Had to turn off all power to the building - within a minute after doing that the wire disintegrated and broke. Alot of heat damage to the terminal bar that it was connected to.

2nd and 3rd photos - new construction with a terminal bar that is crooked in vertical direction - this is the section that is closer to the front of the panel. Can this indicate that something is loose or was the terminal bar smacked around alittle after install?

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/TonyPE/IMGP4801_edited-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/TonyPE/IMGP4843_edited-1.jpg
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/TonyPE/IMGP4844_edited-1.jpg

 

[KevinVost]

I like the single element internal panel heater installed in the first pic. Lucky they didn't burn down the building.

It's possible that the bar is crooked due to the torqueing of the lugs for the wiring, esp the large lugs.

In the last picture it appears that there are two bare AL wires under one lug. Is the lug rated for double wire?

This is a new install, why is there so much debris on top of the neutral bar? I would have the electrican wipe out the debris from the bar and clean the extra NO-OX from the wiring, but I'm a neat freak (I'm sure someone will mention about foriegn materials in panels for the debris on top of the bar).

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

Your in cold country. Thats just a heater to keep breakers from freezing

 

[tonype]

I like the single element internal panel heater installed in the first pic. Lucky they didn't burn down the building.

It's possible that the bar is crooked due to the torqueing of the lugs for the wiring, esp the large lugs.

In the last picture it appears that there are two bare AL wires under one lug. Is the lug rated for double wire?

This is a new install, why is there so much debris on top of the neutral bar? I would have the electrican wipe out the debris from the bar and clean the extra NO-OX from the wiring, but I'm a neat freak (I'm sure someone will mention about foriegn materials in panels for the debris on top of the bar).

I had the same thoughts on the debris - I have no idea why. Could not determine of the leg was rated for a double wire

 

[e57]

You realize that this could have gone much more horribly wrong?

Anything from burning inside of a wall somewhere - to say a breaker exploding in your face.

 

[tonype]

You realize that this could have gone much more horribly wrong?

Anything from burning inside of a wall somewhere - to say a breaker exploding in your face.

I sure did (that it why I had to change my underwear afterwards . It is why I also shut power off to the entire home (after getting the photo) and immediately calling for assistance.

Also, there was alot of other stuff that needed immediate corrective action that the electrical contractor performed (or so I was told since then).