'screwed' main (literally)

[ctgo4it]

I saw this on a main disconnect this week. i don't recall ever seeing anything like this. Anyone ever see this, or know why it's there?

Thank you

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[charlie]

Yes it is supposed to be there to hold the breaker in when it is being used as a main disconnect

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by ctgo4it

I saw this on a main disconnect this week. i don't recall ever seeing anything like this. Anyone ever see this, or know why it's there?

Thank you

As Charlie said, it's supposed to be there.

Whenever you have a backfed breaker -- when the power enters through the breaker's terminals and then goes to the busbar -- the breaker is supposed to be secured to the panel so that you can't just pull it out. If you could, it'd be dangerous to have a live breaker flopping around on the end of some wires.

The screw you saw is one way to do it. Another was is to use a proprietary clip that the manufacturer provides for just this purpose. These are sometimes hard to see.

Here's a picture of one of these hard-to-see clips.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

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[ctgo4it]

thanks guys.

[chicago]

Ask anything ,the guys live for this stuff.

[ctgo4it]

now that you mention it, I've started checking for, and noticing the clips.

Thanks