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∙ 8y agoA #3 copper conductor with an insulation factor of 75 or 90 degrees C is rated at 100 and 105 amps respectively. If your distribution panel is rated at 100% instead of the normal 80% capacity for full load then you will need to upgrade to a larger wire size. A #1 copper conductor with an insulation factor of 75 or 90 degrees C is rated at 130 and 140 amps respectively. Conductors are only allowed to be loaded to 80%, so 130 x 80% = 104 amps. Like wise 140 x 80% = 112 amps.
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∙ 8y agoWiki User
∙ 10y agoA #3 copper wire with an insulation rating of 75 or 90 degrees C is rated at 100 and 110 amps consecutively.
The biggest circuit breaker in any home is the main breaker located in your main breaker panel that is installed where your electrical service cable comes into your home.
You have two options, one is a complete service change. The average house service these days is 200 amps 42 circuits. The second option is to install a sub panel off the existing service. Depending on how many circuits you need will govern the size the sub panel. Here is where it gets tricky. Two side by side single pole breakers or one two pole breaker will have to be removed from the original service panel and replaced with a new two pole breaker. The size of this breaker will be governed by the total load of the new sub panel. The wire from the new sub panel to the two pole breaker is also governed by the load of the sub panel. As an electrician I would recommend that you not do it yourself but get a qualified electrician to do it for you. He would (should) take a permit out for the job and get it inspected.
In North America the smallest size breaker found in a home distribution panel is rated at 15 amps
The main breaker will have marking indicating size of electrical service, or if it is a fuse system....the fuses will have current ratings. If it is a subpanel, it might not have a main breaker. In this case you would have to look in the panel that the feed is coming from and find the size of the breaker that is feeding it. In either case you must look for the manufacturer's label that will have the maximum current the panel can handle, make sure the breaker feeding the panel doesn't exceed this rating.
It is not in parallel. You put a breaker in existing panel and use that to feed the subpanel. The Amperage of this subfeed breaker should match the rating of the new panel. For example a 100A breaker might be typical. Remember that ground and neutral are only "bonded" at the main panel. Usually a subpanel has a means to separate the neutral and ground in a subpanel. Be careful since everything about doing this is dangerous.Another AnswerYes, you can have two breaker panels in parallel. If you had a 100 amp panel on a 200 amp service (or increase the size of the service, check with your power company on the size of your service, you could add a second 100 amp panel in parallel with the first. You can have up to 6 disconnects per service, but they must be located adjacent to each other or in the same enclosure. So either install the second panel beside the first or a 100 amp disconnect beside the first panel and feed out of the disconnect to the new panel located where you need it.
50 amps
50 amps
The biggest circuit breaker in any home is the main breaker located in your main breaker panel that is installed where your electrical service cable comes into your home.
You have two options, one is a complete service change. The average house service these days is 200 amps 42 circuits. The second option is to install a sub panel off the existing service. Depending on how many circuits you need will govern the size the sub panel. Here is where it gets tricky. Two side by side single pole breakers or one two pole breaker will have to be removed from the original service panel and replaced with a new two pole breaker. The size of this breaker will be governed by the total load of the new sub panel. The wire from the new sub panel to the two pole breaker is also governed by the load of the sub panel. As an electrician I would recommend that you not do it yourself but get a qualified electrician to do it for you. He would (should) take a permit out for the job and get it inspected.
Assuming you are referring to a 240 volt residential hot water heater you will need to install 10/2 NM cable (Romex) with ground from the service panel to the water heater wired to a 30 amp circuit breaker in the service panel. If you cannot see the water heater from the service panel you will need to install a service disconnect at the water heater.
Look on the handle end of the main breaker. There should be a number there. That is the amperage of the main breaker. That is the size of your house service.
Look on the handle end of the main breaker. There should be a number there. That is the amperage of the main breaker. That is the size of your house service.
In North America the smallest size breaker found in a home distribution panel is rated at 15 amps
The main breaker will have marking indicating size of electrical service, or if it is a fuse system....the fuses will have current ratings. If it is a subpanel, it might not have a main breaker. In this case you would have to look in the panel that the feed is coming from and find the size of the breaker that is feeding it. In either case you must look for the manufacturer's label that will have the maximum current the panel can handle, make sure the breaker feeding the panel doesn't exceed this rating.
A 100-A sub-panel would be fed from a 100-A breaker.
It is not in parallel. You put a breaker in existing panel and use that to feed the subpanel. The Amperage of this subfeed breaker should match the rating of the new panel. For example a 100A breaker might be typical. Remember that ground and neutral are only "bonded" at the main panel. Usually a subpanel has a means to separate the neutral and ground in a subpanel. Be careful since everything about doing this is dangerous.Another AnswerYes, you can have two breaker panels in parallel. If you had a 100 amp panel on a 200 amp service (or increase the size of the service, check with your power company on the size of your service, you could add a second 100 amp panel in parallel with the first. You can have up to 6 disconnects per service, but they must be located adjacent to each other or in the same enclosure. So either install the second panel beside the first or a 100 amp disconnect beside the first panel and feed out of the disconnect to the new panel located where you need it.
Branch circuits are protected by the circuit breaker found in the electrical panel. Each circuit should have its one breaker. The breaker should be rated to protect the insulation of the wire, so you can determine the breaker size based on the circuit conductor size Example #14-2 should be protected by a 15 amp breaker