Hello,

Just had a new residential service box installed; replaced a 30 year old
Federal Pacific one which everyone said was not safe.

New box is a GE Powermark Gold Model TLM 2412 CCU (TLM 24 bc)
The box is rated for a 125 amp main breaker, and has spaces for 24 1"
breakers.

Curious about this:

According to the GE info on their site, and the paperwork that came with the
box, the box does not allow for any
1/2" breakers.

Is this simply a case of some model boxes do, and some don't ?

Or, for technical reasons, they are getting away from using 1/2" breakers
anywhere, anymore ?
If so, why ?

It always seemed like a viable approach if one needed another circuit or
two, assuming the capacity of the box was not exceeded.

Might as well also ask this, please.
The Electrician was very hard to talk to, or discuss this with.

The two heavy phase wires from the outside meter were led into the box,
where, for convenience, or they were just a bit too short, he spliced in
about another 6" or so of wire using a short block with two screws type of
connector.

He then just taped over this connector block (which "floats along with these
two lead in wires until secured at the main breaker)

Is this use of a connector block like this for this purpose "legal" per the
NEC code ?

Is just "taping" over it legal ?

Thanks,
B.

Robert11 wrote:
....
According to the GE info on their site, and the paperwork that came with the
box, the box does not allow for any 1/2" breakers.

Is this simply a case of some model boxes do, and some don't ?

Yes.

....
The two heavy phase wires from the outside meter were led into the box,
where, for convenience, or they were just a bit too short, he spliced in
about another 6" or so of wire using a short block with two screws type of
connector.

He then just taped over this connector block (which "floats along with these
two lead in wires until secured at the main breaker)

Is this use of a connector block like this for this purpose "legal" per the
NEC code ?

Is just "taping" over it legal ?
....

Yes, and yes...

--

"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Just had a new residential service box installed; replaced a 30 year old
Federal Pacific one which everyone said was not safe.

New box is a GE Powermark Gold Model TLM 2412 CCU (TLM 24 bc)
The box is rated for a 125 amp main breaker, and has spaces for 24 1"
breakers.

Curious about this:

According to the GE info on their site, and the paperwork that came with
the
box, the box does not allow for any
1/2" breakers.

Is this simply a case of some model boxes do, and some don't ?


*That is correct.



Or, for technical reasons, they are getting away from using 1/2" breakers
anywhere, anymore ?
If so, why ?

It always seemed like a viable approach if one needed another circuit or
two, assuming the capacity of the box was not exceeded.



*It is only viable if the the loadcenter is approved for that purpose and
even then there are limitations as to the maximum number of circuits.




Might as well also ask this, please.
The Electrician was very hard to talk to, or discuss this with.



*What was the deciding factor in choosing this particular electrician for
your electrical work?




The two heavy phase wires from the outside meter were led into the box,
where, for convenience, or they were just a bit too short, he spliced in
about another 6" or so of wire using a short block with two screws type of
connector.

He then just taped over this connector block (which "floats along with
these
two lead in wires until secured at the main breaker)

Is this use of a connector block like this for this purpose "legal" per
the
NEC code ?

Is just "taping" over it legal ?



*Yes, but it was short sided of him not to allow enough slack so that a
splice would be not necessary. I doubt that it was planned that way. Was
this installation inspected?

John Grabowski wrote:
....
*Yes, but it was short sided of him not to allow enough slack so that a
splice would be not necessary. I doubt that it was planned that way.

I expect given it was a replacement that the new box didn't have same
form factor as previous and existing feeds were therefore somewhat
short. I doubt it is indicative of any shortcoming on the electrician's
part.

---

"dpb" wrote in message ...
John Grabowski wrote:
...
*Yes, but it was short sided of him not to allow enough slack so that a
splice would be not necessary. I doubt that it was planned that way.

I expect given it was a replacement that the new box didn't have same
form factor as previous and existing feeds were therefore somewhat
short. I doubt it is indicative of any shortcoming on the electrician's
part.


