They still use those? I thought they came and went. In the area where I worked on a number of service upgrades at first the utility provided the IDT taps, then they stopped using them entirely and said just use bugs.
A main-lug panel does not have a main disconnect. It just has terminals to connect your great big supply wires. If there are lugs in your fusebox (has to be after the main fuses) you can connect there. Otherwise, use one of the (hopefully unused) big cartridge fuse pullouts to power the new subpanel. The main fuses will protect the new box. Also the RANGE cartridge fuses will protect the new box if you have to go that route -- and you probably will. Put the biggest fuses in that pullout that it will accept (probably 45, 60, or 75A, I can't remember how cartridge fuses are sized.)
Don't forget to separate the ground and the neutral in your new subpanel. (means it will need a ground kit, but those are cheap)
Bob
While fuses are sort of obsolete, they're cheap compared to replacing the whole serv. entrance. You can buy screw in breakers to replace the fuses. They cost around $8 each. If you only need a few more circuits, add a panel with 4 or 6 breaker spaces next to the main panel. Feed it from the main (after the main disconnect). Use wire thick enough to accomodate what you're put in that box.
If you have an unused "Range" disconnect, use that to feed the sub-panel. Just put the sub-panel right next to the main, with a
3/4" pipe nipple and rings. Code requires a plastic protector screwed to the threads (a 50 cent item). It's not that difficult to do.Of course if you're opening a machine shop in your home, you might actually need 200A. Otherwise 100A is sufficient for most average homes.
As Bob posted, the overcurrent protection is the 100A fuses or 60A fuses if you use the range pullout. You need to connect downstream from the
100A fuses in any case. A disconnect is not needed in the subpanel, but if there is a 100A breaker in the subpanel you can leave it even if the feed is only 60A. Or use a main lug panel as Bob said - should be cheaper. Range pullouts are usually 60A max and drier pullouts 30A max.Your fusebox probably doesn't have any way to connect to the bus, leaving the range pullout as the max tap. 30A may be big enough for what you are doing (can't remember how much you want to add).
If true it just means the wires from the meter to the panel have to be replaced (or the pipe cut shorter).
I have no idea what the permit requirements are where you live. Typically if there are permits you 'have' to pull one. Homeowners may (or may not) be able to pull a permit for their house. Or rules may be looser.
If an electrician says they need to do work in addition to replacing the panel ask why (as I think someone else suggested).
One of the hazards in a service panel is even with the main breaker off, the service wire connections are still hot. If you short them there is typically 3,000 - 10,000A available for the short. And the service wires are substantially unfused. Just means you have to be real careful. Paranoia about electrical (within reason) is your friend. I could use more of it sometimes.
Not when you pull the meter and do the proper lockout - tagout on the meter base.
Joseph Bugs are fine if your working on the meter tail and bugging it to the new meter tail because you can pull the meter and work cold. If you're using them to tie in the new service entry conductors above the meter can in for inspection as many inspectors in the North East now insist you must do then you are working hot. To do that in compliance with the standard on electrical worker safety you have to use a complete set of electrical protective clothing that is appropriate to the class IV environment you are working in by bugging the new service entry hot. The inspectors believe that the use of Insulating Displacing Taps removes the need for the protective clothing but Massachusetts Occupational Safety and Health inspectors say no. Two workers required, Full body harness and safety drag line, Class IV environment protective clothing required. Adjacent energized conductors must be guarded, a non conductive ladder must be used and fall protection in place before hot work begins. $10,000 a day for each day in which the violation can be shown to have occurred. UP to $100,000 if serious injury or death results. Also the employers willful violation of the hot work rules voids the limitations on liability provided by the workman's compensation law.
-- Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous for general use." Thomas Alva Edison
Fuse holders are 5 - 30, 35 - 60, 70 - 100.
Some pull out main panels have the two installed sixty ampere pull outs supplied in parallel from the main lugs. They can be fused as one hundred twenty ampere panels. If yours is one of those then have a load calculation done to insure that you will not overload your service entry conductors. If the panel was originally rated for one hundred fifty amperes; and many of the old two pull out with eight to twelve Edison base fuses were; the main pull out is one hundred amperes maximum and the range pull out is sixty amperes maximum supplied in parallel from the main lugs. Once again that would seem like good news but you have to be careful not to overload your service entry conductors.
The electrical code has always allowed the sum of the main disconnects on a multi disconnect service to exceed the ampacity of the service entry conductors. The electricians skill and adherence to the service ampacity requirements of the code is what safeguards such installations from service entry conductor failure. Remember that service entry conductors have no real over current protection. The first fuse upstream from the buildings main disconnecting means is the one protecting the utility company's transformer from an internal fault. The entire ampacity of the transformer's secondary winding is available to any fault on the conductors it supplies limited only by the ampacity of the conductors between the fault and the transformer itself. If having your service entry conductors arcing and burning on the side of your home while the fire department is waiting for the utility to de-energize the supply doesn't sound like fun to you you're a wise person.
-- Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous for general use." Thomas Alva Edison
So tell me Pete, how do you lock out a rimless meter enclosure? Do you own one or more of the over sized meter blanks that fits inside the cover of those animals.
-- Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous for general use." Thomas Alva Edison
Cut the seal, flip up the cover, remove the meter, tape a piece of cardboard inside the cover to keep out fingers (plexiglass if it's handy or you'll be working in bad weather), close the cover and lock it shut with a padlock and your "do not operate" tag. If the cover is locked and tagged shut, nobody is going to be reinstalling the meter until you unlock it are they? Also the expected duration is a few hours for a normal panel replacement.
I've called another electrician :) That is the type of scenario that I have envisioned. LOL!
Thanks for your responses Bud. I think I know have a fairly clear understanding of what needs to be done. Again, I have a inate fear of the amperage that is involved at the main, which is why I am asking the questions. I've called another electrician - I think I'm really going to try to go that route rather than touch it myself.
Again - thanks.
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