ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Service Panels

Elzappr:

When my 200 amp service was installed, the electrician extended the old conductors via twist-on connectors inside the CB panel.

You mentioned using j-boxes. How many cables do you bring into a single j-box? (I mean, can you use one j-box for more than one circuit since you are splicing and not connecting devices?)

Does the NEC permit splicing inside of the breaker panel for existing circuits?

How many cables in a box is dependent on box cubic inches and conductor size.

Yes you can make splices in Panels.

iwire:

To clarify, with the box-fill limits in mind, is it OK to have separate branch cicuit wiring in the same j-box, as the box is being used for splicing only? I would guess that the grounds should all be connected together?

Yes you can have 1 or more circuits in the same JB this happens a lot Yes all grounds together and to box also, keep neutrals seperate.

A typical 4" x 1 1/4" square can handle with out a device, 8 #12 conductors, all the grounds count as 1 so 3 12/2 RX is all that can fit (3 Hots + 3 Neutrals + 1 ground = 7). Devices, Clamps and fixture studs all take away from this.

All we use is 4" x 2 1/8" square box this box can handle 13 #12s = to 6 12/2s

OK, thanks.

I recall the discussion about neutrals from separate branch circuits

As to new service feed -- doesn't the POCO make an inspection before any upgrade to determine if the feed can handle it?

Do the words "if it ain't broke don't fix it" answer that.

I worked in the Boston, Charlestown Brookline area during the eighties and did a lot of services 400 to 1000 amp and I can not think of many times the power company changed their feeder. Obviously these services must not draw what they are rated at, but if it was a full remodel we would usually change the heating to electric baseboard so the load went up.

Things may be different now.
Bob

I am going to put in a new service at my house when the weather breaks going from 100amp to 200amp and sort out some of the ckts more, The wiring is ok i have been all over the attic this week since i am putting in a new bathroom and had to run all new wiring, but i do have alot of splices that are either in a box or not and most box don't have covers. When the weather breaks this will all change. Hell my tv shut off the other day and i found out that a receptacle in the living room is all so on the same line as the washer. that has since been changed since the washer is now in the bathroom. I have alot of stuff were they just spliced off of what ever was closest to them at the time over the years and iam going to change all that.

Still confused! The wires that are presently in the old fuse panel. Can we run them to breakers, or do we have to splice each wire, then run them?

If the wires are long enough and the insulation is in good condition, connect them to the breakers/busses.

foca se: yes you can connect the wire to new breaker box. genreally new breaker box are larger than old fuse box and make sure the wire are good shape when connect to new breaker box. make sure have proper size breaker to accoring to wire size 14 ga = 15 amps breaker 12 ga wires = 20 amp or can use 15 if long run(length of wire) and make sure use the nec and local codes and keep it very neat and mark all the wires down so make it easier to indefity it later date if still confused or have more question just post it here we will try to steer you straght

merci marc