16
votes
Accepted
Generator breaker trips when hooked up for backfeed
That the breaker on the generator trips as soon as you turn it on, while the 50 amp backfeed breaker is off, means that you have a short in the wires leading from the generator to the backfeed breaker....
- 12.1k
12
votes
range has lost one leg of 220
Your range uses 240 Volts at 50 Amps. (BTW you would not add the amps, you'd add the volts, so it's 240V at 50A, not 120V at 100A.) The 240V comes on two legs of 120V (called "split phase"). ...
- 12.1k
10
votes
Accepted
Is it normal to see stacked single switches instead of three in a three-gang box?
Have never worked in Dallas but have worked in hundreds of subdivisions in other states and have never seen this. Nothing wrong with it, just looks weird. What I have seen is three switch combo units ...
- 86.2k
9
votes
Sub panel location question
Electrical code often dictates the amount of clearance around a panel or sub-panel, and also dictates heights above the floor. So first you'd need to check your local electrical code to see what is ...
- 5,450
9
votes
Is there a limit below a panel's rating for bonding neutrals and grounds?
Simply tacking the 50A neutral & ground onto a threaded hole in the panel box is not good. It is very unlikely that the panel's instructions on the label allow this, meaning that code (assuming ...
- 12.1k
8
votes
Does an NEC load calculation overage mandate a service upgrade?
You'll have to give them a call and discuss it with them. To be careful of the upsell though. That form already does some rounding it looks like the recommendation is 200A service.
There are a few ...
- 13.5k
7
votes
Accepted
How can I properly ground my service disconnect panel?
There are two separate issues here:
Where should the ground wire originate from in your electrical system?
Generally speaking, this traditionally has been "first thing past the meter." ...
7
votes
Drill a hole into fiber cement siding
I’m trying to drill a small hole into the fiber cement siding on the outside to route wiring from the panel shown here to the garage right behind the wall.
After your clarification in comments, then ...
7
votes
Accepted
Is there a limit below a panel's rating for bonding neutrals and grounds?
Can't say for sure without seeing the panel, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if your neutral and ground bars are being used in a less than optimal way.
Check the instruction label for your panel. ...
7
votes
Drill a hole into fiber cement siding
Can now be certain from the additional pictures, that this is a meter-main panel, so there are already cables or conduits running through the wall to the inside that come out of its back, and don't ...
- 226k
7
votes
Need help troubleshooting a short circuit (radiant heating)
It's common for the thermostat transformer to be on the same circuit as the boiler (or other heat source) and often it's physically bolted to that device, inside or out depending on design; or to the ...
- 226k
6
votes
Drill a hole into fiber cement siding
Well, since you're working in the immediate vicinity of high current, unfused wiring it would be prudent to be very aware of what your drill bit will encounter. A stud finder isn't really the answer. ...
- 149k
5
votes
208V/120V: What phase is my electric panel? 240V Circuit for Electric Hot-water Heater
However, I believe due to the electronic intricacies of these features, I am not able to have it installed with my 208V/120V supply. I noticed in the online manual it only indicated 240V with 25A or ...
- 7,115
5
votes
Need help troubleshooting a short circuit (radiant heating)
Look for a zone valve control box. Some models of zone control have their own built-in 24V transformer, a master fuse and separate fuses for each zone. Look for a blown fuse. The box may look ...
- 12.8k
4
votes
How can I properly ground my service disconnect panel?
Currently the NEC requires a disconnect outside the building. It must be labeled Suitable For Use As Service Equipment. If it is marked Suitable For Use As Service Equipment Only then it must be your ...
- 19.7k
4
votes
Sub panel location question
There is a rule for panels (whether main panel or subpanel) that they need a clearance in front of 30" wide x 36" deep. The catch here is that you have a window sticking out an inch or two ...
4
votes
Is there a safety concern using a 20 Amp circuit for a heater drawing 8.3 Amps?
There are three reasons to consider installing a larger than needed circuit:
Voltage Drop - This is simply not a factor at 50 feet. Generally not a factor with 240V circuits until a couple hundred ...
4
votes
208V/120V: What phase is my electric panel? 240V Circuit for Electric Hot-water Heater
The words for what you have are network service
In densely built areas, utilities often use a secondary network service system that allows them to put all the transformers in an area effectively in ...
- 86k
3
votes
Should I clean my breakers after a scented oil spill?
I wouldn't recommend removing the breakers and cleaning them off unless you're familar with working on the inside of the panel. Even though you turn off the main breaker in the panel, there is still ...
- 86.2k
3
votes
208V/120V: What phase is my electric panel? 240V Circuit for Electric Hot-water Heater
TL;DR 208V vs. 240V = no big deal
US residential electric service is typically supplied as 240V with a center tap. So 240V between the ends and 120V between each end and the middle, with the middle ...
3
votes
Is it normal to see stacked single switches instead of three in a three-gang box?
A triple-switch is the most compact solution. However, the builder (or more likely, the electrical subcontractor) might be concerned about:
Box Fill - There is a limit to how many wires/cables and ...
3
votes
No power on two left switches on 4 gang box after a short-circuit
You have one or more of:
Connection that came apart due to the short
Switch that "fried" due to the short
Something miswired - i.e., that had not been tested prior to the short so that they ...
2
votes
Updating Electric Service to a 100yr+ old house
I have 120V/30A service in my winter cottage. It's surprisingly usable... Are you sure it needs "correcting"? Although EV charging isn't going to happen beyond level 1, and that can be a ...
2
votes
Drill a hole into fiber cement siding
First. I worked with an electrician for many years. I have almost 40 years of contracting experience. That service panel is 200 amps. You should never be attempting a DIY project with that amount of ...
- 45
2
votes
208V/120V: What phase is my electric panel? 240V Circuit for Electric Hot-water Heater
At the source of power it is 3 phase, but when you have only two of those legs your appliances only see single phase.
Looks like a straight resistive tank, so at 240v 5500w what you have is a +/- 10.4 ...
- 19.7k
2
votes
Will in-panel whole house surge protector serve parallel main panel?
The instruction manual for my Siemens FS140 wire-in whole-house surge protector said to keep the wires to the breaker as short as possible.
From this I deduce that the average surge protector will ...
- 12.1k
2
votes
Accepted
Main panel busbar rating older square D- pertaining to solar install
When you install a battery and/or V2X system, a new piece of hardware will need to be installed called a MID, which goes between "the meter" and "all your breakers you want on battery ...
2
votes
Accepted
Is it enough space to install double-pole circuit breaker?
You have a 30 space panel with 3 spaces (one on the left, two on the right) open, so you can install a single breaker on the left or a double-breaker on the right.
However, main shutoff is a real ...
2
votes
Portable battery power stations for critical loads without backfeeding the grid
Most inverters do not like being backfed themselves. Which mean that connecting the output of the powerstation to the grid is more likely going to either damage the power station or trigger an ...
- 13.5k
2
votes
Updating Electric Service to a 100yr+ old house
Out of sequence
Unfortunately, your proposal, while not a violation of the NEC, will not pass inspection nonetheless. Why? Well, since we're dealing with metering here, the utility gets a say as well ...
- 86k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible