Thank you all! You’ve certainly removed any doubt about this matter. What bothers me most is the pretty green stickers on our panels. I’ve always believed a layman should have a reasonable assurance that a state certified and local utility contracted inspector would not allow such a violation of the NEC. This is in KY. Could this be a local utility code exception for some reason? Or is is clearly an oversight by the electrician and inspector? I mean. If you look at the load center it’s going to be pretty involved to separate the neutrals and grounds since he paired them up. I mean I’ve seen quite a few panels on new jobs and remodels and they never were paired like this. Even in bonded panels they always put all grounds together and all neutrals together. Even if we weren’t going to install the transfer switch this would need to be done correct? Would it be better to just remove the bond in the meter/main? Maybe it’s time I just contact the original inspector and get his take. However, there is more to this that some might be very interested to know. A few years back, I bought a wood processing business and relocated it. Had new 480v service/distribution installed in an existing mfg. building. We operated equipment using motors from 7-1/2 to 40 hp. A local commercial electrician did the job. Installed a 400A 480v main disconnect flanked by 2, 200A QOB 60 circuit load centers. Thought all was good until one day a few weeks in a 30A breaker kept tripping out. Motor checked out fine, wiring fine, etc. So I head up to the supply house to get a new one. As the guy hands me a new one I could tell it was different and we discovered the one I was replacing was a 240V breaker. The electrician had installed 240V rated load center guts in both panels. Supply house guy doubted it and so did I but when I contacted the electrician he says, “ah yeah there’s really not a big problem. Just saving you a lot of money and it’ll work just fine. We’ve done it before with no issues”. Well, I’m not the ‘good ol boy’ type and that didn’t sit well. I immediately contacted the state inspector who informed me that under no circumstance should we operate until he was on site the next day. He brought in the local inspector and has a pow wow with him aside. Then explained how “sometimes” they get lax when working with regular electricians and things get missed. “Really?” You have one job, to make sure NEC is followed and to keep people safe yet you have inspectors this lazy?! He assured me the inspector would be dealt with and that either the electrician would have to rework it all or we could do what was necessary to switch to 240 Delta. That was quicker and the electrical paid someone else to rewire/upsize tie necessary circuits to make it work and we moved on. Now, years have gone by and I realize, the inspector that I now need to call is, guess who?
