You got me

[sd4524]

I found this in some switchgear at a strip mall. I'm thinking somebody made a poor attempt at bypassing the meter? That is copper underneath all of the burn marks. It basically jumped from one lug to the other. I didn't end up doing any repairs because the switchgear and meters is the landlords and I was working for a store.
The store was complaining of losing lights and power to 1/3 of the store for a few weeks and then they finally called me. When I arrived, everything was working fine inside the store. Nothing was wrong inside the tenant 200 amp panel inside the store. It was actually cool to see the phase go in and out in front of my eyes as i turned breakers on and off and pulled them from the bus. Thats what made me go back to the switchgear/ meters and check around.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Nice pic, that thing really got hot.

 

[Cow]

Jeez, look at that mess! Burned lugs and wires, plus all the corrosion on everything else to boot. Looks like future problems too me.....

 

[LEO2854]

View attachment 6625 View attachment 6626

I found this in some switchgear at a strip mall. I'm thinking somebody made a poor attempt at bypassing the meter? That is copper underneath all of the burn marks. It basically jumped from one lug to the other. I didn't end up doing any repairs because the switchgear and meters is the landlords and I was working for a store.
The store was complaining of losing lights and power to 1/3 of the store for a few weeks and then they finally called me. When I arrived, everything was working fine inside the store. Nothing was wrong inside the tenant 200 amp panel inside the store. It was actually cool to see the phase go in and out in front of my eyes as i turned breakers on and off and pulled them from the bus. Thats what made me go back to the switchgear/ meters and check around.

That looks like it was under water a few times ,.

Does there look like any flooding is going on in there?

 

[sd4524]

No signs of flooding. Its about 7-8 miles from the ocean and is indoors. We have all seen burnt lugs before but I couldn't beleive that "jumper" made out of copper from one lug to the other. Who does that?

 

[LEO2854]

No signs of flooding. Its about 7-8 miles from the ocean and is indoors. We have all seen burnt lugs before but I couldn't beleive that "jumper" made out of copper from one lug to the other. Who does that?

There must be water coming in some how for that stuff to be that rusty.

 

[sd4524]

Yeah I know there were a few missing screws and possibly some of the gear was missing some covers too. I am immune to seeing rust inside of panels because of all the salt air.

 

[norcal]

Those lugs / test blocks, look like Circle AW .

 

[kwired]

My guess - the lug/conductor failed and the jumper was put in as a temporarily permanent repair. It was not a good connection to start with and eventually failed also.