Square D circuit breaker box full


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Old 06-19-16, 02:16 PM
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Square D circuit breaker box full

Hi All,

I have a Square D Homeline box HOMC40UC which is full at this time, a few years back I install a whole house surge protector which took up 2 breaker spots. Doing research on line I am seeing that these boxes have room for 42 breakers with 2 being for the main breaker leaving 40 for actual breakers.

I want to install a 60 amp sub panel for an above ground pool so I need to find 2 open slots.

Questions:
1. since I have a whole house surge protector taking 2 spots, does that me then that I could replace 2 existing 15 amp breakers with 2 piggy back breakers to open up to spots without overloading the main 200 amp service?

2. if I place a sub panel next to the main breaker panel and then installed a 100 amp breaker in the main panel to feed the sub panel and then move 2-20 amp breakers to that sub panel along with a 60 amp breaker to feed a 2nd sub panel in back yard by pool would this work? If it would and the wires to those 2-20 amp breakers are not long enough can they be extended and if so what is the method to use?

Thanks
 
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Old 06-19-16, 03:06 PM
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If you have a forty space panel (plus main CB) you cannot use "tandem" (piggyback) circuit breakers. The label on the door should confirm this.

Moving two circuits to an adjacent sub-panel is the proper method to free up two CB spaces for the sub-panel circuit breaker.

If you are in Cook County you must use metallic conduit between the panels. Yes, the wires on the circuit(s) moved to the sub-panel may be extended. Use either wire nuts or crimped barrel connectors.
 
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Old 06-19-16, 09:12 PM
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Thanks for the quick response
 
 

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