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Last check before Inspection...

Gerry347

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May 19, 2012
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47
Location
Grafton, OH
Today I finished running power to my barn and I'm pretty sure I've done everything correctly but wanted to post a couple pictures here so ya'll can check my work before I call the inspector.

The top picture is the 125 amp GE sub panel in the house that's feeding power to the barn via a 60 amp breaker. The second picture is the new 100 amp Siemens sub panel in the barn. Does everything look right or do I need to correct/change/add anything before I call for an inspection??

House Sub-panel 1.jpg

Barn panel 1.jpg

I admit I'm proud to say I did everything myself and I saved a TON of money. A contractor wanted $2,100 to do the job and so far I've got $475 in it.

I also need to thank you folks here for all the information and help you've giving me alone the way :thumbup::thumbup:.

I finally have power that's not running off an extension cord :D.
 
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dw1

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Ky
Don't see any ground rod wiring out of barn panel, you have back fed main breaker in barn panel, does it have a retaining clip to hold the breaker in the panel?

In Edit: did you install the 100 breaker in the barn panel or buy it that way?
 
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Want2race

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Nov 8, 2008
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Never seen a panel that feeds power in like that one.. you sure there aren't lugs made for the top of the bars?

Makes little sense to run power thru the back of a breaker ..especially when it is supplied thru the front of one on the other side
 
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Gerry347

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Grafton, OH
Ground wire is there.... It runs alone the bottom of the panel and exits out the middle and goes to the right to the rod (you can see it tacked to the stud).

Panel came with the breaker and has a red clip thing on it that seems to hold it in place or at least I couldn't get it out. It did come with a retaining clip but didn't say if I needed to use it and with the red thing I thought it wasn't needed.

Can you please explain the back feed part because I'm not sure how to correct that issue.
 
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Gerry347

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Grafton, OH

Norcal

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The main could be replaced cheaply but does not have to, if did decide to replace it there is a red hold down bracket between the 2 poles of the mail that needs to be removed first.

I thought the panel came from Lowes.
 

AntonLargiader

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Charlottesville, VA
More a question for others: Are they going to want to see a functioning receptacle and entrance door light at the barn, in accordance with 210.52(G)(2) and 210.70(A)(2)?
 

wyliesdiesels

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Aug 14, 2012
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19,994
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Modesto, CA
Today I finished running power to my barn and I'm pretty sure I've done everything correctly but wanted to post a couple pictures here so ya'll can check my work before I call the inspector.

The top picture is the 125 amp GE sub panel in the house that's feeding power to the barn via a 60 amp breaker. The second picture is the new 100 amp Siemens sub panel in the barn. Does everything look right or do I need to correct/change/add anything before I call for an inspection??

House Sub-panel 1.jpg

Barn panel 1.jpg

I admit I'm proud to say I did everything myself and I saved a TON of money. A contractor wanted $2,100 to do the job and so far I've got $475 in it.

I also need to thank you folks here for all the information and help you've giving me alone the way :thumbup::thumbup:.

I finally have power that's not running off an extension cord :D.

Got a few questions on the house panel.

It looks like the left neutral bar and the right bar may be tied by a strap under the main. It also looks like both were originally neutral bars since the right bar is on plastic insulators/risers. I dont see a bonding ******** the right bar and there should be one since its the ground bar....

What brand is the 60a breaker. It should be GE and a listed model for that panel. If not then it needs to be changed out for the correct breaker....

Never seen a panel that feeds power in like that one.. you sure there aren't lugs made for the top of the bars?

Makes little sense to run power thru the back of a breaker ..especially when it is supplied thru the front of one on the other side

Its called a back-fed main and is quite common. There is no code prohibition against it as long as it has a retaining clip...

Ground wire is there.... It runs alone the bottom of the panel and exits out the middle and goes to the right to the rod (you can see it tacked to the stud).

Panel came with the breaker and has a red clip thing on it that seems to hold it in place or at least I couldn't get it out. It did come with a retaining clip but didn't say if I needed to use it and with the red thing I thought it wasn't needed.

Can you please explain the back feed part because I'm not sure how to correct that issue.

U have whats called a back fed main in that panel. Its perfectly fine and nothing needs to be corrected...

More a question for others: Are they going to want to see a functioning receptacle and entrance door light at the barn, in accordance with 210.52(G)(2) and 210.70(A)(2)?

most likely
 
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madosta

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Michigan
Ground wire to the two rods should be #6 awg?

What is with the blob on the black wire in the subpanel? Looks like it's slit?
 
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AntonLargiader

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What is with the blob on the black wire in the subpanel? Looks like it's slit?

I saw that too; I think it's just the outermost layer of insulation peeling off. The thin clear plastic part.

OP; how about a few more pics of how the cable comes out of the ground, etc? There are fastening requirements and so forth that some eyes here might pick out.
 

dw1

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Ground wire is there.... It runs alone the bottom of the panel and exits out the middle and goes to the right to the rod (you can see it tacked to the stud). I see it now!!

Panel came with the breaker and has a red clip thing on it that seems to hold it in place or at least I couldn't get it out. It did come with a retaining clip but didn't say if I needed to use it and with the red thing I thought it wasn't needed. As long as it has the retaining clip, you are OK, that's what I was curious about

Can you please explain the back feed part because I'm not sure how to correct that issue.
No issues with back fed main, it just needs the red retaining clip that it has.
 

M-technik-3

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Western Mass
Don't know what code is and what is required but that has been done very neat and tidy. Compared to my previous owner's diy electrical here. That will be my ex-wifes problem in a few months.

