Inspecting an Electrical Panel

Electrical panels pose an important part of the home inspection process. Here you will see me perform an electrical panel inspection using the InterNACHI standards of practice. Note, not all deficiencies will be discussed. Do not try this at home.

[@ragingpyro1215]

Loving the longer videos on KZbin! Currently looking at my breaker like I know something

[@KevinCoop1]

Just so you know, the No oxide paste is not required by the conductor manufacturers or most panel and equipment manufacturers. The aluminum has been changed to not require it. But, there are some pieces of equipment that the manufacturer does require it. So, if it’s there, no issue. If it’s not, may or may not be an issue.

[@chopshop523]

Why would you ever not apply the cheap antioxidant to aluminum wiring???? Never have someone who cuts corners do your work

[@robertbritton656]

​@@chopshop523When the manufacturer states you don't need it.

[@tracynation2820]

Apply anti-oxidation grease or mineral oil to ALL connections in a breaker box, including ALL lugs, stabs, wire clamps, splices, terminal and bonding screws, and neutral/ground bars, and any and all wire to wire or wire to terminal connections, even if you don't need to. If it was my house, I would also wire brush all copper and aluminum wires and terminals and apply ox-guard before connection. Also apply it to outlets, switches, and lights, basically any place that the wire makes contact. Do double wiggle the wire and retorque all terminals, and put anti ox on the receptacles, wire nuts and Ideal/Wago splices, ground screws, and terminals also, a well as the ground wire clamp, blades on a plug and the hot, neutral, and ground slots on all outlets and light bulb sockets. 💙 T.E.N.

[@--JohnDoe]

Blunt end screws or not! If there are wires on the back side of the hole, it will get damaged, especially if its a feeder or a tight bundle that cant get pused back. All wires should be away from the holes.

[@therealcbrady]

Any concern with that water line right next to it?

[@ericarthur8912]

In school now for home inspection, headed to Nashville for vacation and potential house hunting

[@kykle90]

👍🏻 nice video, It looks that panel was supposed to be wired as a sub panel based on the conductors entering the panel. If so, the grounds and neutrals should be separated.

[@jesusbarriga2800]

The meter might be behind it on the other side of the wall?

[@cyborgdale]

And the bonding screw removed from the neutral bus bar. Often you will find a jumper from neutral to ground which also should not be there for a sub panel. And neutrals on one bus bar and grounds on separate bus bar regardless of main (best practice) or sub panel (essential). Both bus bars are jumpered together and bonded if the panel is main.

[@Z-Ack]

Looks just like and has the same mannerisms as a guy i used to work with at the university of ky.. dude was in the communications/ it dept.. like they could be brothers.. really close resemblance, is crazy.. dude was a real good dude also..

[@whitetiger8652]

Very informative, Thanks!

[@shawnrehal9483]

I don’t know why I watch these but here I am

[@BillC-64]

In Canada, we require a barrier over the service entrance and main breaker, where you cannot run the those wires from the breaker.

[@jontopham2742]

Required in USA now too in the new code

[@PG-wi9oq]

Good stuff!

[@leegarcia81]

FYI KZbin has your settings set to "videos made for kids" meaning you can't enable auto play on your videos and it affects the amount of views and subscriptions $$$ you can get. Thanks for the videos and good luck with the channel.

[@InspectorAJ]

Fixed! I had no idea lol

[@whith5184]

is the insulation surrounding the service conductor wires and peaking into the panel okay? thanks

[@Richet125]

What are your thoughts on tandem breakers?

[@fudge417]

Woo 900th subscriber!!

[@cpu64]

I used my ocd in my breaker box so it's perfect, lol

[@onpurpose2629]

Electric panel isn’t allowed to be used as a junction box. Well except for when adding a generator panel next to it that has junctions required in the panel?

[@InspectorAJ]

Good lord I look like I’ve never slept. Ever.

[@jeffhrycuna3349]

Doing a service charge you land the wires on a breaker to avoid splices

[@DevJB]

When splices are in the panel, it's usually because breakers were reorganized or balanced.. When landing a new string, it's easy to drop to bottom of panel and have enough length.

[@dreamergth]

How about the arc fault brakers?

