Knowing Which Electric Panels to Buy

Jan 26
07:36

2012

Antoinette Ayana

Antoinette Ayana

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If you need new electric panels then you can shop for the parts yourself but you should leave the installation up to a qualified electrician. We look at what parts are required when buying new panels for the power in your home.

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You want the electricity that circulates throughout your residence to be safe and to work as effectively as possible. Buying the right electric panels can make that a reality in your home.

An electric panel,Knowing Which Electric Panels to Buy Articles also known as a service panel or breaker panel is a box that is made of steel that can be found somewhere in your home. This is the brain of your electrical system. It contains multiple circuit breakers that are connected to other circuits. The job of all of these circuits and wires is to properly distribute electricity throughout your residence. When you build a home you will need to have an electrician install electrical panels. At the same time, if you have lived in the same home for many years and the breaker panel is experiencing problems then it may be time to replace it. Or you may find that what you need to do is to upgrade your power in order to modernize it and in order for it to comply with today's standards.

Before you purchase new service panels consider what the electricity needs of your household are. You should also contact the power company in your area to inquire about what kind of electric panel you should select. It is important that you choose one that will conform to all of the requirements and codes for your city and state.

What You Need to Consider

So when you go to buy new electric panels what must you think about? The answer is a number of components. You need to think about the main breaker and the circuit breakers for your system, as well as something called bus bars. There are also neutral bus bars to think about and grounding bus bars.

You need to think about the types of panels as well. This encompasses such items as transfer switches, the sub-panel, the main breaker and the main lug. If you are new to purchasing electric panels then you should take someone along with you on your shopping trip that is better acquainted with this form of electrical home improvement than you are. After all you do not want to buy the wrong parts!

There are still more factors to consider when it comes to panels. Electricity is a complex subject that involves a great number of parts, which is why you really have to know what to look for when you go to a hardware store to buy the necessary items.

You also need to think about amps. The amps you require are dependent upon need. This is something you should check out with your utility company. The amps you may need for the service panels can range anywhere from 100 to 200. Most homes today require 200 amps but in some areas 100 are adequate.
What about circuit breakers? There is single pole or double pole. There is also AFCI and GFCI. If these terms are foreign to you then you need to enlist the help of an electricity expert.