Electrical question

dbz

dbz

Well-Known Member
I think i mentioned this above but tandem breakers would solve your quandry. If you want up to code though, then most code on new circuits in living areas, closets etc require AFCI circuits of which I am unaware of any tandem, in which case the up to code answer would be either a new 200 amp service or a 50 or 100 amp subpanel most commonly. A sub panel can be wired to your main panel but it would not increase the capacity or total draw availability beyond the 200 amps of the main board. A seperate service would require a new service wire to the meter to a separate panel.
 
natureboygrower

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
Thats a square d panel and breakers so I'd look for square d breakers. GE panels are pretty forgiving on allowing different breakers but square d might require its own breakers
 
JoeBlow5823

JoeBlow5823

Well-Known Member
dbz said:
I think i mentioned this above but tandem breakers would solve your quandry. If you want up to code though, then most code on new circuits in living areas, closets etc require AFCI circuits of which I am unaware of any tandem, in which case the up to code answer would be either a new 200 amp service or a 50 or 100 amp subpanel most commonly. A sub panel can be wired to your main panel but it would not increase the capacity or total draw availability beyond the 200 amps of the main board. A seperate service would require a new service wire to the meter to a separate panel.
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I dont think the main breaker will ever be a worry for what he is describing. Im not up to date on the codes but i feel like if he was running a single line to a single outlet that was a GFCI outlet, it would get approved.
 
natureboygrower

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
Yeah, square d panels will only except square d breaker. The buss bar is notched to accept only square d breakers. It's been a long time but i thought i remembered sonething janky about square d. The old timer that i worked with hated them lol. He was a strict GE guy
 
MICHI-CAN

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
JoeBlow5823 said:
I dont think the main breaker will ever be a worry for what he is describing. Im not up to date on the codes but i feel like if he was running a single line to a single outlet that was a GFCI outlet, it would get approved.
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Slime line GFCI breakers here for my wet locations to back the outlets. But still double slot for them. Main is not an issue.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
To see if a tandem will fit you need the model # of the panel (probably buried behind the wires in the troughs.) So you have the option of just buying a tandem breaker and seeing if it stabs. If it won't go all the way down onto the bus rail then you can't use tandem/space saver breakers in that panel.
 
dbz

dbz

Well-Known Member
JoeBlow5823 said:
I dont think the main breaker will ever be a worry for what he is describing. Im not up to date on the codes but i feel like if he was running a single line to a single outlet that was a GFCI outlet, it would get approved.
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If it could be considered a living area I believe a lot of places would require an AFCI now, non living GFCI, either way it could be done with the outlet and pass I do believe

Edit: obviously if you plan on an inspection or wish it up to code you should consult to make sure first.
 
MICHI-CAN

MICHI-CAN

Well-Known Member
dbz said:
If it could be considered a living area I believe a lot of places would require an AFCI now, non living GFCI, either way it could be done with the outlet and pass I do believe.
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Here all must match the inspection date of panel in code. As long as you're just replacing breakers, switches and outlets, no inspection or issues down the road. Been smacked selling our old house.
 
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twentyeight.threefive

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
Renfro said:
To see if a tandem will fit you need the model # of the panel (probably buried behind the wires in the troughs.) So you have the option of just buying a tandem breaker and seeing if it stabs. If it won't go all the way down onto the bus rail then you can't use tandem/space saver breakers in that panel.
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There is already a 15 A tandem break in one of the slots. I'd assume I'd be able to find a 20 A tandem?

electric_panel_10_29_2020.jpgtandem_breaker_10_29_2020.jpg
 
dbz

dbz

Well-Known Member
MICHI-CAN said:
Here all must match the inspection date of panel in code. As long as you're just replacing breakers, switches and outlets, no inspection or issues down the road. Been smacked selling our old house.
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That is generally how it is, but you can need to be inspected for some reason and them require the replacement of breakers such as tandems or slimlines to come up to current code. Although marginally a safety issue ( since like 99) a re inspection can force modern compliance. Admittedly if you are like me, you generally wont have a re-inspection unless you plan on changing out main feed or adding panels.
 
Renfro

Renfro

Well-Known Member
MICHI-CAN said:
Here all must match the inspection date of panel in code. As long as you're just replacing breakers, switches and outlets, no inspection or issues down the road. Been smacked selling our old house.
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Yes but permitted "new work" would be required that it meet the local code cycle at the time of work. Thing is you need to see what NEC / IBC code cycle the local building department would accept (often several cycles old). So for resale purposes the addition could be deleted prior to listing the home. Now if he wants to pull a homeowners permit and do inspected work making it all legit then he needs to get with the local building dept.
 
dbz

dbz

Well-Known Member
twentyeight.threefive said:
There is already a 15 A tandem break in one of the slots. I'd assume I'd be able to find a 20 A tandem?

View attachment 4728868View attachment 4728869
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Yeah they aren't even very expensive, although, personally i wouldnt have run extremely high draws on both circuits in the same tandem.

Once again if you have to re-inspect for any reason I wouldn't be confident of them meeting modern compliance without verifying.
 
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