Mystery [Main Electrical Panel Replacement]


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Old 05-20-05, 04:40 PM
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hth
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Unhappy Mystery [Main Electrical Panel Replacement]

I replaced an old 100A panel and upgraded to 200A. I had posts here with my questions during the process. The panel was replaced about a month ago but I didn't label it right 'til yesterday. Here is the story why the labels was not right. After the electrician installed new panel with ground stuffs, the inspector required the breakers labeled. The electrician said how would he know what pair from new panel to what pair in old panel since there old panel was still in use and he hadn't connected the wires. So I just made up labels on new panel to pass the inspection. After the old panel was disconencted and the new panel was enegized, the electrician connected wires from new panel to old panel, making old panel a j-box. I thought I was just have to relabel the breaker. Yesterday I tried to label the breaker and found out a serious problem. The garage before had its own 30A breaker. I don't have electric dryer but I think it was there for a dryer; I don't have any 220V but 110V devices in garage. Now when I turned off a 15A breaker used for all switched lights in the house, the garage lost it's power. I asked the electrician and he said maybe before the previous owner tapped into the 30A to have multiple circuits in garage but he, the lectrician, didn't do anything wrong since it is an existing circuits; he just put new panel in and connected old to new. I asked him to come back to take a look and do whatever needed to correct since there are too much load on the 15A circuit. He will come tomorrow but I am still confused why the garage now is on the breaker for switched lights. There are 2 breakers in the new panel that affect nothing when I turn on or off. The electrician when he installed new panel he just counted how many circuits in old panel and put that much on new panel. Do you have any clue that may help? I need to have couple possible causes to talk to the electrician so he must at least do the job seriously tomorrow.

Thanks.
 
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Old 05-20-05, 05:18 PM
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If he just did a one-for-one replacement, then you should expect that whatever was on one circuit before would still be on one circuit. So either he did something wrong, or your memory isn't perfect.
 
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Old 05-20-05, 08:19 PM
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What he was doing is what he told me, I didn't see it meself. But the thing I am sure is the switched lights and garage were on different circuits. Hmm. I can't wait until tomorrow. Thanks John.
 
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Old 05-23-05, 10:57 AM
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The electrician came, tested, and showed me how he conected the wires at j-box (old panel). It looks like he had them one by one correctly. He said he'd come back to correct the issue but I got to pay for that. I need to get another guy for second opinion.
 
 

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