I thought that it was an entire service upgrade. You're right.

On May 30, 7:37*am, "Robert11" wrote:
Hello,

Just had a new residential service box installed; replaced a 30 year old
Federal Pacific one which everyone said was not safe.

New box is a GE Powermark Gold Model TLM 2412 CCU (TLM 24 bc)
The box is rated for a 125 amp main breaker, and has spaces for 24 *1"
breakers.

Curious about this:

According to the GE info on their site, and the paperwork that came with the
box, the box does not allow for any
1/2" breakers.

Is this simply a case of some model boxes do, and some don't ?

Or, for technical reasons, they are getting away from using 1/2" breakers
anywhere, anymore ?
If so, why ?

It always seemed like a viable approach if one needed another circuit or
two, assuming the capacity of the box was not exceeded.

Thanks,
B.

You can buy a tandem circuit breaker. It has two circuits in the same
1" form factor. They are available in 15A and 20A.

BRW

On 2008-05-30, wrote:

You can buy a tandem circuit breaker. It has two circuits in the same
1" form factor. They are available in 15A and 20A.

Yes, you can buy them, but they typically have a mechanical interlock
on them so they only fit in the spaces in the breaker box where they
are permitted by the manufacturer's design. The OP said he had a 24
space box that didn't accept any tandems.

Yours, Wayne

Robert11 wrote:

Might as well also ask this, please.
The Electrician was very hard to talk to, or discuss this with.

The two heavy phase wires from the outside meter were led into the box,
where, for convenience, or they were just a bit too short, he spliced in
about another 6" or so of wire using a short block with two screws type of
connector.

He then just taped over this connector block (which "floats along with these
two lead in wires until secured at the main breaker)

Is this use of a connector block like this for this purpose "legal" per the
NEC code ?

Is just "taping" over it legal ?

So the original service wires are not long enough to reach the service
breaker in the replacement service panel and the electrician spliced the
service wires in the panel.

This would have been a violation until the 1999 NEC. Is it really
acceptable practice now to splice the service wires instead of repulling
the wires from the meter. Is there adequate space in the panel? Is there
adequate (code required) bending room? Is it safe to work and run wires
around a taped up splice block when you add circuits to the panel?
Service wires are treated with extra respect (by most people) for a reason.

And if the block constitutes a splice (not terminals) "all splices and
joints and the free end of conductors shall be covered with an
insulation equivalent to that of the conductor...." Is the tape thick
enough to qualify?

What does the inspector say?


To the OP - if you post the same message on more than one newsgroup
kindly learn how to crosspost.

--
bud--

Hi All,

Just a quick thanks for all the info.
Appreciate it very much.

Bob
--------------------------------------------
"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Just had a new residential service box installed; replaced a 30 year old
Federal Pacific one which everyone said was not safe.

New box is a GE Powermark Gold Model TLM 2412 CCU (TLM 24 bc)
The box is rated for a 125 amp main breaker, and has spaces for 24 1"
breakers.

Curious about this:

According to the GE info on their site, and the paperwork that came with
the
box, the box does not allow for any
1/2" breakers.

Is this simply a case of some model boxes do, and some don't ?

Or, for technical reasons, they are getting away from using 1/2" breakers
anywhere, anymore ?
If so, why ?

It always seemed like a viable approach if one needed another circuit or
two, assuming the capacity of the box was not exceeded.

Might as well also ask this, please.
The Electrician was very hard to talk to, or discuss this with.

The two heavy phase wires from the outside meter were led into the box,
where, for convenience, or they were just a bit too short, he spliced in
about another 6" or so of wire using a short block with two screws type of
connector.

He then just taped over this connector block (which "floats along with
these
two lead in wires until secured at the main breaker)

Is this use of a connector block like this for this purpose "legal" per
the
NEC code ?

Is just "taping" over it legal ?

Thanks,
B.