I just purchased a house built in 1975. I recently called an electrician to ask about some electrical work I was hoping to have done (I wanted a transfer switch installed for my generator). After the call I sent him some pictures of my panels. Based on the pictures he has suggested the electrical in my home is not to code if not outright dangerous and has stated much work needs to be done.
I need your help. Is he correct? I have a main panel (with a meter) to the house that feed 2 “sub-panels” (one upstairs and one downstairs) that have the circuit breakers for the individual circuits. Aluminum feeds connect the main panel to the “subs” but all circuits are copper. Attached is the email from the electrician along with a few pictures. Again is he correct? Do I need to do all the work he is recommending? Again his recommendations came from viewing he attached pictures.
NOTE FROM ELECTRICIAN:
Issues with you current installation that will have to be corrected
before your house will meet current code.
1. You have only 1 main breaker which is feeding two sub-panels; you will need to locate where they are junctioned and ensure that the splice is made according to code; otherwise your "feeder" conductors will not meet code. Also, as these are aluminum conductors, you will have to terminate into each breaker, splice or buss by applying an anti-oxidant compound;" high resistance connections (causing fires) will result without its use.
Additionally, you will be limited to 60 amp sub-panels as a result of the size of the main over-current protection device (main breaker); this is a serious hindrance to you as a 60 amp panel has only 12
spaces and cannot have 'stacked' breakers installed (half size).
Furthermore, you will have to add new grounding to you home which include two 10' ground rods (6' apart from each other) and a cold water pipe bond, bonded before and after the meter (uninterrupted and without splices). If you have a re-bar ground (concrete encased electrode) you may substitute that for ground rods, assuming local code allows the substitution. Cold water bonding is required if there
is metallic water pipes in the house, even if on a private well.
2. Your panels are both Bryant panels; they are not made any longer and the only non-Bryant breakers UL listed for retrofit replacement cost approximately $25 each; both of your panels have "stacked"
breakers which increase the number of circuits in the panel, but do not meet current code for interruption; as you are sharing neutral wires between phases and circuits, the breakers will have to be
'joined' together for a common trip; your breakers cannot be ganged together, and no retrofit breakers in that style exist at a reasonable price (more than $150.00 last time I looked).
3. The addition of a sub-panel next to either of these existing panels is not an option due to the grounding system and the feeder wires that currently exist; you would spend more to bring the panel
into compliance BEFORE you add the sub panel than you would by removing it altogether.
4. Aluminum conductors are dangerous and unreliable. You should replace them ASAP. I am absolutely serious about this; they are a hazard to your life and the lives of your family.
5. The additional circuits required for you to bring your home into compliance with the NEC, IBC and any/all state/local building codes will require a panel with a minimum of 30 spaces (150 amp panel); even a direct replacement with a new panel in current manufacture will not be rated or sufficient to receive the additional load and circuits; your only option is to replace the panels.
6. Your current setup, were it to remain as it is with no modification, disallows the addition of a transfer switch and shunt-trip modules for the attachment of a generator or other sources of non-grid current.
7. Your panels are dangerous! The panel is no longer manufactured because of serious engineering flaws; with age and use the design flaws pose an unacceptable risk to life and property.
I urge you to replace the panels and the aluminum feeders.
I do not think you should attempt to do this work yourself; a qualified electrician should be consulted and contracted with. Preferably one with extensive experience in retrofitting aluminum to
copper circuits (Al - Cu); specific procedures and materials are mandated, and most electricians have not any experience in such circumstances.
Megging (insulation testing) should be done to ensure that all branch circuits are within specification for loss, all splices or terminations must be inspected, cleaned and have anti-oxidant compound reapplied, and any faulty circuits must be replaced from the panel through to the last device inline. Additionally, GFI breakers or receptacles must be added to existing circuits if the conductors are serviceable and three-pin receptacles installed, to include device grounding to the boxes currently in the wall. AFCI breakers must be added to any new circuits in the "living" portion of the house.
Basically, if your branch circuits are in bad shape, and judging by the look of the panel and conductors I must conclude they are, you will need to rewire the house; which while it is a lot of work, it can
be done economically in about 5 days’ time by a qualified electrical contractor - WITHOUT needing to remove drywall or patch large holes (or many holes for that matter).
