After removing two circuit breakers and wires that used to supply a hottub, what is the proper way to cover the slots in the panel? Are there dummy "breakers" that cover both the slot (looks better for the homeowner) and the hot bus (safer for the next person who service the panel)?
Right now I just removed the wires and put the two breakers back. But extra breakers is probably non code compliant?
Leave the breakers in place. I've seen hundreds of them like that over the years. Some day you may need another breaker and there it is!
Alternative method is buy a new hot tub.
*It is okay to leave the circuit breakers in there. Just label them "Spare". You can get specific panel knock out seals for your brand of panel at an electrical supply company. I have also seen a few at Home Depot and Lowes.
There is the good old standby, duct tape.
Bill
wires that used to supply a
I vote to leave the breakers in and marked "spare". That is definitely easier and cheaper than buying a new hot tub. Also, it is completely ok to satisfy electrical code enforcers as far as I know.
What did you use to cover the spot where the hot tub used to be?
d wires that used to supply a
yeah leave the breakers in place marked spare, with wires disconnected
I don't believe there'd be anything in the code requiring a person to remove breakers that aren't being used, but I'd take them out if it wuz me.
Doing so makes it immediately obvious that those spaces aren't being used. If you ever hire an electrician, he might not notice that there aren't any wires going to those breakers, and end up putting new breakers in somewhere else. This way, the electrician would realize that those spaces are available and use them instead. And that's the way I'd want it done if it were my house.
Home Depot sells what you want:
'Connecticut Electric Federal Pacific Filler Plate-VPKNCFS at The Home Depot'
They make covers that snap into the space in the panel cover where the breakers used to be. Home Depot & Lowes carry them in their electrical departments. ======================================================== Remove the ZZZ from my E-mail address to send me E-mail.
Leave it open so you can spray WD 40 in there.
Greg
I would hope that if a breaker was clearly marked as "Spare", any electrician (or non-electrician) would realize that they are available for use. At a minimum, I would hope that the marking would cause him/her to give them a second look and notice that they were not wired.
You have to have hope for humanity, this would be just one small example. But, you can't legislate common sense,
I've dealt with many electricians both residential and industrial. If one of them did not check when the breaker was marked "spare" he'd not be working for me. Every single time they would take the cover off and check inside. We have one panel that has 20 spares now than everything used by the previous owner moved out. Our insurance inspector notices in about 5 seconds so I imagine a good electrician would be as quick.
Just run some wires from that unused breaker and connect them to your neighbors house. That way he can get free electricity!
I would run a wire from the unused breaker to a pumpkin seed farm. That way all the gases will find love and grow tomatoes for the fish.
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