large medical facility, breakers not labeled

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nuggett

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Moore Couty, NC
So, hello everybody. Longtime lurker, now have a problem I can use some help on.
The Fire Marshall wrote up a large elderly care facility for about 20 unlabeled breakers scattered among 9 subpanels. been that way for over a decade i guess. I cant turn off breakers because its a hospital environment. So, how the heck is one supposed to go about this? All I can come up with is plugging in a tracer in every recptacle in the place hoping to find the unlabeled one. Naturally, the fire marshall wont return my calls....
 
Another possible help is to locate the original or as-built electrical plans. If it has only been a decade, shouldn't be too awful hard to track down the contractors.
 
You can ask the city clerk how long they keep records for and see if the latest plans for that facility are available. If you have them as kwired suggested at least it might make it somewhat more efficient of a process.

Welcome to the forum. :thumbsup:
 
Smart $ said:
Another possible help is to locate the original or as-built electrical plans. If it has only been a decade, shouldn't be too awful hard to track down the contractors.
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I would not expect either of those sets of documents to be accurate as far as branch circuit identification, especially after 10 years.
 
Have had to do this a lot. If this is not an emergency panel, I always started out with an amp reading. If it had no load I would talk with the head of maintance and see if it was ok to shut it off and then wait to see who's plug in would not work.

Other then that circuit tracer or following pipes and opening j-boxes.
Good Luck
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
I would not expect either of those sets of documents to be accurate as far as branch circuit identification, especially after 10 years.
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Not saying they would be accurate, but it would serve as clues to current disposition... and who knows, maybe they are still as designed. You can't rule that out either. After all, it is the main reason "we" keep copies around, is it not?
 
thanks for all the fast replies. I think Im just going to pass on this job. These circuits have been added on over the years long after original construction, all emt or mc in a mess of an attic space. I just cant see going into every patients room to check with the tracer.
 
nuggett said:
thanks for all the fast replies. I think Im just going to pass on this job. These circuits have been added on over the years long after original construction, all emt or mc in a mess of an attic space. I just cant see going into every patients room to check with the tracer.
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I was going to suggest that. Some jobs can be too annoying and you start thinking what's the big deal anyway. Chances are you would not even find some of them at all.
 
Start pulling deadfronts, half of those 20 are probably spares. The rest, find em, get paid nicely. Perfect job for a rainy or 100* day. Inside, clean, albeit boring, work? Take it.
 
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