dannieboiz
Active member
what's the quickest way to find out the circuit rating of my home?
My home circuit trips with new setup.
- Thread starter dannieboiz
- Start date
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Simply look at the size of the breaker installed in the service panel for the circuit you are having trouble with. It will either have a 15 or 20 stamped or painted on the handle.
If it is a 15 it can not likely be upgraded to a 20, to do so you would need to verify that all of the wire associated with that circuit was #12 gauge or larger. This would be hard if not impossible to do from the sounds of your finsihed setup.
If it is a 15 it can not likely be upgraded to a 20, to do so you would need to verify that all of the wire associated with that circuit was #12 gauge or larger. This would be hard if not impossible to do from the sounds of your finsihed setup.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
If the breaker is a 20 amp breaker, that is the maximum size that can be installed for such a residential wiring branch circuit. Any luch with the kill-a-watt yet?
dannieboiz
Active member
I don't have a meter to test how much current it's drawing yet. I'm gonna see if I can find one at work to bring it home.
cannarella
New member
Dannie, can you sketch up a quick floor plan with plug locations and circuit pannel location? Maybe some of us can look at it from a different pioint of view and help come up with some ideas.
Andy
Andy
douggiestyle
New member
bean,
550 amps off your service? is that a standard sevice line?
who are you working for? curious because ive been in the new home buisness for about 20 years.
550 amps off your service? is that a standard sevice line?
who are you working for? curious because ive been in the new home buisness for about 20 years.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
I have a 200A service drop from the pole.
The 200A panel is the main panel, the rest are sub-panels. I am sure you already know this, but the service drop and capacity are sized using load calculation. The total amperage of the panels (or breakers in them) has nothing to do with the total ampacity of the service.
If you add up the Ampacity of all of the breakers in your main panel, the likely far excede the main breaker rating, the meter socket rating and in many cases the service drop rating.
For example, my main panel holds 40 breakers. It is a 200A panel, even at 10A per breaker the total ampacity of the branch circuits would excede 400A.
Lets assume the average American home has a 100A service panel and meter socket. The electric range has a 50A breaker, the AC unit has a 40A breaker and the dryer has a 30A breaker. Thats already 120A and we have not even looked at branch circuits for any area of the house.
The same goes for a bussiness. It is not uncommon to hang numerous 100A or 200A panels off of 200A worth of switch gear. the extra panels simply provide convenient locations for wiring additions or "grouping" of circuits by function, location or type.
Each sub-panel is limited by it's upstream feeder breaker, and those in turn are limited by their upstream feeders or the main service breaker.
I would say my average current draw is well less than 50A at any given point of time. Of course with the oven, AC, and welder or other shop stuff running, the consumption surely goes up (but still nowhere near 200A).
I don't understand the question about "who I work for", or rather the context in which it was asked. I have built a complete house or two, several additions and countless remodels but am not (nor ever was) a building contractor.
The 200A panel is the main panel, the rest are sub-panels. I am sure you already know this, but the service drop and capacity are sized using load calculation. The total amperage of the panels (or breakers in them) has nothing to do with the total ampacity of the service.
If you add up the Ampacity of all of the breakers in your main panel, the likely far excede the main breaker rating, the meter socket rating and in many cases the service drop rating.
For example, my main panel holds 40 breakers. It is a 200A panel, even at 10A per breaker the total ampacity of the branch circuits would excede 400A.
Lets assume the average American home has a 100A service panel and meter socket. The electric range has a 50A breaker, the AC unit has a 40A breaker and the dryer has a 30A breaker. Thats already 120A and we have not even looked at branch circuits for any area of the house.
The same goes for a bussiness. It is not uncommon to hang numerous 100A or 200A panels off of 200A worth of switch gear. the extra panels simply provide convenient locations for wiring additions or "grouping" of circuits by function, location or type.
Each sub-panel is limited by it's upstream feeder breaker, and those in turn are limited by their upstream feeders or the main service breaker.
I would say my average current draw is well less than 50A at any given point of time. Of course with the oven, AC, and welder or other shop stuff running, the consumption surely goes up (but still nowhere near 200A).
