Observer wrote:
On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:47:17 -0700, David Nebenzahl
wrote:


On 7/20/2009 5:11 PM spake thus:


On Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:44:25 -0500, Observer wrote:


I had a electrician install a new breaker box on the outside of my
house where the old one was. The install was done Friday and
yesterday, Sunday (house is vacant) I found the main breaker tripped
and loose (I think off it's track). I called the electrician back
Monday and he was very prompt to fix it but I was not there when he
did. When I came to inspect it later the same day, I found that the
main circuit breaker was firmly in place and on but in the middle of
the breaker (main breaker looks like 2 breakers side by side with one
lever) was a screw and washer tightened to it in the space between the
two breaker as if it was assisting to keep the breaker in it's present
position.

That is the way some brands work (Cutler Hammer for one).
The screw is the legal hold down

Sorry, but this
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/3676626...839537/sizes/o) just
looks wrong and jury-rigged to me, and I would also be concerned about
the screw and washer cracking the face of the breaker.

If the breakers aren't securely attached to the bus without adding
hardware, isn't there something wrong with either this particular panel
or with the design of the damn thing?

I wouldn't want this sucker outside my house.


I have some of the same concerns but I'm not sure I can make the
electrician change it since it appears to be working fine for the last
24 hours. I guess I will have to play this one out over the years and
learn from experience but I'm with you. I'm sure not crazy about it.


So, call up your local electrical inspector, tell him your concerns and
ask him if he'd be kind enough to look at those photos via the web, and
if he thinks there's something funky then to come out and take a look
see himself.

Howzatt?

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10e12 furlongs per fortnight.


Odd tho, I did notice only the main circuit breaker had the notches
vs. the others so perhaps the screw is okay but I've seen a number of
panels before and never saw a screw in them like this. I hate to
trust when I have suspicions but I'm not about to take it apart.