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I have an elementary question…..

I have a Cutler Hammer panel with a 200a main breaker - with breakers going down on two sides. What does this really mean? How amp breakers can be installed in this panel?

Reason for the question is that if I add up all of the breakers, they exceed 200amps.

200 amps is the max load that the panel can supply. You typically will not use that much. Each breaker is sized for the wire it feeds. So you will certainly have more than 200 amps worth of breakers. But there’s never enough power drawn in the whole house to exceed the 200 amps.

What size service you need is based off of a load calculation.

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There is an old Zinsco Panel installed on our home. 42 years old. The main breaker, 100 AMPs got stuck and I was not able to reset the breaker. The electrician I called had difficulties raising the red bar which holds down the breakers. He damaged the breaker and it had to be replaced at a total cost of $350. Question #1: Is there a proper way to lift the breaker hold down bar? #2. The electrician worked for 3 hrs. The total cost incl. a new or recon. breaker. Is this normal or excessive?

Quote:
Is there a proper way to lift the breaker hold down bar? #2.

In my opinion the only reasonable remedy for Zinsco is replacement. The design is defective and they are a borderline hazard.

Quote:
The electrician worked for 3 hrs. The total cost incl. a new or recon. breaker. Is this normal or excessive?

That sounds reasonable to me. Zinsco has not been manufactured for a very long time so the recond. breaker dealers have a corner on the market. The breaker itself was probably well over $100.

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Mark Bryan Says:
Hello,
I have a question concerning the amperage rating on circuit breaker panels. If you buy a panel that is rated as a 100 amp panel the main breaker has two 100 amp breakers mechanically tied together. Theoretically couldn’t you draw 95 amps on each bus bar and not trip the main breaker, thus drawing 190 amps in a 100 amp rated panel? Also on a 220 circuit when using a 220 appliance does anything go to ground or since the polarity is reversed on each leg is the electricity just flowing between the two 110 lines? I have been trying to find the answers to these questions on my computer but haven’t had much luck.Thankyou,
Mark Bryan

A: You are only drawing 100 amps per phase. With a 2-pole breaker you will draw the maximum amperage rating per leg. So, with a 2-pole, 100 amp breaker you can draw up to 100 amps per leg before the breaker will trip.

Most 200 volt residential appliances require a neutral for control circuits within the appliance. The neutral is the grounded conductor. If there is no grounded conductor, the electricity will not flow to ground unless there is a fault.

Tara Codner Says:
Hi,
I am building a new house and would like to have a sound system installed so that music can play in most of the rooms in the house and the sound may be turned off in the individual rooms if desired. I am wondering:
1) What material I will need to accomplish this?
2) How do I install the sound system?
3) Any additional information that you can provide me.

Thanks

A: You need to install speaker wires and possibly CAT5 cable from the stereo to a volume control in the room. Then you need speaker wire from the volume control to each speaker. The CAT5 cable would be used for an IPod. You need to do your research before installing your sound system to ensure proper installation and no humming on your speakers.

Carlos Says:
if in a residential single phase circuit a 3 wire was employed to feed cut to 2 circuits, need to draw a diagram indication phasing of the 4 wires of the 3 wire:

A: I’m confused and I do not understand your question.

Posted under Electrical