Do I have options?


  #1  
Old 09-17-04, 11:35 AM
srwven
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Do I have options?

I have an integral garage with one outlet. I would like to add say three more outlets and maybe a flourescent light and a 240 line for a mig welder. My home is all electric (heat, central air with heat pump, dryer, water heater, stove) My panel is full. It is a Home H_ _ _, murray division. I am linking a diagram of my panel:
The top portion of the panel has three rows X 2 of double pole breakers powering all my appliances as well as the bottom right breaker feeding the bottom portion of the panel. From the panel, it appears (to me anyhow) the three bottom rows of the lower portion of the panel can accept tandem breakers (currently they are single). The panel states that the bottom portion of the panel is rated for 125Amps, it currently has 210Amps of breakers in it. Is there a way I can add a 30Amp double pole (welder) as well as a 15 or 20 amp single pole breaker to the panel (maybe tandems with a quad tandem of 2 single poles and a double pole)? Or am I out of luck? Thanks for reading this long post and any help.
 
  #2  
Old 09-17-04, 12:07 PM
R
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The sum of the breaker values in the bottom of the panel is not important. What is important is what those breakers power. The key question is, how much power is actually being used by those circuits.
 
  #3  
Old 09-17-04, 12:16 PM
srwven
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The bottom breakers are for all of the lights and electrical outlets throughout the house-fridge. Maybe a well pump and septic pump thrown in. Our house is not very large (split entry, maybe 1200sf). All of the major appliances like the heater, central air, oven, dryer, water heater are on the top portion.
 
  #4  
Old 09-21-04, 05:53 AM
srwven
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BUMP, any ideas?
 
  #5  
Old 09-21-04, 08:25 AM
J
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You have a split bus panel. It's fairly obsolete by today's standards.

An all-electric home on a 100-amp service (which I think is what you probably have) is already overextended, even though at 1200 square feet it is not a large house. I would recommend a panel upgrade and a service upgrade before adding any more loads.
 
 

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