[@FireHazardMan103]

@InspectorAJ What is wrong with the dryer wires running behind the service lines? What problems can that cause?

[@williamrhodes4455]

Was the panel bonded?

[@heroknaderi]

Great information ℹ

[@glennferris5056]

No marrettes allowed in a panel !

[@bradleywills9241]

“It would behoove you”...your military/veteran status is showing...hooah!

[@InspectorAJ]

😂

[@havox112]

Wire size doesnt have to match breaker for AC units. Article 440.

[@spicermedic]

Are the "Recommendations" added to your report, or just verbally mentioned to the customer? Do you say anything to the home owner (assuming the customer is not the home owner). Also, how long does it take to inspect a home? This looks very detailed. Thanks for doing these! Love watching your videos!

[@InspectorAJ]

I tell the buyer and also report it.

[@bklyn2va2dc]

If there was a sub panel right next to the main panel, and you wanted to move one or two circuits to the sub panel from the main panel, could you splice the original wires inside the main panel with new wires coming into the main panel from the sub panel? Or must the spliced wires all be contained in the main panel only?

[@tracynation2820]

If you add a sub panel beside the main panel, the only splices would be in the main panel. The sub panel would not require any splices, as only the circuit wires that you need extended from the main to the sub panel need to be spliced. P.S. Splice all the wires in a circuit, (Hot, neutral, and ground) and take them to the sub panel. 💙 T.E.N.

[@giovanigomez6485]

Can a sub panel be installed upside down?

[@davidboldt1488]

Yes , just never have a breaker that when the handle is down the breaker would be in the on position .

[@tracynation2820]

They make panels with the main down low, not up top. 💙 T.E.N.

[@28ashcat]

Not a mention of grounding the service panel. ( I did see it was grounded to a water pipe.)

[@DevJB]

No mention of separate neutrals and grounds per bus lug. Gotta' keep 'em separated. Ground and Neutral under same screw is not ok and should be mentioned. Also didn't mention how much he saved on car insurance. ; )

[@scottresch9912]

No drp loop on new pull makes me sad 😞

[@CaptJamieSmith]

Is nobody going to point out the cut/slice in the insulation on the second wire down on the 30 amp breaker?

[@stevebabiak6997]

At 1:55 on the right hand side. Good eye, it’s not so obvious when the video is running because he is moving the camera quite a bit up and down while filming.

[@tracynation2820]

Super. 💙 T.E.N.

[@ripjohnson2121]

Are the wires long enough, looks like that's why they were run as they were.

[@DevJB]

Panel probably had breakers balanced, moved around. That's why splices are typically in the panel.

[@s.e.v.2055]

What about the bonding of the i Panel

[@Roy-ij1wq]

Question #1 is always is this a main or a sub?

[@ronblack7870]

wow on the spliced wires. in canada that's a fail. you can't use the panel as a junction box due to extra heat from splices.

[@nspro931]

Not a junction box, that is to extend wires because it is a retrofit. The splices will never get hotter than the wires, there is far more mass of metal in the splices esp. wirenut splices.

[@MrTHEBRITINWA]

Excellence

[@ripjohnson2121]

Never seen blk cuttler hammer breakers before?

[@larryoverhagen4967]

They are Eaton BR also in family of cutler hammer. Your thinking of the true Cutler hammer CH which have beige colored triggers. Not interchangeable but same family. I know confusing scenarios.

[@richardcranium5839]

groung wire was insufficient even for 1980's standards

[@anthonyhitchings1051]

The thin ground wire matches my 1964 house. As does the old style of Romex in on image (at the cable entry, top right corner).

[@havox112]

#4 is ok for 200 amp grounding 250.66

[@harleydad1975]

So touch it to make sure it's not energized? Got it. I hope I never get it lol

[@BillC-64]

Proper procedure is to use the non touch voltage detector then the back of your hand.

[@5zwoodworks]

Ah. The 1 dislike was obviously someone that failed.

[@InspectorAJ]

LOL uh oh

[@pukeschannel6882]

Are you kidding,? Best practices? Either it meets code or it doesn't.

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

That's a sloppy panel

[@1ajs]

man what a hack job that is

[@thomasmarable6818]

Electrician will tell the dryer wires are ok

[@johnsmithth3318]

Sloppy work