I don't understand the question about "who I work for", or rather the context in which it was asked. I have built a complete house or two, several additions and countless remodels but am not (nor ever was) a building contractor.
douggiestyle
New member
no that was it. i thought maybe you where doing contract work. i know a large electrical contractor in pittsburgh. as well as numerous builders. cripe i was at 4 sites today. was tempted to check the breakers, i didnt. but learned something new about arc sensing breakers.
thats what i thought 200a service. never considered the total amps of breakers in the box but yeah your right the total must exceed 200 amps in my 100 amp box. just assumed that with 200 amp service your max would be 200amp box. and all those with larger or multiple boxes had a larger main.
thats what i thought 200a service. never considered the total amps of breakers in the box but yeah your right the total must exceed 200 amps in my 100 amp box. just assumed that with 200 amp service your max would be 200amp box. and all those with larger or multiple boxes had a larger main.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Father in law and brother in law worked for a huge outfit (now defunct) but wired prisons, steel mills and that kinda thing. Honestly, I have more exposure to underground coal mine electrical systems than I do commercial switch gear. MSHA guidlines are much stricter than the NEC with regards to just about every aspect of electricity and equipment, not to mention just about everything is 3-phase.
Bean
Bean
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Sam could you please excuse yourself from this thread. In all honesty, you have not contributed a single thing here and continue to show your lack of comprehension reagarding what I have said or what the reality of electrical wiring systems in this country are. Facts are facts Sam, 20A branch circuits in residential wiring are a rare thing. I was not incorrect then, nor am I now.
If you have followed this thread and read it for context, you would have noticed that we have moved way beyond this part of the conversation. If you wish to debate the nationwide demographics of homes with 15A or 20A general recepticle circuits, please start another thread.
I am not mad, rather I am astounded at how childish and confused you are acting. YOU HAVE YET TO SAY ANYTHING RELEVANT TO THIS THREAD. You have not even said anything intillegent, instead you sound like a broken record or a child who wants the adults in the room to pay attention. I am sure you are capable of something more adult.
I surely can not force you back under the bridge from which you are trolling, but it does not hurt to ask you to contribute useful information or leave the rest of us alone.
Have a nice afternoon.
If you have followed this thread and read it for context, you would have noticed that we have moved way beyond this part of the conversation. If you wish to debate the nationwide demographics of homes with 15A or 20A general recepticle circuits, please start another thread.
I am not mad, rather I am astounded at how childish and confused you are acting. YOU HAVE YET TO SAY ANYTHING RELEVANT TO THIS THREAD. You have not even said anything intillegent, instead you sound like a broken record or a child who wants the adults in the room to pay attention. I am sure you are capable of something more adult.
I surely can not force you back under the bridge from which you are trolling, but it does not hurt to ask you to contribute useful information or leave the rest of us alone.
Have a nice afternoon.
are you able to run the wires thru the attic, you should be able to drill thru the top plate (pull back the insulation, you will see the 2x4 ( that is the top of your wall, then measure off a corner to find the bay your wires are in, or just jiggle them you will here em moving, then at the panel do the same, its very easy to do, if you dont like the insulation "itchyness" wear a long sleeved shirt, and long pants, it wont take long to do, then once its done, its done!, no more tripping breakers.
good luck.
good luck.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
jer his tank is on the slab and the house is two story. It would be a two story fish if the walls line up and still require at least one hole to be cut in the drywall to drill the 1st floor plate. A hard fish for a novice that does not know the tricks and secrets some of us do.
dannieboiz
Active member
Ok per your request, here's the floor plan. Red circles are the outlets, the pinkish circle is the outlet i"m using
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
Getting a new circuit into that room should not be that much of a problem. Are the garage walls finished? You could fish through the stairway area with very little drywal damage.
dannieboiz
Active member
yes garage is finished with lots of cabinets and storage...and would be days before I can clean out the cabinets
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
However, it is not htat much of an eyesore to put surface mount conduit in the garage. Do you have any firneds who are handy enough to help you? Between a few bright people (one has to know how to run a new circuit) you could get the job done DIY.
If there is any doubt about, it should be hired out. The extension cord option is still available, but not the best idea in the world.
This all again depends on the amount of current you are drawing since you moved the fridge to another circuit.
Did you ever determine if it is a 15A or 20A breaker?
If there is any doubt about, it should be hired out. The extension cord option is still available, but not the best idea in the world.
This all again depends on the amount of current you are drawing since you moved the fridge to another circuit.
Did you ever determine if it is a 15A or 20A breaker?
cannarella
New member
Like Bean said, you could fish through the stairs or go strait through the left wall of the garage to the outside and come in through the back wall behind the tank. It could be done without being noticed in that inside corner. I believe that surface mount conduit from the breaker to either outside or the stairs is where you would want to start.
Andy
Andy
Similar threads