I need your help. Is he correct? I have a main panel (with a meter) to the house that feed 2 “sub-panels” (one upstairs and one downstairs) that have the circuit breakers for the individual circuits. Aluminum feeds connect the main panel to the “subs” but all circuits are copper. Attached is the email from the electrician along with a few pictures. Again is he correct? Do I need to do all the work he is recommending? Again his recommendations came from viewing he attached pictures.
NOTE FROM ELECTRICIAN:
Issues with you current installation that will have to be corrected
before your house will meet current code.
1. You have only 1 main breaker which is feeding two sub-panels; you will need to locate where they are junctioned and ensure that the splice is made according to code; otherwise your "feeder" conductors will not meet code. Also, as these are aluminum conductors, you will have to terminate into each breaker, splice or buss by applying an anti-oxidant compound;" high resistance connections (causing fires) will result without its use.
Additionally, you will be limited to 60 amp sub-panels as a result of the size of the main over-current protection device (main breaker); this is a serious hindrance to you as a 60 amp panel has only 12
spaces and cannot have 'stacked' breakers installed (half size).
Furthermore, you will have to add new grounding to you home which include two 10' ground rods (6' apart from each other) and a cold water pipe bond, bonded before and after the meter (uninterrupted and without splices). If you have a re-bar ground (concrete encased electrode) you may substitute that for ground rods, assuming local code allows the substitution. Cold water bonding is required if there
is metallic water pipes in the house, even if on a private well.
2. Your panels are both Bryant panels; they are not made any longer and the only non-Bryant breakers UL listed for retrofit replacement cost approximately $25 each; both of your panels have "stacked"
breakers which increase the number of circuits in the panel, but do not meet current code for interruption; as you are sharing neutral wires between phases and circuits, the breakers will have to be
'joined' together for a common trip; your breakers cannot be ganged together, and no retrofit breakers in that style exist at a reasonable price (more than $150.00 last time I looked).
3. The addition of a sub-panel next to either of these existing panels is not an option due to the grounding system and the feeder wires that currently exist; you would spend more to bring the panel
into compliance BEFORE you add the sub panel than you would by removing it altogether.
4. Aluminum conductors are dangerous and unreliable. You should replace them ASAP. I am absolutely serious about this; they are a hazard to your life and the lives of your family.
5. The additional circuits required for you to bring your home into compliance with the NEC, IBC and any/all state/local building codes will require a panel with a minimum of 30 spaces (150 amp panel); even a direct replacement with a new panel in current manufacture will not be rated or sufficient to receive the additional load and circuits; your only option is to replace the panels.
6. Your current setup, were it to remain as it is with no modification, disallows the addition of a transfer switch and shunt-trip modules for the attachment of a generator or other sources of non-grid current.
7. Your panels are dangerous! The panel is no longer manufactured because of serious engineering flaws; with age and use the design flaws pose an unacceptable risk to life and property.
I urge you to replace the panels and the aluminum feeders.
I do not think you should attempt to do this work yourself; a qualified electrician should be consulted and contracted with. Preferably one with extensive experience in retrofitting aluminum to
copper circuits (Al - Cu); specific procedures and materials are mandated, and most electricians have not any experience in such circumstances.
Megging (insulation testing) should be done to ensure that all branch circuits are within specification for loss, all splices or terminations must be inspected, cleaned and have anti-oxidant compound reapplied, and any faulty circuits must be replaced from the panel through to the last device inline. Additionally, GFI breakers or receptacles must be added to existing circuits if the conductors are serviceable and three-pin receptacles installed, to include device grounding to the boxes currently in the wall. AFCI breakers must be added to any new circuits in the "living" portion of the house.
Basically, if your branch circuits are in bad shape, and judging by the look of the panel and conductors I must conclude they are, you will need to rewire the house; which while it is a lot of work, it can
be done economically in about 5 days’ time by a qualified electrical contractor - WITHOUT needing to remove drywall or patch large holes (or many holes for that matter).
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