Breaker Panel Replacement

Breaker Panel Replacement Guide

An electrical circuit breaker panel is the main distribution of electrical circuits in your home. The system receives and distributes electricity through your home, and without the proper knowledge, you could end up in a dangerous situation if you tried to work on it.

How Does a Breaker Box Work?

The breaker panel is essentially a big switch filled with other smaller switches. The smaller switchers — breakers — control the power in all aspects of the building. They’re similar to the switches inside a living room. Flip with the switch on the wall, and you’ve got power and vice versa. As an added feature, these breakers perform a variety of safety services. They protect the wiring from overload, your home, and its occupants from fire and electrical shock.

Explaining the Aspects of a Breaker Box

Circuit Breakers

Each circuit within your home has a corresponding breaker. The corresponding breaker in the box not only controls whether electricity is on or off but, if there is an overload on a circuit, the connected breaker automatically shuts off to stop the flow of electricity to that circuit. An overload of electricity can occur from too many appliances running at once or a short circuit.

There are two main types of standard breakers:

Single Pole – These are single switches which supply 120 volts of power to all circuits within the home. Devices controlled by these breakers are light fixtures and ordinary plug-in outlets.
Double Pole – Double pole switches supply around 240 volts of power within a household. This supply of power controls heavy appliances such as clothes dryers and whole-house central air conditioning.

Other types of breakers, such as Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), provide special purposes like additional safety protection from fire and electrocution.

Service Disconnect

In case of an emergency, the breaker box allows you to shut off the electricity to your entire home by flipping the service disconnect. The service disconnect is the biggest breaker in the box and is sometimes referred to as the “electrical main.” This is where the power from the electric company flows into the box, starting from the main circuit before flowing through the rest.

Expansion Slots

Many breaker boxes have empty slots for additional circuits to be added as needed by a licensed electrician. New circuits run electricity to new appliances in your home or a room such as the garage or basement if required.

The Lifespan of a Circuit Breaker

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates the life expectancy of a circuit breaker to be around 30 to 40 years, and it’s the same for the GFCI, AFCI, and standard breakers. Because a breaker is a mechanical device, humid conditions or corrosive atmospheres will shorten the life span. On the other hand, a dry, indoor location with moderate temperatures will extend its lifespan. Another way to extend the lifespan of a breaker box is to “exercise” it once a year by flipping each breaker on and off three times.

Breaker boxes provide power for your comfort and convenience. Maintenance and constant attention ensures the breaker box runs efficiently. HOuse Call Company can answer any questions and service all of your residential needs

Panel Proposal & Replacement Guide

All Panel Projects

1 full year labor warranty.

Lifetime workmanship warranty (with Peace of Mind Program)

Removal and disposal of debris from job-site

Recycling of all possible materials (protect the environment)

Daily clean up

Certified & Trained Personnel

Use of drop cloths to protect home

Permit & License Fees

Post QA inspection

Scope of Project

Disconnect power to entire home.

Secure meter

Provide and install main panel disconnect (if required)

Install new meter base as required if upgrading from a lower amperage rating.

Disconnect all existing circuits and mark the same as currently designated

Remove existing panel

Install new panel (include charges for relocation as needed)

Provide and install required grounding wire and rods (two required for code)

Route existing wires into new panel with appropriate connectors and strain relief.

Install new breakers for items as per original (include charges for upgrades for GFCI & AFCI)

Provide required color coordination for wires designated for power, neutral, and ground

Label circuit designations as per original panel

Video to remove meter base

Steps:

Walk through the entire project with the client, confirm their expectations: how long will the home be without power, what cutting of walls will be required, circuits to be labeled just like they are, what will happen for inspections, what will happen with power company, what will be different about the home, will there be a whole house main disconnect…DON’T LEAVE IT TO CHANCE...go over everything...including PAYMENT TODAY. Call the office right away if there is any part of the project that isn’t the same on your “assignment” as what the client is expecting.
Verify the breakers you have are what is required based on what is currently on site, also verify if GFCI breakers are needed and AFCI breakers for bedrooms are needed.
Most of the time you will have to install an additional ground rod (most homes still have just one, and code now requires two ground rods six feet apart. CALL MISS UTILITY to make sure you don’t hit underground power wires if there are any on site, it’s a good idea to call Miss Utility anyway.
If replacing the meter base the project will have to be coordinated with the power company, or the new meter base can be located next to the old base and a “jumper wire” can be installed from the load side of the old base to the load side of the new base and the power company can complete the work when our company’s portion is done, this will prevent the homeowner from being without power for the least amount of time
Ensure that power is off to the entire building, by turning off each breaker one at a time and then turning off the main, keep in mind there is still power on the line side of the main breaker.
In some cases (rarely) you will have the utility company to disconnect electrical cables from the house.
Remove the glass meter from the meter socket, be sure to wear protective, insulated, rubber gloves.
Pound the new copper ground rod/s into the ground using a sledgehammer. Space the rods 6 feet apart.
Make the wire connections between the ground rods, up to an intersystem bonding termination, and into the meter socket, and into the new panel when complete.
Take a moment to mark each circuit the way it is in the panel now. Our company can provide test and verification of each circuit and label but there is an additional charge to do this, we just put it back and mark it the way it was. Verify the wire size amperage capacity matches the breaker labeled amperage, The standard sizes for wiresare 60 amp with 4 gauge wire, 50 amp with 6 gauge wire, 40 amp with 8 gauge wire, 30 amp with 10 gauge wire, 20 amp with 12 gauge wire & 15 amp with 14 gauge wire.
You can mark the wires best by using the outer jacket of some romex and writing on the outer jacket the name of the circuit, you can then just slip it over the wire to mark it. You can also use a standard number label kit and number each wire and write down how you marked it.
Many times you will need to cut the wallboard around the old meter to be able to properly access the wires, if it is needed, go ahead and do that now. If the new panel is going to be in a location that requires extensions of the existing wires, leave the wires in the panel, but remove all the breakers and the “buss bar”
Remove the wires from the panel, be careful not to “pull’ off your labels.
Remove the panel from the wall
Install the new panel (same location or new)
Route/Connect the feed from the meter base to the main lug in the new panel (be sure to install the right connector in the panel “knock out”), you need all the room you can get with the heavy gauge wire and sometimes you will need to adjust the panel to get the wires in or get them to reach, you don’t want to find this out after you have connected everything else
Install the proper connectors into the panel to provide proper strain relief (clamps) to keep the wires from being pulled from the box.
Install the wires into the new box.
Install the breakers one at a time and connect the correct wires (including ground and neutral for each circuit) to each breaker as you install the breaker. NOTE, bedrooms now require AFCI type breakers be sure to use AFCI breakers on all circuits that power bedrooms. Repeat until all the wires are installed
Connect the new ground rod wire as required for code
Connect the power wires to the meter socket.
Plug the glass meter into the meter socket. Then, snap on the meter cover.
Test each circuit and the breaker for each circuit before you install the labels or right on the “legend” to label the circuits.
Install the panel cover and clean up the job site.
Contact the office and schedule any inspections or needed work with the power company NOW
Walk through the project with the client, have them check power in the home, be sure to turn on ALL major appliances and test with the client before you leave.