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Needs to be convenient to work on. Top of panel should not be higher than eye level unless it is a very large panel. Try to keep the top of the panel at about 65 to 70 inches.
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In the United States, the NEC requires that an overcurrent device be installed not higher than 6 feet 7 inches. It's important to remember that when you are looking into a panel, you might not have good lighting and you want to be able to see what you're working with. Placing the panel so that working with branch circuits is comfortable without violating the code is preferable IMO.
I'm not writing to disagree with Dave. You will find many panels mounted 65 to 70 inches high. Sometimes, especially in a home, you don't have the room to bring the service conductors into the home and into the panel and mount it higher than that. But it is nice to walk up to a panel and with good light or a flashlight, be able to give the whole thing a good look. ========== Sparkfighter
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SteveUsually it is 5ft 6in eye level but no higher then 6ft
The NEC requires that breakers never be mounted higher than 6 feet 7 inches. Note that this is the highest placement for the BREAKER.
It is my opinion that panels are often mounted too low. Most of the work in a panel happens below the main breaker so it is my opinion that panels should be mounted so most people can look straight into them.
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What wire size do you need for a 125 amp panel with a 100 amp main breaker?
A #3 copper conductor with an insulation factor of 90 degrees C is rated at 115 amps. Even though the panel is rated at a higher amperage it is the main breaker that governs the wire size.
What should you do if your 200A breaker panel is full and you need to add three forty amp two pole singal throw breakers?
First you need to determine if addition of the new breakers will exceed the 200A service under normal operating conditions. If so you will need to go to power company and increase service and put in a larger main panel. If you have the capacity for the extra current you can add a sub-panel and add the breakers there as well as the breakers you will remove from main panel to accommodate the sub-panel breaker. Another way depends on what breakers are in current panel. There are some breakers that can be duplexed in the same space as a single breaker.
Do you need a main disconnect on the feeder wires running to a detached garage running from the box in the house?
Yes you do. The detached garage will either be fed with a single circuit or a sub panel. The wire feeding the garage will need to be protected and that is the purpose of the breaker (disconnect). The breaker size will be determined by the size of the wire that is used on this circuit.
How do you connect 200amp from main panel to sub panel to the lug of the min panel to lug of sub panel?
Not exactly sure what your question is and you need to make sure you are in compliance with electrical code for your jurisdiction. But, generally speaking you install a large breaker (let's say 100A 2 pole breaker to power the sub panel) just as you would install any other breaker in the presently used (hot) panel, and the proper sized cable then goes from old to new and terminates on the main lugs of the new panel. Ground and neutral are usually isolated from each other in the sub panel but depends on other factors as to location of the sub panel, etc.
Have existing a 125 amp main need more breakers spaces?
You can swap a single breaker for two mini breakers or you can add a sub-panel. If you only need a couple of extra circuits then just add mini-breakers.