Tell us the results...
 

Angelfire

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New Mexico and Ireland
Can't tell for sure from the picture but your white that lands on the breaker in the main panel will need to be colored. Black or Red sharpie, shrink tube, etc.....
 

dw1

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Ky
Can't tell for sure from the picture but your white that lands on the breaker in the main panel will need to be colored. Black or Red sharpie, shrink tube, etc.....


Black and Red are on breaker, white is landed on Neutral bar, all OK
 

Aceman

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Jan 28, 2007
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Eastern Oregon
Like the others mentioned, get the red plastic retainer kit on that breaker before you call for inspection. It will take the place of that two pole breaker across from your backfed breaker, so you will need to relocate that breaker to somewhere else.
 

AntonLargiader

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Black and Red are on breaker, white is landed on Neutral bar, all OK

Upper right breaker. Marking that white wire red might make the inspector happier. Plenty of Google-fu on this one.

I had a talk with my inspector about what was considered "new work" and subject to inspection. I get the feeling he would not consider that within the scope of my inspection (for work that it pretty much identical to yours) because that circuit was installed previously and not disturbed, but why not eliminate questions?
 
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Gerry347

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May 19, 2012
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47
Location
Grafton, OH
More a question for others: Are they going to want to see a functioning receptacle and entrance door light at the barn, in accordance with 210.52(G)(2) and 210.70(A)(2)?

I have a GFCI plug installed right beside the panel but I took the picture before I installed it. The inspector said he was okay without a light being installed but needs to see a functioning receptacle installed.


Got a few questions on the house panel.

It looks like the left neutral bar and the right bar may be tied by a strap under the main. It also looks like both were originally neutral bars since the right bar is on plastic insulators/risers. I dont see a bonding ******** the right bar and there should be one since its the ground bar....

What brand is the 60a breaker. It should be GE and a listed model for that panel. If not then it needs to be changed out for the correct breaker....

I will check the neutral bar/s when I get home tonight and report back.

It's a GE breaker... I told the guy at Lowes what panel I had and he said I needed that breaker. The printing on the breaker isn't the best.


What kind of cable did you use to feed the barn?

I used 6-3 UF direct bury wiring inside 1 1/4" PVC.

Ground wire to the two rods should be #6 awg?

What is with the blob on the black wire in the subpanel? Looks like it's slit?

For #6 wire a #8 ground is fine and it goes down to 2 grounding rods (one inside and one outside)

I saw that too; I think it's just the outermost layer of insulation peeling off. The thin clear plastic part.

OP; how about a few more pics of how the cable comes out of the ground, etc? There are fastening requirements and so forth that some eyes here might pick out.

You guessed correctly... It's the thin clear outer part of the wire that pealed a little when I bent it. I will post a picture of the cable coming in when I get home tonight.


Don't know what code is and what is required but that has been done very neat and tidy. Compared to my previous owner's diy electrical here. That will be my ex-wifes problem in a few months.

Tell us the results...

Thank You.... I'm super **** about wiring so I like everything to be nice and neat.
 

dw1

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Ky
Upper right breaker. Marking that white wire red might make the inspector happier. Plenty of Google-fu on this one.

I had a talk with my inspector about what was considered "new work" and subject to inspection. I get the feeling he would not consider that within the scope of my inspection (for work that it pretty much identical to yours) because that circuit was installed previously and not disturbed, but why not eliminate questions?

Good Catch, I was referring to the barn feed, just went back and looked again. :thumbup: I agree, why have any issues/discrepancies at all. Some inspectors will only look at the work they are there for and some will go through the whole job, and yes, as stated above, you do need an outlet (GFI) and light for the final inspection
 

mobiledynamics

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Mar 14, 2010
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Gotham City
re: the nicked wire...

OT, but in commerical runs with billions of conduit runs, going through XYZ and such, for all you pro's out there, would you say 65% of the nylon sheath get's smitten guaranteed ?
 
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Gerry347

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May 19, 2012
Messages
47
Location
Grafton, OH
Can't tell for sure from the picture but your white that lands on the breaker in the main panel will need to be colored. Black or Red sharpie, shrink tube, etc.....

It sure does.... that's for a wall heater in the room above the garage. It was like that before I bought the house but I can fix that in a flash with a red sharpie like you suggested. I'm all about making the inspector happy :D. Thanks for catching that one.

No issues with back fed main, it just needs the red retaining clip that it has.

This is the RED retaining clip that you can't see when the 30 amp breaker's installed.

image1.jpg


Got a few questions on the house panel.

It looks like the left neutral bar and the right bar may be tied by a strap under the main. It also looks like both were originally neutral bars since the right bar is on plastic insulators/risers. I dont see a bonding ******** the right bar and there should be one since its the ground bar....

I looked at the house panel again and there isn't a bonding strap that I can see but there is a large green screw that goes through the plastic and into the metal of the box. Am I good with that or do I still need a bonding strap??

Here's a better picture of the screw I'm talking about....

image3.jpg

OP; how about a few more pics of how the cable comes out of the ground, etc? There are fastening requirements and so forth that some eyes here might pick out.

Here is a picture of the incoming wire in the barn... I still need to put a metal plate across the opening in front of the PVC pipe because I don't like how it doesn't have protection from a nail or screw. I'm not sure if it's needed but I'm doing anyway because I plan on finishing the walls at some point in time. It's stapled in the house the same way (every 16" or so)

image2.jpg
 
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