Hi,

I have a 225 amp Siemens panel model g4242mb1225 which I need to replace a breaker on.

Its an 80 amp which goes to a sub breaker box for the upstairs wiring.
All the lights on that sub are flickering and the breaker is buzzing.


I need it as soon as possible, but HD and Lowes don't seem to carry it in store.
Is there an equivalent I could use? Would be work instead or any other brand?

Thanks
James

 

That sounds like a larger breaker then I would expect for the purpose. Is it really 80 on each handle or is it a breaker with 40 on each handle?

Have you pulled the breaker and checked the condition of the buss bars then reseated the breaker?

 

You really need to have the bus bar checked. Adding a new breaker to a damaged bus will not solve the problem.

 

Its a 2 pole. I dont know much about electrical - I had an electrician round to replace the main 200amp breaker which was hot and burning, and he replaced it with a 225.

He said he also noticed the 80amp breaker to the (125amp) sub panel also needed replacing but he didnt have one to hand and told me I could do that one myself.

He actually recommended upping the amps to 90 or 100. ?!?!

It powers the sub which powers all the upstairs, my downstairs lighting and my living room. So it does have a lot to do.

Lowes has the siemens 90amp in stock, so I need to be sure that this is not too high.
Its obviously below the 125 rating for the sub panel, but does this mean the wiring inbetween the main panel and sub panel will take more amps? (not that I'm ever likely to draw 90 amps from these circuits)

 

See my post in your other thread.

 

Did he have a license, did he pull a permit? No. It is not uncommon in fact to run a 100a or 125a subpanel using #6 on a 60 amp breaker. The maximum breaker size is determined by wire size. You would need at least #3 for a 90a or 100a breaker depending on wiring method.

Tolyn wrote:

 

Unless the wires are rated for more than 200 amps the breaker change has created a fire hazard.

 

In order to change the main breaker to 225 amps, the service entrance wiring would have to be either 3/0 copper or 250 MCM aluminum which would be rare in a residential service.

Was he a real electrician or a handyman?