Had a panel swap go sideways when I forgot to torque the main lug

I was working on a 200 amp panel swap in an old house near Portland last Tuesday. Got everything buttoned up, turned the power back on, and heard this buzzing sound. Checked the main lug and it was barely hand tight. Must have gotten distracted. Rewired everything and it's fine now but I'm still kicking myself. Anyone else have a close call like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_holly22d agoMost Upvoted

Overreacting much? A loose lug isn't that big a deal.

karen_west5922d ago

@the_holly, I gotta push back on "isn't that big a deal" though... a loose lug nut on a wheel is how wheels come off going down the highway. I've seen it happen to a buddy's trailer once, and it tore up his fender and almost caused a wreck. It's not just about tightening one bolt, it's about catching it before it turns into something dangerous. Better safe than sorry, you know?

jessica_hall4922d ago

Better safe than sorry" is exactly right, @karen_west59. It's not just about one lug nut. It's the whole mindset of ignoring small stuff until it breaks something big. I see that everywhere. People leave a loose screw on a cabinet door until the whole thing falls off. Or they skip checking the oil in their lawnmower until the engine seizes. It's laziness that costs way more in the end. Holly's attitude of "not a big deal" is exactly how you end up stranded on the side of the road.