Why on earth would an electrician ever feel compelled to replace the panel at his expense? Remove main breaker, find burned buss, replace panel, submit bill.
The owners could not afford the replacing of the panel because it also involved replacing the whole service including a higher MAST above the roof in order to pass inspection. That was about $600.00 15 years ago. They were prepared to pay a service call and the price of a main c. breaker. The electrician caused all power to fail completely and was held responsible. At least they managed before with some devices working untill the electrician started taking it apart.Why on earth would an electrician ever feel compelled to replace the panel at his expense? Remove main breaker, find burned buss, replace panel, submit bill.
I understand, that is what I am prepared to do on a call of that sort. My idea of posting was to bring out that response on discussion. I have a job next week to replace a 200 A Fuse panel into a C. breaker type. It all seems ok but if I strip the thread in the bottom of the seperated fused main switch, in here, we are forced to replace the whole works. I am installing a combination panel anyway, but we are not allowed splices in case I can not come off from one of the main fuses ( these are 40 years old type lugs. Very easy to strip. I already warned the customer that to change this 200 amperes service costs about $3,000.00 (all new) because about 42 circuits have to be extended 20 feet to reach a new panel location.BUT... the electrician that had to "hack out" the old main breaker should have never went to that effort if he didn't have time on his hands to replace the panel. That's just common sense and courtesy, in my opinion.
A fine job you did at that, too. Very well spoken. :thumbsup: Thank you!The main reason also for posting was to show some inexperienced contractors that when you repair something old and it breaks, you have to make it their responsibility to pay for it.