Need electricians help......

[ben]

My dad and I were talking about putting in a circuit for my Xmas lights. We have a 150A main "switch" and 3 slots left in the main panel. I was looking and adding all the breakers up they go beyond 150A. Questions one...

How does that work? I know a breaker trips when you pull more than the Amp rating through it. right now all of them added up gives 275Amp. They are all wide (1" I believe) breakers. Could we replace 2 15A with 1/2" ones and stick a 75A breaker on the main panel that would connect to the subpanel with 15 and 20A breakers.

2nd question.
How hard is it to make a plug or a disconnect so I can put it on a board and move the Xmas power board when not in use? If not I am going to mount it under the house and we are going to mount permanent boxes on the foundation.

Ben

[shocker]

in your house u dont have everything turn on at the same time, like oven, heater,water heater , light.
the number on the breaker is to protect the wires
u could have a really big pannel that as 1 wire to each device (it is dum but i have seen it )
normaly u could put 2 30 amps and not having any problem
the best thing too do is to check the amp of your pannel a few time mostly in the evening to see your power drain (using a ampmeter )
(like i said i am french so sorry about the pharse construction)

And be very carefull when opening a electric panel it can kill you like a bug

[DynamoBen]

Its not too tough to add a 220V "dryer plug" or hook up a disconnect next to your breaker panel. From can take a piece of plywould buy a smaller breaker panel, and outlets. Mount the small breaker panel to the middle of the plywood, mount outlets surrounding the breaker panel. Run wire between the outlets and the panel. Finally run a large SO cable between the smaller breaker panel and your disconnect/dryer plug.

Does this all make sense?

[Jeff Millard]

My dad and I were talking about putting in a circuit for my Xmas lights. We have a 150A main "switch" and 3 slots left in the main panel. I was looking and adding all the breakers up they go beyond 150A.

Ben

No, you have a 150 amp at 220volt main breaker. That equates to 300amps at 120volts. Your calculation of 275 total leaves a buffer of 25amps to max out the panel. As was stated in an earlier post, they aren't all pulling current at the same time. But we tend to suggest that you leave a 20% safety margin by design. It seems in your case they've already surpassed that margin.

Take into account seasonal use items and you can give or take load. The A/C compressor is not being used at my house this time of year... add the value of that breaker to the available capacity during the Holiday season. (Man, I gotta get some more lights!)

Jeff

[ben]

I was going to use this for a socket

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=197494-334-L630R-L&detail=cr&lpage=none

and this as my plug

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=71242-334-S42-SP-L&lpage=none

Would these be acceptable?

I want to put in a 30A/250V breaker into the main panel. I did some calculations and If all the breakers in my current box are running at 75% I am pulling 200A. So this shouldn't be any harm. Do my plans sound right?

Ben

P.S. i will sire the subpanel myself I am going to have the electrician put in the breaker and feed the main line from the main box to the subpanel.

[shocker]

-I was going to use this for a socket
-
-http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=197494--334-L630R-L&detail=cr&lpage=none

thats a twist lock socket 240v only if u need the neutral it is not good
-
-and this as my plug
-
-http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=71242-334-S42-SP-L&lpage=none

that wont fit in the twistlock plug and it is still a 240v no neutral for the 120v

[Michael]

You might want to consider just running 3 - 20amp normal circuits to near where the power will be used. You can run a lot off of 60 amps to get started and it is probably the cheapest.

- Michael

[stempile]

I had an electrician friend come in stall 3 new 20 breakers. Ran conduit from the panel on one side of the garage (panel faces out side) over to the other where I have an access hole for wire. Each breaker was attached to a set of 2 gang out lets, so I had 4 outlets for each circuit (12 new plugs all). The garage is finished so having the conduit looked best. He had it knocked out faster then I could have ever done, plus I know it was done right and up to code.

