See If You Can Explain This One To Me

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360Youth

360Youth

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Location
Newport, NC
I went to do a survey today on a customer that wants to take out an existing 100amp ATS w/breakers and replace with a 200amp ATS to take on one of his 200 amp panels. The house had at one time both 200 amp panels fed back to back of the meter. Somebody, for some reason, has installed a 200 amp disconnect, changed one of the MB panels to a MLO and fed that panel from the disconnect.


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I see nothing in the existing ATS set-up that would warrant this "design." The equipment and panels are evryday CH, so it should not be a matter of MB going bad and having to retrofit corrective measures. I did notice as I was putting the covers back on that the MLO panel still has an interlock kit attatched to it, so there used to be a MB and manual transfer system on there at some point. I was utterly stunned and just had to share. :smile:
 
those transfer switches are pretty ugly when done like that but i guess theres no other way. as for the disconnect outside any ideas why they would want that? no code violations or anything just a little silly
 
My thought on this is somebody was preparing for their next job.Maybe the installer of the generac transfer panel knew the HO was wanting to up grade so they installed a switch outside to be replaced later with a 200A transfer switch.
 
electricalperson said:
those transfer switches are pretty ugly when done like that but i guess theres no other way.
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One transfer switch, two panels. But I agree on both accounts. Not very pretty work and hard to keep pretty in these setups.

electricalperson said:
as for the disconnect outside any ideas why they would want that? no code violations or anything just a little silly
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I was hoping somebody could come up with better ideas than I have, which is not much. :D
 
Is this owner the original owner who had the work done?
If not then the sky is the limit on why it was done.
Maybe a friend had some spare parts kicking around and gave them away for next to nothing.
 
360Youth said:
Somebody, for some reason, has installed a 200 amp disconnect, changed one of the MB panels to a MLO and fed that panel from the disconnect.
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The added exterior main breaker would be necessary if the transfer switch was not service rated.

Added: That type of T/S is not service-rated; it's intended to be fed like a sub-panel.

They needn't have replaced the main with a main-lug kit; the redundant breaker wouldn't have hurt anything.
 
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It is possible that the ATS was not series rated to handle the available fault current, necessitating a separate disconnect.
 
It looks like one of those "That's all I got on the truck/ don't wanna go to the supply house deals" The mechanical lugs are definitely not factory, Could of went out on a weekend and just got them working again kinda deals.
 
hillbilly1 said:
It looks like one of those "That's all I got on the truck/ don't wanna go to the supply house deals" The mechanical lugs are definitely not factory, Could of went out on a weekend and just got them working again kinda deals.
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I do believe if I came across a weekend call that involved that kind of work I would have convinced the owner to wait 'till Monday.

The ATS is not handling the entire service and is fed from 70 amp breaker in MLO panel.
 
hillbilly1 said:
Can't tell from the picture if the grounds and neutrals were separated and four wires run from the disco, since it is no longer the service disconnect.
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It is 4-wire from disconnect. I did not look to see what was separated.
 
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