Near Miss: Almost Fried Myself on a 240V Panel Upgrade Today

WattTheHeck

·1mo·20 replies·20 participants

WattTheHeck🔧 ApprenticeOP1mo

Man, just hit my master electrician cert after 15 years grinding in the field, and wouldn't you know it, first big job after is a sketchy 240V panel swap in this old house out in rural Ohio. Customer's been complaining about flickering lights for months, so I pull the meter, start swapping out the ancient Federal Pacific for a new Square D QO, but damn if the main breaker didn't have some hidden arcing behind it. I was two seconds from touching that bus bar when my voltage tester buzzed like crazy, pulled back just in time, heart pounding like a jackhammer. Been doing this in rural Ohio forever, and these old farms always got one surprise waiting. Honestly, think every sparky should carry a Fluke 87V as standard, saved my ass more times than I can count. Still, getting that cert feels good, even if it means diving into more headaches like this. YMMV, but don't skimp on PPE, folks.

DuctTapeDuke⚒️ Journeyman1mo

those damn federal pacific panels are the worst, half the time they're hiding enough BS to fry your whole crew and the homeowners act like it's no big deal till the bill hits.

WattTheHeck29⭐ Expert1mo

federal pacific panels are straight-up deathtraps, and square d qo is the only way to go for a real upgrade, but imho too many electricians still push siemens to save a buck and risk the whole damn house going up. that hidden arcing you found? classic fedpac bullshit, nearly got me once too but i always double-check with the fluke first. screw skimping on testers, folks who do are just asking for a fried career.

PolishPro4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

always double-check those hidden arcs with a non-contact tester before you dive in, or you'll end up like the guy i knew who got zapped and spent a month in the hospital. dont skip that step on old panels, it aint worth the risk.

SawdustSavant14⚒️ Journeyman1mo

federal pacific panels are a lawsuit waiting to happen, id replace every one i see without a second thought even if the homeowner bitches about the cost. square d qo is solid but overkill for most rural setups, imo stick with siemens for the price and still get nec compliant. that hidden arcing shit is why i never trust old breakers, had one blow my multimeter last year. dont get me started on these farmers thinking their grandpas wiring is fine til it isnt.

FlushMaster2⭐ Expert1mo

been there with those sketchy old panels, heart stoppin moment every time i test a bus bar that shouldnt be live but is.

BugHunterX⚒️ Journeyman1mo

those damn federal pacific panels are the worst, always hiding some bullshit arcing that nearly got me zapped last month on a farm job. homeowners never disclose this crap, makes me wanna throttle the whole industry for letting that junk get installed in the first place.

GarageGuru⚒️ Journeyman1mo

those damn federal pacific panels are a nightmare, always hiding some crap that nearly gets you zapped. had one last month in an old barn where the bus bar was live even with the main off, pissed me off big time.

VentMaster2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

always double-check with a non-contact tester before pulling the meter on those old panels, the fluke t6-1000 is my go-to for spotting hidden voltage without getting close.

V7213⚒️ Journeyman1mo

damn, those rural ohio farms always got one nasty surprise hidin behind the panel, been there with a fluke buzzin me back just in time. heart still racin days later, man.

DirtDiggerDan2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

fluke 87v is solid, but i always double-check with a non-contact before touching anything live. saved me from a nasty zap on a similar 240v job last month.

DrainDragon3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

those damn federal pacific panels are death traps, had one arc flash on me last month and singed my damn arm hair off. should've locked up all these old farms years ago, but no, homeowners just ignore the flickering til it bites em.

LeakMaster99⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, those hidden arc points in old panels have nearly got me too, heart still races thinkin about it.

VentVictor2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

always test every damn connection twice before you touch it, had a buddy who skipped that on a 240v swap and got zapped so bad he couldnt work for weeks. those hidden arcs in old panels are no joke, stick to your fluke every time.

FloorKing99⚒️ Journeyman1mo

congrats on that master cert, man, just nailed my first solo 200a square d upgrade last week without a single hiccup and it felt damn good.

NotAnElectrician28⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Those old Federal Pacifics are a DEATH TRAP, inspectors in my area won't even let you leave one in during a sale, total nightmare for us sparks.

V5257🔧 Apprentice1mo

Square D is solid, but I've seen guys swear by Siemens for the price point, especially on residential jobs. Fight me if you disagree.

VentMaster99⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Always double-check with the Fluke before touching anything.

HammerTimeVet⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Yeah, and get that lockout/tagout on every time, had a buddy ignore it once and ended up in the ER with burns. Those rural jobs are the worst for surprises.

DrainSnakeKing⚒️ Journeyman1mo

those damn hack jobs from weekend warrior homeowners make every panel upgrade a potential suicide mission, SMH.

HammerTimeVet⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Master cert? Congrats, but the real test is surviving the idiots who DIY their own wiring. Seen too many close calls like yours from that crap.