Electrical nightmare

[Trent Tarter]

This place has some of serious electrical issues, lots non-permitted DIY work. I got minor electrical shock when opening a wood enclose at exterior, they had foil insulation barrier shoved in behind panel near meter base. What I have a question about is the jumper wire that's connected to ground lug at top of panel and at bus bar at side of panel. 

 

Edited June 10, 2017 by Trent Tarter

[Chad Fabry]

Trent,

Is it service equipment? Please show the entire panel including the GEC.

[Trent Tarter]

Hi Chad,

This is the home's main 200 amp service panel. Sorry I don't have a good pic of front side. Here's a pic of the backside of panel and meter base.  The entire electrical system was a mess of non-permitted DIY work. When I opened the wood enclosure at exterior side it had sheets of foil barrier insulation, I got shocked as I was removing them for inspection. Found lots of issues like 12 gauge wire connected to 90 amp breaker, not properly grounded.    

[Jim Katen]

23 hours ago, Trent Tarter said:

 What I have a question about is the jumper wire that's connected to ground lug at top of panel and at bus bar at side of panel. 

 

2

So, if they're using that bar as a neutral terminal - and it looks like they are - then the jumper is required. Otherwise, you'd have neutral current traveling *only* over the enclosure to get back to the neutral and that's not allowed. (200.2(B)) 

[John Kogel]

No doubt it needs to be repaired by a qualified electrician.

Unless it is 120 volt service, nope, then the small diameter SC is likely the neutral from the meter.

If that be so, then the jumper from the connector in the panel to the bus bar on the left should be unnecessary or just plain wrong.There is room for all the neutrals on the neutral bus. Grounding conductors can go to the bar on the left, or in the US, can go on the neutral bus, but no need for that jumper.

Now the grounding cable which I think is snaked in there behind the panel? that is wrong too.

Stray voltage on the Neutral would be conducted by that foil, yikes, but a major jolt would last only miliseconds before the foil melted.

Unfortunately, your heart could be hit in that millisecond, yikes.

[Marc]

It could be they're using that bus for a ground bus and that's ok.  The two branch circuit neutrals nearby actually end up on the factory neutral bus.

The foil barrier should be removed.  It doesn't make sense to put an ungrounded sheet conductor that close to an SE.  I can't think of a cite...not that one is needed.

I'm sure there's more.  That enclosure isn't rated NEMA 3.  The plywood door doesn't make it ok.

Edited June 11, 2017 by Marc