Anybody have creative ideas on how to test light and receptacle circuits in a brand new house that does not have power yet from the utility company.

The sub panel is complete with all the wires and circuit breakers connected. All the receptacles and lights switches are installed.

Has anyone ever used a extension cord and removed the female end and connected the neutral wire to the neutral bar i sup panel and ground wire to ground bar and pigtail the hot to connect to a installed breaker on each phase? Turing on the breaker would send power to all the other breakers.

Thanks.

tkrussell

What you propose is possible, however, can cause problems if you are not careful. If the power to the home has not been connected, where is the power coming from,a generator?

You must be sure to shut off the main breaker, or you will send power out to the meter socket, or to the incoming wires, that may have exposed parts.

If you are sure of the entire system has no exposed parts, then, for testing purposes your method would work.

Be sure the system has been inspected and belongs to you. If I were the electrician that installed the system, and it has not been inspected and released to the owner, I have the permit and "own" the system until such time it has been energized,tested,inspected and released, and would not warranty the system should I discover a non-licensed person has opened the panel and modified my connections.

loupi01

Thanks tkrussell,

For testing the power will come from a extension pole that will be plugged into temporaty power setup by the utility company. Temp power comes into a circuit breaker and out to 2 GFI receptacles. The only thing left to do on this new house is to have the utility company come out run their wire to the meter on the outside of the house. I wanted to test (with electircity) the all the circuits in the subpanel. My first option is to go to a receptacle that I know is fed from the suppanel and and energize it with an extension cord. And then test all the receptacles and lights on that circuit.

tkrussell

I would prefer you did an extension cord plugged into an outlet than be opening panels that have been assembled properly, taking a chance to create problems down the road.

I can understand trying to test the circuits, could be for several reasons. If done safely and eyes wide open, and being monitored until completed, using a cord with two males will work fine.

Best to use as the input the any GFI outlet, and of course at the source. Not sure how the two GFI will react, but it will be safe, and if both work, can be a very good test of the entire system.

As I think of it,the GFI's may not work becuse of the length of the wiring, high impedence will cause the GFI to trip.

Be sure to shut off the main, and lock it off until the test is complete.Do not energize any 240 volt loads. Do not turn on more than what you are testing.

You will need to find two outlets that are on opposite phases.

Be safe.

loupi01

Thanks tkrussell again for all your help

I would like to tell all who is reading this post that what we talked about here is extremely dangerous and would not recommend anyone to attempt this unless they are confident in there ability and knowlege of electricity.