How do you add another electrical panel to a service?

Answer 1

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz power supply service.Asking this type of question usually means you aren't ready to do this yourself.

If you get any detailed "how to do this " answer here, you might attempt to do something you shouldn't be doing, and that may cost someone a shock, a home fire, or their life.

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You should hire an electrician to do a job like this.

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DO NOT FOLLOW THESE STEPS AS THE SERVICE WILL NEVER BE PASSED BY AN ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR.

One glaring fault is the wire size. A #4 copper conductor with an insulation factor of 75 or 90 degrees C is only rated at 85 amps.

A 3/0 copper conductor with an insulation factor of 75 or 90 degrees C is rated at 200 and 210 amps respectively.

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STEP 1

You should make sure that the meter can you purchase is equipped with a horn bypass. Then fasten the meter can with #10 stainless steel screws to your house at eye level and where it is easily accessible from the street. Most utility companies require that they first approve the location.

STEP 2

Then, depending on whether you are using #4 service entrance cable or regular 4 otu cabl,e the steps differ: with #4 service entrance cable you would simply insert about 2 feet of wire with a rubber bushing and fitting made for electric service that mount ether on meter hub or on meter can directly. Then run cable up 15 ft or to previous electric service height and strip 3 feet of the wire and mount weather head your local utility will make the final connection to the power lines. Important do not cut off excess

With regular 4 otu wire you will have to assemble a mast. Note if mounted through the soffit and roof the conduit must be rigid. You most first mount the meter hub to the meter can. Then with a threaded 2 inch fitting attach conduit to the meter hub until you reach 12ft or previous electrical service height. Then feed wire up through conduit till there is three feet hanging out the top and cut the wire with hack saw or bolt cutters so there is two foot left at the bottom. Strip the 3 ft at the top and install weather head.

STEP 3

Then strip the bottom two feet hanging out of meter can and wire up to the lugs the plain aluminum wire or the one that's just black goes to the center lug and the other two go to the other top lugs.

STEP 4

Then run the amount of cable out that is required to reach the panel box. Running ether through the conduit or through a hole conduit looks much better and hook up the same way in the meeter box. Note if you have to go below ground you must have it in conduit and a slider tube must be installed. Make sure to leave your self excess wire always. Note you must use anti corrosive grease on all connections in meter can.

STEP 5

Install with hammer two ground rods into ground near meter can approx 1ft from house and 6 ft apart from each other. Then run #6 braided copper wire starting at one ground rod and going around the other and back to the first one and then through to the panel box. Note make sure to use a ground rod clamp to secure wire on each one make sure you put them on when you start to run the wire when you run the wire back through to the first rod makes sure you go back through the ground rod clamp tap clamps on with hammer.

Wire to panel box inserting with a romex connector through knock out into ground bar and tighten lug.

Check with local electrical inspector to see if the ground wire must also be hooked to water and gas.

STEP 6

Wire 4 otu wire into panel box keeping in mind that the center bar is for the bare aluminum wire or the plain black and the other lugs are for the two hots Note it does not hurt to use the anti corrosive grease here either especially if located in a damp basement.

STEP 7

Call and get an electrical inspection

It is important to do this as most utility companies will not hook up to it until it has been inspected. Also, if the new panel and circuits were put into regular use without first getting the proper inspection done - and having an official inspection certificate issued - if your house ever caught on fire, it could be deemed to be your own fault and your home insurance would not cover the cost of repairs.

This kind of electrical work should most definitely be done only by a licensed electrical contractor.

Full knowledge of the electrical code for wire sizing, placement, height, etc. is all mandatory. This type of work must not be done without a proper permit followed by full inspection.

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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the power

at the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work

AND

always use an electrician's test meter having metal-tipped probes

(not a simple proximity voltage indicator)

to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

Answer 2

To add another electrical panel to a service, you would need to first determine if your current service can handle the additional load. If it can, you would then need to install a new panel at the desired location with the help of a licensed electrician. The new panel would then need to be properly connected to the existing service by running a new electrical feeder line.

Answer 3

This is complicated and dangerous work. You must know what you are doing to accomplish this in a way that meets applicable codes. You need to size the panel and loads properly based on the service to your house and existing panel.

1. Basically, you have to install the new panel in its intended location.

2. Run new or existing branch circuits to the new panel.

3. Make all splices to extend circuits in an approved manner in a junction box.

4. Install a breaker in original panel that is sized for your secondary panel.

5. Run a wire between panels that is sized for the breaker and new panel.

6. install breakers in new panel sized to wires and allocated as to load factors.

7. Make sure at new panel that Ground and Neutral are NOT bonded together (This happens only at main panel).

8. With breaker controlling new panel OFF, Connect new and old panels.

Answer 4

Contact a qualified electrician.

Answer 5

Carefully.

Answer 6

I think the question is not HOW DO I PUT PANELS IN SERIES...but how to SPLIT the incoming power between two panels.

In my case, I have a 100 amp panel and a 60 amp subpanel (subpanel uses fuses). I want to turn the subpanel into a 100 amp parallel panel.

Ameren Electric states ALL houses in STL have 200 amp service to the building.

So I was wondering how you split the service BEFORE the main home panel. Run the wire to the 2nd panel. Relieving pressure on the 100amp panel while saving about $1500 to $2500 for replacing and moving everything on the current main panel.

I have three different houses I want to do this on. Suddenly having 2 parallel panels from the same feed saves a boatload of money and makes future upgrades cost effective... The only downside is one might have to have the Utility "roll up" the power to the house while the electrician is splitting the panel (he can install the new panel, and have everything ready to connect to power, before utility takes power down). Once everything is done and inspected except connecting it to Ameren.... now he connects it and has final inspection....saving thousands and making future upgrades cost effective.

For instance, if you ever need to upgrade to a 400 amp service for a pool and jacuzzi or a high draw shop. You would just need to add ANOTHER 200 amp panel...rather than an expensive redo...