Federal Pacific panel replace tips

[HeyBub]

Ah, you hit my earlier suggestion #4c of things you will need:

"A nearby box store for misc connectors, buss extensions, and funny-looking things that live only in circuit-breaker boxes."

[The Daring Dufas]

I treat everything like it's energized whether it's on or not because I've seen too many people get hurt. Years ago, I heard of a young electrician on an industrial job who was hooking up a transformer that used a 4,160 volt primary and when he leaned back to admire his work, his hair suddenly stood on end. He looked down to the floor below and some guy was going up and down a line of disconnects turning them on and off while looking around to see what came on. The young fellow who felt the tingle climbed down from where he was, walked up to switch flipper and without saying a word, proceeded to beat the crap out of him. It was like the scene in the bar of the Star Wars movie where everyone went back to their business after the antagonist was shot dead. The electrical incident occurred before OSHA came into existence but I think there were tags but no locks on the switches. I don't trust anyone around high voltage and I'm going to test things for myself before I touch it and I'm going to lock it out myself. A volt meter should be the first thing to touch an electrical circuit of any voltage before you do.

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

I hear the voice of experience, O man of wisdom and nobility! Thou sayest.....

I wrote a list at lunch, and had most of what was needed, back home.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Ah, you hit my earlier suggestion #4c of things you will need:

"A nearby box store for misc connectors, buss extensions, and funny-looking things that live only in circuit-breaker boxes."

[Stormin Mormon]

I am embarassed to say. I did think to padlock shut the main breaker box outside, but I neglected to. I did check for power, before doing much. Yours is a very appropriate reminder.

Glad the eletrician you mention wasn't killed.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

I treat everything like it's energized whether it's on or not because I've seen too many people get hurt. Years ago, I heard of a young electrician on an industrial job who was hooking up a transformer that used a 4,160 volt primary and when he leaned back to admire his work, his hair suddenly stood on end. He looked down to the floor below and some guy was going up and down a line of disconnects turning them on and off while looking around to see what came on. The young fellow who felt the tingle climbed down from where he was, walked up to switch flipper and without saying a word, proceeded to beat the crap out of him. It was like the scene in the bar of the Star Wars movie where everyone went back to their business after the antagonist was shot dead. The electrical incident occurred before OSHA came into existence but I think there were tags but no locks on the switches. I don't trust anyone around high voltage and I'm going to test things for myself before I touch it and I'm going to lock it out myself. A volt meter should be the first thing to touch an electrical circuit of any voltage before you do.

TDD

[The Daring Dufas]

I heard that the switch flipper was fired after he got out of the hospital and not one word was said to the electrician by his employer about the incident. Of course these days with Political Correctness and all that crap....... ^_^

TDD

[JIMMIE]

in the box, so I don't think it's critical to

Only takes a minute to label them right the first time. Maybe I should say label the way they were to start with.

Jimmie

[Stormin Mormon]

Now, they would have fired the electrician, and the flipper would have been in counselling so as not to injure his feelings also.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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I heard that the switch flipper was fired after he got out of the hospital and not one word was said to the electrician by his employer about the incident. Of course these days with Political Correctness and all that crap....... ^_^

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

The 240 volt circuits turned out to be either larger gage wire, or were colored (red and black) or both. Turned out to be a non issue. The H.O. decided not to try and trace where each breaker went. Too much bother, too little benefit.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Only takes a minute to label them right the first time. Maybe I should say label the way they were to start with.

Jimmie

[Stormin Mormon]

It's a good idea to run the neutrals and grounds first. The black wires to the breakers are the next "layer" of wires. I worked ont he panel while it was cold, only. The propane lantern (two mantles) was great for light, and heat.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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[HeyBub]

Of course not. He was made temporarily insane from the intense electrical field to which he was subjected. Even today he's reluctant to father a child.

[jw]

Just curious, I know Federal Pacific panels have been known to be dangerous, but if I recall correctly, there is a replacement breaker that was made fro their boxes which are safe. Why didn't you just replace the breakers?

[RBM]

I'd rather use a

accidentally got away from you and hit the live buss, you'd get a pile of molten metal in your face.

>

[Stormin Mormon]

We did consider that option, and it's an honest question. The replacement breakers cost about $35 each. For a single 15 breaker. He had maybe a dozen circuits, plus three doubles. Need 240 volt feed for a sub panel, electric dryer, and a water heater that needed double breakers. So, the cost of replacement breakers would have been $400 or more.

On hand, he had a bunch of new old stock breakers that he'd bought over years. The new panel box was $55, of course plus the labor of two men for a day to put it in. We weren't missing any money work that day, we were workign cheap.

So, the cost of FPE breakers would have been noticably more than the replacement.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Just curious, I know Federal Pacific panels have been known to be dangerous, but if I recall correctly, there is a replacement breaker that was made fro their boxes which are safe. Why didn't you just replace the breakers?

[Stormin Mormon]

Or, the outdoor 100 amp breaker would have tripped. I do regret neglecting to padlock shut the outdoor box with the shut off breaker. ah, well. I can't say as I've heard of anyone turn one of those on or off, except doing work inside. And it wasn't an issue this time. I lucked out. Also got to work with a good man who had common sense and manners.

We got to one point, and he asked if it was ready turn the power back on. Get some heat restarted. Yes. I looked, and figured I could do the last two circuits on a live panel, but he preferred to turn it back off.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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So would anyone with a lick of common sense. If a bare ground conductor accidentally got away from you and hit the live buss, you'd get a pile of molten metal in your face.

[Stormin Mormon]

Probably has to take his violence pill every morning, too? That's got to be frieky, to have such a high voltage device turned on, while you're right next to it.

As little as I like government regulation, once in a while they get something right. And padlocking the disconnect switch sounds right, to me.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Of course not. He was made temporarily insane from the intense electrical field to which he was subjected. Even today he's reluctant to father a child.

[RBM]

need to pull the meter, or disconnect the drop to kill it. You have much more control installing cables into live panels, than you do removing them.

[Stormin Mormon]

I'm going to get flamed for writing this. But, text to the right of indent (>) is old text from the reply. As I look at this, there is NO new text, as it's all indented.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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[Stormin Mormon]

I'll get flamed some more. I'll correct your indent failure, below, so I can see your new text.

Yes, it's often necessary to call the power co, to shut off the power to the building. I'm sure we could have done that, if we'd been changing out the breaker on the pole.

I never considered there may be more control installing cables. I'll have to think on that for a while.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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In many cases your main disconnect is in the panel you're working on, so you need to pull the meter, or disconnect the drop to kill it. You have much more control installing cables into live panels, than you do removing them.