Neutral Connection

[CHI]

While inspecting a 1966 home today I found a spa at the exterior of the home. The electical wires had been pulled from the exterior disconnect and no breaker was installed. When I inspected the panel, the breaker that once serviced the spa, 60 amp I believe, had one white wire attached to one leg of the double pole breaker. The white wire then was connected to the neutral bus bar in the panel. No wire was on the other lug in the panel. Any ideas why someone would install this white wire (neutral?) after removing all of the wiring to the spa?

I have a picture but it came out a little blurry. The panel's pretty full and would be difficult to see the wire in the picture anyway.

[Richard Moore]

Rob, I'm betting that what you have there is a double-pole GFCI breaker. The white wire is not actually connected to a pole or lug of the breaker. It's the neutral "pigtail", needed for the GFCI circuitry. I don't see any harm leaving it there.

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On the other hand, if it was as you described, it would be very exciting turning the breaker on!

[CHI]

Ahhhh... You're right Richard! I knew the breaker was a GFCI as we discussed it. It wasn't the typical corkscrew looking wire and I was already curioius as the wire had been pulled from the conduit. Of course we found the pulled wire in the garage with a portion of the neutral wire missing. That just added to my suspicions.

Thanks for the reply Richard.