Electrical help needed

Is OP around there??? :) Do you know what OP's mount is?

Those are external to the panel which is the item under discussion. If those must be replaced, they have to be done irrespective of the panel itself so no difference afaics.

As for the "guts" of the panel vis a vis replacing a panel, having the wire already pulled and in place _is_ a sizable time-saver.

As for rust, if the box is in a place so wet that it's rusty enough to need replacement, that's yet another problem that is totally unrelated to subject question and needs to be addressed and selecting either a new box or a retrofit kit doesn't address that problem/symptom (other than masking it by putting a new box in a unsuitable location).

Reply to
dpb
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Geez I am having trouble explaining my position.

Someone suggested replacing the guts to save bucks

I asked does the current panel haver the AMP capacity? probably not adding a 50 amp load

The response was you can use the existing box and upgrade the amp capacity..

I asked about the service drop meter can and am told thats a seperate issue.

Well NO ITS REALLY NOT, if the AMP capacity isnt enough upgrading will require a new service drop meter can etc, at least around here the panel capacity is matched to the service drop.

at that point using the old box wouldnt save much and a new one is likely larger physically, my old FBE panel is on the small side, it needs replaced and when that occurs I will have to remove some shelving...

I wouldnt replace everything but the outer box, probably doesnt save much and may cause irritating questions at home resale time, buyers are very fussy.

Reply to
hallerb

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote: ... Sorry for the double post, dear google groups dropped out on the first attempt and didn't notice it had lost new text when retried...

That was I... :)

I had already asked OP if they had done a loading analysis...no response but I don't disagree (and never did) that it is quite possibly an issue. However, we have insufficient data to know for sure so any firm conclusion is simply speculation.

That's true (again w/ the aforementioned caveat that the existing box need be of adequate physical size). Again, OP hasn't provided enough information to confirm/deny the position other than the fact that there was _at least one_ open slot.

Well, as far as the question of the panel itself it really is. If the service does have to be upgraded to support a larger panel, then so be it. But that portion isn't really specifically tied into the selection of the panel itself.

Again, I have repeatedly pointed out the primary savings is _NOT_ in the hardware but the labor, and again, a lot of the labor has to do with how much ancillary work has to be done to repair/replace any surroundings. Whether it is a suitable option for your specific situation owing to either the limitations of the size of the existing box, the existing external service and being in an unfinished area and surface mounted are completely irrelevant to the point of the original post which was to make the OP aware of the alternative. You seem to have taken it as a personal recommendation to be refuted at all costs.

Again, I've never suggested it for _your_ application (nor other than as a possible alternative to full replacement for OP to consider, actually). As for a retrofit affecting the resale value of a home negatively, I think you're really stretching for something to argue about now. As I have noted previously, there is nothing left from the outside with the cover open or closed that isn't an attractive, matching, new panel. W/ the cover off (and how many prospective buyers actually remove the cover of the electical panel? Even if one does, the internals are all new and except for the case of a rusted or otherwise damage box (which should have been replaced anyway) it will look as good as any other box of equivalent age (which will be almost new).

So, my purpose was only to provide OP with the knowledge that there is an alternative to completely replacing the panel if he/she were to become concerned enough about the existing FPE panel to want to do something about it. Your purpose seems to have been to refute any possible use of a retrofit kit and have, for the most part, seemed to argue against it for your particular application. I have never implied anything about whether it might serve your purpose, but have, otoh, tried to counteract some of the arguments you have made against the possible use of the kit as being either solvable (larger ampacity, again w/ the caveat of adequate physical dimensions), of being essentially the same regardless of the panel chosen (service drop being inadequate), or ruling out the use (too small existing box for planned upgrade). I have made those arguments primarily for the (unlikely) benefit of OP or others who might still be subjecting themselves to this (now seemingly interminable) thread.

OK?

Reply to
dpb

Obviously you havent sold a home recently. I did nearly 2 years ago and ended up getting middle group to reinspect my 8 year old panel. All because the inspection stickers date and signature had faded. Middle group inspector thought the home inspector was a idiot. The first buyer backed out and the 2nd buyer and home inspector put me thru the wringer a second time, for different issues:( Home inspector wrote me up for no GFCI on sump pump in garage, so I installed one and was rewarded by home inspector #2 writing it up too, saying it should be a standard outlet. sometimes you cant win

My LAST post on this meaningless subject.............

If the service drop needs replaced I think a entire new panel is a better choice, but to each his own!

My opinion is based on my own poor choice of upgrading to JUST a 100 amp, not only was FPE a bad choice but the cabinet is too small..... along with a 100 amp limit.

Honestly if my main were physically larger and 200 AMP I would just replace the guts.

I am hoping to upgrade this summer..

Reply to
hallerb

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.

You are as big a dufus in electrical work as plumbing GO AWAY!!!!!

Reply to
Tekkie®

dpb posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.

dpb don't play with the pig in the mud. You are only getting dirty for no reason. HallerButt is unsafe and unknowledgeable in at least electrical and plumbing. Don't take my word for it research his nefarious postings.

Have a happy 4'th!!

Reply to
Tekkie®

I have a lifetime of experience and some opinions too.

More importandly I am willing to learn.

A service tech by trade over 30 years repairing machines from copiers to laminators and lots of other stuff in between, plus a ton of home repairs and remodeling

Reply to
hallerb

He's explaining why he said what he did. No thread is just for the OP. Now's a good time to take his explanation as it was intended.

He's still explaining why in many cases in his experience it's worth replacing the whole box. That's all. The OP should be able to read and decide if he has a lot of rust or not.

Reply to
mm

you think it dufus, did you know thats what linemen do, not only do they check to make sure, they install intentional shorts so a bad switch throw doesnt kill someone.

meters flake, lights dont work, a short is a short and very reliable........!!!!!!!!!

Reply to
hallerb

NONE of you guys (including myself) are qualified to give advice on an electrical problem you can not see and troubleshoot IN PERSON. Lets not forget this guy is working on a pool. The best advice is to start reading NEC art 680. Best advice is to call a licensed electrical contractor.

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote:

Reply to
chuckster

According to :

With at least _some_ STAB-LOK panels, it is possible to insert a dual breaker so that the two halves of the breaker are on the _same_ side of the main feed. [The backplane is wired AABBAABB... instead of ABABAB...., and there are no interlocks to prevent mis-registration]. If you have both halves of the breaker on the same side, you'll have the precise symptoms you show.

Pull the breaker and move it _one_ slot (half the breaker width).

Reply to
Chris Lewis

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com posted for all of us... I don't top post - see either inline or at bottom.=20

Heavy Butt wipe, that is not a short; that is a GROUND! Jesus, copier guy..= . You are like Stormy - you think you learn but you don't.

--=20 Tekkie

Reply to
Tekkie®

I have a couple detractors here, so be it:)

While YOU depend on a meter or test light and might get zapped I try to avoid that, its not the end of the world just unpleasant and possibly dangerous.

Incidently MY test to make certain a line was dead, the one that fried some wiring also alerted me to a bad breaker that would never trip which lked to my finding out about the FPE panel hazards

The mention of copier guy! Thanks that explains you BAD attitude!

Your from the NASA or shuttle boards, I am NOT a supporter of the current shuttle program, much has been made of my copier repairman job. I moved on to other machines, its my own business:) the change was definetely a improvement:)

Reply to
hallerb

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