Installing A Circuit Breaker In An Existing Panel

Loosen the two breaker terminal screws.

Installing a circuit breaker in an existing panel.

These standards set the minimum safety standards for panel boxes. 100 amp service upgrade how to wire install an electrical service hello we hope you enjoy and learn from out how to videos. Loosen the screw over the breaker s connection terminal insert the wires into the appropriate terminal locations then tighten the screw until snug. On a main panel you connect the ground wire from the new cable and the neutral white pigtail from the afci to the neutral bus.

Measure the room or rooms where you ll be installing the circuit and draw a detailed accurate floor plan. Connect the circuit wiring to the electrical panel. The b phase feeds the second row breakers three and four and so on down the panel. Tighten the clamp to secure the wires.

Snap the breaker into place by clipping it to the hot bus bar. The feeder breaker in the main panel acts as the main disconnect for the subpanel. Clear a knockout panel install cable clamps in the hole and feed the wires through the clamp. If the service panel does not have room for new circuit breakers and you cannot use tandem breakers a subpanel may be the answer.

Connect any new circuits to the subpanel attaching the hot wire to a circuit breaker and the other wires to their respective buses. The a phase feeds breakers one and two the top row. Turn the afci breaker handle to the off position. To install a new circuit you will need an open slot in your breaker panel for a new circuit breaker.

After making sure the circuit breaker is still in the off position connect the white neutral wire and the black hot wire to the breaker. If you re installing a breaker on a sub panel place the neutral and ground on separate bus bars. Install the breaker first. Plan to work during the daytime as you will need to shut off all power in your home during most of the project.

On afci or gfci breakers this circuit wire will be attached to the terminal marked load power or black finally for afci or gfci breakers attach the breaker s coiled white pigtail wire to the neutral bus bar in the panel. The national electric code nec includes the minimum standards for installing a circuit breaker panel box. A subpanel connects to the main service panel with a thick three wire cable. Snapping the circuit breaker into place is the easiest part of the job but it s important to take some safety precautions before you begin the installation.

Three of these standards concern the box location clearance and space around the box and box height.