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Sunday, April 7, 2024

Failure of UL and NFPA to make Breaker Panel Manufacturers put Bigger or More Lugs on Neutral Bars results in Fires because they would rather sell add on kits

 As a Forensic Electrical Inspector I do  panel inspections after Power Surges water damage etc. for a company that provides this service to Insurers. 

One thing I see all too often especially when it a non professional installing breaker panels is the problem when you have more than one heavy wire feed going to the panel for a  Extra Sub Panel, Welder, Spa etc. 

While some  manufacturers provide extra larger size lugs on their panels to allow the bigger neutral wires 

Many do not.  They require you buy a neutral bar extension lug kit. which Sells for around $12.00


But if you do not know you need this you buy the panel take it home install it and when it comes time to hook in all the big neutrals guess what yes no room on the neutral bar for it .

So instead of buying the proper kit you see examples like below 


The first top picture shows someone took a lug and just attached wire to panel instead of to neutral bar 

and thou the panel is grounded its not a proper solid connection can vibrate loose and cause a fire 

and as you can also see some strands where not properly captured into the lug.

In the second picture you see someone tried to separate wires and run several strands into 2 separate bus bar openings but again missed strands and this still allows for wires to become loose and cause a fire.  

or worse yet the neutral slips out starts throwing 230 volts thru 12 outlets and starts sparking everywhere as power now trying to find ground. 

NFPA and UL knows this goes on and just ignores the issue instead of insisting more larger lugs are in panel when it is made. and would solve the whole problem. 


 





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