Negligent Electrical Contractor

[behindpropellers]

Looking for advice:

I hired an electrician in April to clean up some work that was not correctly done. He was supposed to upgrade our service from 100A to 200A.

Previously the building was wired poco transformer->meter->into building.

He suggested adding a combo meter/breaker after the transformer and replacing the panel in the interior due to some corrosion. I wanted it done right so I said OK.

When he (his apprentice) finally completed and left I found the following:

• The installed combo panel had a maximum branch of 100A
  • He installed a 125A breaker and wire for 125A.
  • (I learned that he needed to purchase a panel with pass-through to feed 200A)
  • He decided we only needed 125A and gave a "this is what you got" response to me.
• The neutral in the panel was not tightened down.
• The wires installed in the breakers were not tight.
• He installed a 50A branch circuit with 8GA copper wire.
• Ground inside of the box were not tight to the box.
• Ground wires were not buried.
• Ground rods were sticking out of ground (saftey hazard...kids falling on...etc)
• The ground clamps on the grounds were not tight.
• Main breaker not installed in interior subpanel.
  • 225.31 Disconnecting Means. Means shall be provided
    for disconnecting all ungrounded conductors that supply or
    pass through the building or structure.
• He never pulled a permit for all of this work.

Tim

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The 8 on a 50 may be code compliant...need more information

If the meter main is installed on the building the interior panel does not require a main breaker.

Did you give him written specifications of what you wanted done? Did he provide you with a detailed quote of what he was going to do?

It sounds like you should have done more due diligence before hiring an electrician.

 

[curt swartz]

Tim, you already have a thread going on this.

Sub Panel Amperage Limit?

Hello, We have a 15KVA transformer that was installed for a 200A service. It previously had a 100A service that was installed directly to the panel in the building which was too small. I had an electrician install a sub-panel adjacent to the transformer and we ran the branches off of that. I...

forums.mikeholt.com

You said you hired an electrician but also stated the GC directed the electrician on this installation. Sounds like the GC hired the electrician. You need to review the contract with whomever you hired. If they did not follow the contract they need to make good. If they refuse to follow through on what the contract says it might be attorney time or cut your losses and have another EC make the corrections. If you have already made correction/changes without giving them a chance you didn't help your case.

 

[roger]

Tim, you already have a thread going on this.

Sub Panel Amperage Limit?

Hello, We have a 15KVA transformer that was installed for a 200A service. It previously had a 100A service that was installed directly to the panel in the building which was too small. I had an electrician install a sub-panel adjacent to the transformer and we ran the branches off of that. I...

forums.mikeholt.com

You said you hired an electrician but also stated the GC directed the electrician on this installation. Sounds like the GC hired the electrician. You need to review the contract with whomever you hired. If they did not follow the contract they need to make good. If they refuse to follow through on what the contract says it might be attorney time or cut your losses and have another EC make the corrections. If you have already made correction/changes without giving them a chance you didn't help your case.

We'll go back to the original.