I had to go today and do some work on a house for a realtor. The house is up for sale and some upgrades were needed.

For the most part, everything was typical: install GFCIs in the kitchen and laundry room, replace some loose receptacles, put new weatherproof boxes on the porch and side of the garage. Not a problem. Just a few hours tops.

Then I got to the garage. We were supposed separate the ground and neutral wires to different buses in the panel since this was a sub-panel. We were also supposed to run a ground wire back to the main disconnect.

I didn't take a picture of the sub-panel but it wasn't in bad shape. Going back to where the main disconnect was, I saw that things were not looking good.

This was the back of the feeder panel. Note the two holes at the top in the back.

This panel is mounted in such a way that it is not weather resistant. Note the door opens down and the wording on the cover are upside down.

The first thing I saw when I removed the cover was several old wasp nests. I'm glad that they weren't this years!

Then I got to see a real nightmare.

My boss promptly called the realtor and told him that we would not run that ground and sent him pictures.

I have no idea what they guy is going to do. He's just lucky that the inspector didn't think to open this panel up.