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.