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Main Panel alive with breakers off? Walter R. 08-05-2005
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Posted by Walter R. on August 5, 2005, 4:30 pm


I read today on the Underwriters Lab website that a main panel can be alive
although the main circuit breaker is OFF. They did not elaborate.

How is that possible? When I turn the main circuit breaker to the house to
OFF , all electricity is supposed to be OFF. Or not?

--
Walter
www.rationality.net
-




Posted by on August 5, 2005, 12:53 pm


wrote:

>I read today on the Underwriters Lab website that a main panel can be alive
>although the main circuit breaker is OFF. They did not elaborate.
>
>How is that possible? When I turn the main circuit breaker to the house to
>OFF , all electricity is supposed to be OFF. Or not?

The input lugs will still be hot and with some types of split bus
panels the rails can still be hot.
The disconnect only gurantees that no power gets out of the disconnect
enclosure. There will always be hot stuff inside the enclosure.


Posted by HotRod on August 5, 2005, 1:11 pm


translation for DUMMIES

When you shut off the main breaker there is still "HOT" power between the
breaker and the outside of the house "Road Power" So the inside of where you
want to install a new breaker is "DEAD"




Posted by Speedy Jim on August 5, 2005, 3:56 pm


HotRod wrote:
> translation for DUMMIES
>
> When you shut off the main breaker there is still "HOT" power between the
> breaker and the outside of the house "Road Power" So the inside of where you
> want to install a new breaker is "DEAD"
>
>
Unless the panel is an older "Split Bus" panel as was explained.
In that case, replacing any one of the 6 disconnect breakers
is done "Live" and can be extremely dangerous!

Jim


Posted by Charles on August 6, 2005, 12:09 am


Don't forget about checking that the main breaker didn't "stick" when it is
turned off.. This does happen from thime to time. I always check for power
after turning off a breaker.


>I read today on the Underwriters Lab website that a main panel can be alive
>although the main circuit breaker is OFF. They did not elaborate.
>
> How is that possible? When I turn the main circuit breaker to the house to
> OFF , all electricity is supposed to be OFF. Or not?
>
> --
> Walter
> www.rationality.net
> -
>




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