hey guys, I am looking at needing an electrical panel installed in my mother-in-laws house. hers is to old and the bus bar is just breaking apart.

It's an old federal, She is staying with her husband in Rehab from knee surgery on both knees until about 3 more weeks, so All my advice needs to come fast if possible.

I found this one (I want to go to 200 amp box so we can get the service changed later) But as it sits right now, there is no disconnect to the house... Yes that's right NO DISCONNECT So I'll be working with the meter pulled out (I'm sure I'll have to call the Elec. Co. to have them pull it so she doesn't have a fine.

the only thing that worries me about this box is the aluminum bus bar. She has copper wiring, but I think they pushed each breaker its currently on to the limit. Will aluminum just melt it say something get over loaded and arcs on it, or should I just go with the one that has copper.

Plus I'm sure I'll have more questions later. my dad who is an electrical engineer is flaky as hell and was supposed to call me last weekend to help me out, but he is to unreliable for me to wait on him.

thanks guys any help is MUCH APPRECIATED!!

 

200 Amp 40-Space 40-Circuit Type BR Main Breaker Load Center Value Pack-BR4040B200V at The Home Depot

 

I'm not an electrician, but I'm not a mechanic either and that hasn't kept me from running my keyboard on this site

You'll have to pull the meter or have it done. If that little tiny wire tie clip happens to fall off her meter, then you can just pull the meter straight out and it will disconnect the power going into the house. Be sure to label each wire as to if it's a single (120) or double (240) breaker and what amp it goes to for safe measure.

And I wouldn't worry too much about the aluminum. The problem with aluminum wiring back from the 70's was it's coefficient of thermal expansion (it expanded and contracted more than copper). Any connections that were not tight tended to loosen up with all the movement of the long runs of wire and cause shorts or fires. A bus bar isn't big enough to have enough movement to be concerned with. Since no moisture will be involved galvanic corrosion doesn't come into play either.

 

Sounds Good to me, I'm actually going over there tomorrow to look at all the appliances and see how many amps are drawing, then i might have to change the wires from the pole all the way to the meter. I hope not. But definitely will be labeling everything first. on some of the breakers now, I may take a few circuits off some and just add another breaker for them. i think they put too many things on 1 or 2 breakers.

 

Unless the meter is on a sub panel, don't mess with the wires coming from the pole. The wires between the transformer and the meter should only be touched by the electric company (Oncor in these parts). I've never seen a sub panel on a separate meter so I'm guessing this one isn't either.

Remember, all the individual loads can add up to over 200 amps because all the electrical items in a house are not run at the same time. 200 amps is probably just fine as long as you get enough slots for the breakers you need. I've got a 240 amp panel in my house, but I'm running a 70 amp sub panel for the barn and a 50 amp sub panel for the tankless electric water heater.

 

Oh yes, i didn't mean ME changing the wires from the service... LOL... I meant I may have to have it done.

 

Okay update

 

haven't been by there yet lol

 

Plumber, i know its been a cpl months but did you get all squared away with your panel change?
Home Creepo sells some stuff called "nolox" you can add to the disimaler metals to where they will not oxidize and cause issued down the line. I have used it on plenty of joints in the past.

 

copper is more efficient over aluminum. if aluminum ever burns, it stinks and the oxidized aluminum smell is toxic. it jus plain stinks. tats another reason why house wiring moved away from aluminum. copper also conducts electricity better.

jus my 2 cents. robert, u probably fixed it already.