reduced neutral in panel....

[ultramegabob]

Today I was doing demo work in a commercial tennant space and I found a bunch of issues with the service. without listing everything, my main concern is the feeders to the panel, three #1 THW for the legs of power and a #4 THW for the neutral. has it ever been legal to reduce the neutral in a panel this much? the building was built in the early 60's

 

[iwire]

The neutral is only required to be sized for the maximum current that it has to carry but in no case can it be smaller then the EGC.

 

[iwire]

Should have provided references

220.61 and 215.2(A)(1)

 

[ultramegabob]

here is the mess Im dealing with.... and that is a 150 amp main

 

[ultramegabob]

heres easier pictures to see...

heres easier pictures to see...

View attachment 2051

View attachment 2052

View attachment 2053

 

[LarryFine]

Aha! Now I see the problem: that tool pouch is so heavy, it's making everything lean to the right.

 

[stickboy1375]

Was that panel the only j-box they could find? :grin: whats the story with that.

 

[ultramegabob]

Im not sure, looks like the original 100 amp panel had a bad spot on the buss, the panel was probley overloaded so they just got a panel with a bigger main. the new customer wont have very much load, and I would like salvage the existing wire and to go back to a 100 amp panel, but after looking closer at everything, I found that the neutral is only #4, Im probley going to wind up pulling all new copper conductors and new panel.

 

[wyreman]

Aha! Now I see the problem: that tool pouch is so heavy, it's making everything lean to the right.:smile: :smile:

that's a good one