Electrical & Electric

How to Upgrade an Electric Panel

Upgrade Electrical Panels

Introduction: If you live in an older home it probably has an older main electrical panel that is limited to 60 amps. This makes adding additional electrical circuits difficult or impossible. Adding new circuits in an old house is something that is necessary to accommodate additional appliances or living space.  If your electrical panel does not have the capacity for additional circuits you will have to upgrade the electric panel.

Upgrading electrical panels is generally performed by a professional electrician. However, it is not that difficult and nearly anyone can perform the task. Before beginning work on any electrical circuit you should take some basic safety precautions. Ensure that you are standing on a dry surface and wear leather gloves to protect yourself from electrical shock.

1.    Begin by labeling all the electrical lines that come into your house from the electrical meter. The lines are color coded; the black wire is the one that carries power (hot line), the green wire (or bare copper wire) is the ground and the white wire is the neutral which is the return line.

2.    Shut off the main power breaker and remove all the individual circuit breakers from the panel.

3.    Remove the main power breaker from the original panel. The black wire will remain hot during this process unless you have the power company remove the electrical meter. If you are not experienced at working with live electrical power I recommend that you have the power company remove the electrical meter. If you choose to work with the live wire ensure that you tape the wire immediately after removing it from the main breaker.  If precautions are not taken a fatal accident could occur. Even though the hot wire is taped you should still take care that no one touches the wire.

4.    Once the main power circuit breaker is removed, remove all the individual breakers and disconnect the ground line from the ground bar. The ground bar connects to your house ground and to the neutral bar, which returns to the electric utility line. Install the new panel, preferably a 100 or 200 amp panel.

5.    Route the main power wires into the new panel and attach them to the appropriate terminals.  Ensure that the neutral line is wired to the neutral bar and the ground wires to the ground bar. Check to ensure that you are not feeding the wrong bars with the wrong wires.

6.    Install the main circuit breaker. If the new panel is a 100 amp panel you will need a 100 amp main circuit breaker. At his point you now have electrical power feeding the new panel

7.    Route the individual circuit wires into the new panel. Balance the same number of circuit breakers on each side. Keep in mind that a 220 circuit will occupy two spaces in the panel. Attach the neutral and ground wires to the appropriate bars.

8.    Install the circuit breakers by snapping them into place and attach the power wire (black) to the circuit breaker. Insure that the attachment screws are tight.

9.    If you had the power company remove the electrical meter prior to removing the old electrical panel, have them reinstall the meter after you have finished installing the new panel and all the circuit wires.

That is all there is to it.  Now you know how to upgrade an electrical panel.

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