Square D circuit breaker box full
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: United States
Posts: 2
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
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
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
#2
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Wet side of Washington state.
Posts: 16,321
Received 38 Upvotes
on
30 Posts
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.
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.