Electricity is a mysterious energy source. You can't see it but you most certainly can feel if you come in contact with an energized wire. After which you may just have a new hair do.
I was inspecting a home the other day that had clearly been recently updated. Nice looking place which an obviously single couple was occupying.
Remodeled always gets my radar going at ultra high frequency. Often there is work done by someone other than a professional. As I went through this home it was clear the remodeler was the homeowner.
As they say the devil is in the details and that is where it was apparent our homeowner was the handy man. Not to take any thing away from the guy because all in all it was not bad workmanship.
But as I said electricity is a mysterious energy source and takes a level of knowledge above the homeowner handyman to comprehend.
In the electric panel I found a newer 220 volt wire. It didn't look right from the start. The wire appeared to be for the newer dryer.
I noticed that the ground wire was not connected to the panel. This was odd because there was a ground terminal in this panel. I put my voltage detector on the wire and;
Houston we have a problem!
There should not be any current coming through the ground wire unless there is a ground fault or other problem.
My guess is Harry Homeowner crossed some wires. When he discovered that the wire was hot, he then probably decided to leave it as you see it. After all the dryer works.
This problem is often referred to as back feeding but usually occurs on the neutral wire. That wire is in very close proximity to the panel and if it makes contact would energize the panel. Then all someone has to do is touch and the panel and zzzzzzt, new hair do or worse.
Bottom line here is it's a danger and needs to be repaired by a licensed electrician. This illustrates once again why professionals should be doing the work and not the homeowner or his Uncle or Cousin, etc.
James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC
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