Dear Mr. Electrician: Is it not safe to clip power directly from the bus bar in my electrical panel for the heavy duty electric floor sander?
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Answer: It isn’t safe for anyone whether professional or amateur to clip power directly from a load center bus bar. Do not try this at home!
I cringe whenever I see this type of clip power electrical connection. Someone needed a 30 amp, 240-volt electrical receptacle outlet for a commercial grade floor sanding machine. Except for electric clothes dryers, cooking appliances, and air conditioners that type of outlet circuit is rare in residences.
EXAMPLE OF CLIP POWER
To get electrical power for a floor sanding machine, it is a common practice to remove a few circuit breakers, say a prayer, and then clip power directly onto the main bus bars without any fault and overload protection or personal protection equipment.
It is not electricians who clip power; it is the floor-sanding people, who should not be putting their hands into a live electrical panel.
I have also seen welders do this on commercial construction sites to get clip power for their electric welders.
The alternative to clip power is to have an electrician install a new circuit and 30 amp, 240 volt electrical receptacle outlet for a few days of equipment use.
CLICK for an example of bad kitchen wiring.
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