Quick question for electicians
- Thread starter trompet3
- Start date
farmboy
Active Member
Check behind the panel before removing the "knockouts". THere should be a space in the hotrail to insert another breaker. Sometimes the covers are also used on bigger boxes and not all the spaces are spaces-like the top of your panel. It says do not remove across the knockouts.
Having all your breakers add up to more than the main is OK. It is kinda like plumbing. The water source to your house is capable of, let's say 5 gallons/minute. Your bathtub faucet is capable of around 3 gallons/minute. NO problem. If you have 2 bathtub faucets, and you turn both of them on at once, the source can't keep up and the flow is reduced to both. Each will have around 2.5gallons/minute. Add the kitchen sink(around 1.5gallons/minute) and the amount available to the bathtub is reduced again.
To continue the analogy to your box--each circuit/faucet is limited to the rated amount but probably never even approaches it. (You don't always need 3 gallons/minute to wash your hands.)
I ramble--hope that makes sense.
Having all your breakers add up to more than the main is OK. It is kinda like plumbing. The water source to your house is capable of, let's say 5 gallons/minute. Your bathtub faucet is capable of around 3 gallons/minute. NO problem. If you have 2 bathtub faucets, and you turn both of them on at once, the source can't keep up and the flow is reduced to both. Each will have around 2.5gallons/minute. Add the kitchen sink(around 1.5gallons/minute) and the amount available to the bathtub is reduced again.
To continue the analogy to your box--each circuit/faucet is limited to the rated amount but probably never even approaches it. (You don't always need 3 gallons/minute to wash your hands.)
I ramble--hope that makes sense.
pyro f/x
New Member
New panel costs vary by location. In chicago a electrician would charge at least $1200.00 to change a service. But your area may be cheaper. Adding "can" light's in the future doesn't mean you need a new panel as long as you can get breakers and have room for the new breakers. The above formula works for lites just fine amps = watts/volts (120), for motors use amps = volts / ohm's(resist.). The removal of the 30 amp 2-pole breaker will give you 2 new 1-pole spaces. the big questions are, can you get more breakers and can you add more if you need more than the 2 gained by pulling the 2-pole 30 if needed.
trompet3
Member
Does anyone know if I might be able to get those breakers?
Can the current circuits handle adding the track lighting?
At $1200, I think I would pass. Obviously, I can always get an estimate, no harm. I'm just can't do that until the middle/end of the month because I don't move in until then!
Can the current circuits handle adding the track lighting?
At $1200, I think I would pass. Obviously, I can always get an estimate, no harm. I'm just can't do that until the middle/end of the month because I don't move in until then!
trompet3
Member
I know a handyman that I may have help out with some labor intensive stuff because I have 5 days to set up my in wall 240 and move everything over, plus paint walls and other misc. stuff before I start work. He charges $15 an hour, which I think is a steal. What's too bad is he only does "light electrical work". Oh well.
pyro f/x
New Member
you should be able to do a search for the panel manuf. which I thought was sylvania from the previous pic's. you could also pull the 30 amp and see if there are some numbers on it that may be helpful. As stated before in the thread there is no problem with the breakers adding up to more than the "main " total. You would have to draw a load larger than the main interupt rateing on any number of breakers before you would have any issue's and that doesn't happen very often. Use the formula amps = light wattage / 120 per bulb then multi. the total number of bulbs to find the current draw( a 100 watt incandecent bulb draws approx. .83 of a amp.) just remember to only use 80% of the interupt rateing or 12 amps (max 14 lights) on a 15 amp circuit. This really is light electrical if all you need is the breakers installed since you stated you could run all the wireing and trim all the devices yourself
farmboy
Active Member
Another Idea if additional breakers are needed: You could use the double breaker slot to feed a smaller (and newer) breaker panel. Then you wouldn't be scrounging to find breakers for the older box.
I did something like this for a barn. We just needed a couple of lighting circuits. I found a 4 space sub panel at L*we's and used some double space "piggy back" breakers. I ended up with 4-110vac lighting circuits and 1-30 amp 220vac circuit--just in case.
I did something like this for a barn. We just needed a couple of lighting circuits. I found a 4 space sub panel at L*we's and used some double space "piggy back" breakers. I ended up with 4-110vac lighting circuits and 1-30 amp 220vac circuit--just in case.
trompet3
Member
Why would you rewire the whole panel???
Just an idea if I was to update more than just this one or two circuits. I guess it's not such a good idea. I will see how easy it will be to find new breakers for this panel and if it is hard/expensive, then I will try the piggy back option to a sub panel.
Just an idea if I was to update more than just this one or two circuits. I guess it's not such a good idea. I will see how easy it will be to find new breakers for this panel and if it is hard/expensive, then I will try the piggy back option to a sub panel.
acrylic51
Active Member
Installing a panel and breakers wouldn't be as bad as what you thought... I was unsure till I had my brother in law so me and I'm to the point no where I don't even shut the power down to the box to drop another breaker in... You have to be carefull this way, but it's a snap....You shouldn't have any problems finding breakers for the box. Check HD or Lowes shouldn't be over $5.00 per breaker. Don't remember exact price but piggy backs weren't more then $10.00