Hello:
My breaker box looks full and I want to install a 30 amp breaker for the central air. I understand that i can remove two single pole breakers and use a tandem. Question is this? How are they wired? Do I just use the black wires from each breaker I remove and leave the white and ground where they are currently at? Thanks
Mark

 

Welcome to the forums.

Sometimes you can add tandem breakers for the 120v circuits in order to make room for a 2P breaker. Every panel is different. There is usually a diagram on the door that illustrates where tandems can be used.

With a picture of that and the inside of your panel we could guide you further.
How-to-insert-pictures.

 

Thank you I will get the pics.

 

Hope I got the pics over to you

 

That panel does not accept tandem breakers.

However, you could just move the lower right breaker to the left side to get the two spaces you need for your two-pole 30. Just extend the existing wire with another wire of the same size to reach the new breaker location.

I should also mention that the ground wire at the bottom is not properly bonded to the panel steel.

(Thread relocated to electrical AC/DC from lighting)

 

Is there another disconnect before this panel. I ask because there appears to be a four wire feed having the bare aluminum ground going the ground bar. Something seems odd with having a few circuits grounds hooked to the neutral bars. I can't see that the neutral bar is bonded. What I'm wondering is if this is a miswired subpanel.

 

pattenp has a point. From what I see also this seems to be a 4 wire feed indicating this is a sub panel. The braided aluminum wire going to the separate ground bar seems to be that of the feeder.

The ground bar is correct and if a 4 wire then the braided should be going to the separate ground bar as it is doing. However, all the ground wires from the neutral bars on the left and right should be moved over to the separate ground bar. Only one neutral wire per screw and up to two ground wires per screw.

A picture towards the top of the panel would help. The picture should include where the service wires are coming into the top of the panel and include in the picture the ground bar along with the hots and neutral wires. This will give us a better idea. This is a safety issue that should be dealt with.