circuit breaker boxes

Go for the 200 amp, it's becoming the standard. You do not have to use all that capacity.

I'd go for 200 amp service, if at all possible, what with all the electrical appliances, big and small, that are in a modern house. Amazing that you have survived this far! Get some estimates, etc., from a couple of electricians. Likely some other wiring might need some work as well.

Also,

If we got a 125 amp ciruit breaker panel, how many spaces would be already filled by the items in our present fuse box and how many extra spaces would there be?

Loretta

You'll use the same number of breakers as the number of fuses you're using now.

It's partially figured by square feet. It also matters if you have electric range, clothes dryer, AC, etc. Typically a small house with gas appliances is fine with a 100 amp service, but if you intend to expand or get major electric appliances, you may want to consider a 200 amp service. The price difference between the two is generally only a few hundred dollars. How did you make out with your open circuit problem?

Typical 100 amp panel has about 20 spaces

For a house that small, you should be able to easily get by with 125A service, even it's total-electric with central A/C. However, 200A would be a nice feature to have when you eventually sell the house. The *labor* cost of installation should be almost exactly the same, so the cost difference should be pretty much just the difference in the cost of the panels. Add another five or ten bucks, maybe, to account for needing to use heavier service entrance conductors for the 200A service.

True, but on a breaker box more space is better. What I can't say for sure is how many arc fault or ground fault breakers that they might want to put in. Those take up a lot of space. More space is beneficial because then you can put all your applicnaces on separate breakers, and then your toaster oven and microwave on separate breakers as well, etc.

It's figured by what you estimate the electrical demand to be, and then again by how many different circuts you want. What's the price difference, and what size wire is your service drop? The only reason I can think of to go with a smaller panel than you can is if the price difference is a deal-breaker, or if the larger size requires a new service drop and the smaller one doesn't.

It's an old house so they probably wouldn't be using any arc fault or ground fault breakers, which incidentally take the same space as any other full sized breaker

GO WITH 200, it costs little more and leaves room for expansion. years ago I went from 60 to 100 and now need 200 amp primarily because I am out of space.

Adding seperate breakers for furnace, and other dedicated outlets can easily use up your space. FAST:(

If you have electric Dryer, AND central a/c, AND an electric range, then go all the way to 200. If you have only 1 or 2 of these 3 items, then you can probably go less. But why? Just go the 200 and be done.

On Feb 2, 4:42=EF=BF=BDpm, "Steve Barker" wro= te:

then you upgrade your kitchen..... code calls for at least 2 dedicated

Figure one breaker for each fuse , and two each if you have doubled up on circuits to fuses.

Get the cost from your utility for the monthly charges of 125 and 200 amp supplies. Get the cost to upgrade from your current service to 125 or 200 amp.

If its the same go for 200 amp.

If you are planning on selling the home go for 200 amp supply.

Plan out your breaker panel, seperate kitchen from the rest of the house , allow for water heater , stove , air conditioning on seperate breakers.

Why not? I've added an AFCI to my house, along with a TVSS. I used receptacles where GFCIs would be required. It takes minimal effort "while you're in there" and while it may not be 100% compliant with modern codes, it's closer than it was.

My advice would be to use full sized breakers exclusively, but get a panel that allows half height breakers, that way there's room for expansion in the future.

nate

It's fine to do that, but unless your bedrooms were wired on dedicated circuits, maybe not practical given the issues with the current crop of AFCI breakers, also if you buy a full sized panel, such as a forty circuit 200 amp panel, there are no half size breakers allowed. You only have provisions for half sized breakers with reduced size panels

That's how many mine does (100A Square D Q0). I don't know about a

ut why?

My kitchen is using 8 spaces. Double-pole breakers for oven and cooktop (these are separate built-in units), a dedicated circuit for the dishwasher, and 3 additional circuits.

I don't know that I've ever seen a factory built 125 amp main breaker panel. I've seen 125 amp main lug panels, and 125 amp main disconnect panels. I can't even find one googling for it