If you have room in your main panel, don't waste money on a sub panel and don't mess around with special plugs and wires. Just install normal outlets the same as in your house, but to a specific locations suitable for the lights.

There is a lot of discussion throughout these forums about sub panels, but they aren't needed unless you are out of space in your main panel. Its just extra expense otherwise.

ms

[hutchijw]

I have a Square D main breaker (150A enterance) that I installed a double pole 60A in and ran 2 AWG 4 conductor wire to my subpanel ( http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6406369 ) My sub panel is made of 6 20A breakers - 3 on each side. I have 2 hots, 1 neutral and 1 ground comming from my main in to my sub. Do not use a bonding strap on the sub panel. PM me for more pics or questions

[hutchijw]

There is a lot of discussion throughout these forums about sub panels, but they aren't needed unless you are out of space in your main panel. Its just extra expense otherwise.

ms

I would agree. If you have space in your main to add 4 or 6 15 or 20 breakers, do it. Extension cords area alot cheaper than 2 AWG cable

[ben]

There is a lot of discussion throughout these forums about sub panels, but they aren't needed unless you are out of space in your main panel. Its just extra expense otherwise.

ms

I would agree. If you have space in your main to add 4 or 6 15 or 20 breakers, do it. Extension cords area alot cheaper than 2 AWG cable

That is the thing. I only have 3 more slots. I did notice my AC runs off of a 50A 240V. I am thinking of putting in a 30A 240V for a subpanel (I want t panel not breakers) since the AC is not ran during my Xmas season.

Ben

[hutchijw]

For your subpanel, Are you planning on putting 4 15 amp breakers in it? DO you have a sub panel picked out already and is it a preloaded sub?

[ben]

For your subpanel, Are you planning on putting 4 15 amp breakers in it? DO you have a sub panel picked out already and is it a preloaded sub?

I am more than likely going to get one from Home Depot. I am planning on getting a 100A one even if I just go with 30A 240V(prolly do 50A or 60 if I can get away with it). Some odf them come with 2 20A or a couple 15A. I would like to have all 25A circuits. if I did my calcs right, .33A for 100mini bulbs, 3 strings per channels = .99A. .99A x 4 (4 channels per SSR) = 3.96A. 3.96A x 5= 19.8 A. That is if I have all channels on though. If i have 25A breakers I can get 5 in a 100A panel.

Does this sound right? That means I can control 30,000 mini bulbs

Ben

[Zane]

Your safest bet would be to have your paps get someone to install a 200 amp service. Then you know for sure that you wont trip anything. We should have done that but we didn't and are pushing it with drawing 80 amps with all the lights on....

with just the dryer on and normal pull, all the lights dim with the xmas lights flash...

[Macrosill]

I am a firm believer in "If you are not 100% sure of what you are doing with electric then get a Licensed Electrician". Electric is bifferent than any other trade out there. If you have a plumbing leak things get wet. If you put a window in wrong it will not open properly. If you mess up the electrical installation you can kill people, yourself included and/or burn down your house in the process. See electricity is a tough medium to work with, you can not see it or heafr it until it is too late. You will never know there is a "leak" from missing insulation or an improper installation until something goes wrong and then it may be too late. This is especially true when you are working with larger capacity circuits.

If you need help changing an outlet or something simple then I would be willing to help explain it. I feel no one except an experienced electrician has any business inside a panel. There are conductors in there that are not protected by a breaker. They come straight in from the utility company and their only protection is the transformer on the pole. You do not want to see what happens if you short one of those conductors, I have seen it.

I nor this board condones untrained persons doing electrical installations. Any information you may receive here is for informational purposes only and has not been check for accuracy. If you use any of the information contained herein you do so at your own risk.

[shocker]

I agree 100% with Macrosill

[ben]

so what does it cost to get a seperate 200A supply put in? Can I just get a 100A 240V supply in? or is there some minimum. Also, is it "bad/illegal" to put a subpanel underneath the house?

Ben