# Panel Upgrade



## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Nice job. :thumbsup: I have not seen those yellow romex connectors in years. Where do you buy them?


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

City Electric Supply

I think the model # is 1200


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

To quote one of my favorite electrical inspectors, "Yep. Looks like an electrician was here". :thumbsup:


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Barjack said:


> City Electric Supply
> 
> I think the model # is 1200


We had a City Electric branch that lasted all of a few years. They opened up at the tail end of the housing boom and then closed during the downturn. We had market saturation for supply houses here anyway, factoring in the many Lowes and HD stores nearby as well.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Florida services are all pretty much the same from what I have observed. The panel is in the garage, is back to back from the meter socket and all the circuits come in the top with a sheet metal box around them.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Looks good!  And not an AFCI in site :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

MTW said:


> Florida services are all pretty much the same from what I have observed. The panel is in the garage, is back to back from the meter socket and all the circuits come in the top with a sheet metal box around them.


This wasn't the original service. It was upgraded to that Challenger mess sometime in the 80's or 90's. Most of those Romexes feed an old fuse panel/junction box. I don't know if that was permitted or not, but there were a lot of grounds/neutrals under the same lugs, and incorrect breaker/wire combinations.

It's also located in a "utility" closet in a den that was converted from a bedroom. That closet header on the left of the panel makes the working width just under 30" :whistling2:.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

meadow said:


> Looks good!  And not an AFCI in site :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


Not required here on panel upgrades, unless a new circuit is run or an existing one is altered. :thumbsup:


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Barjack said:


> Not required here on panel upgrades, unless a new circuit is run or an existing one is altered. :thumbsup:



Lucky!  And so are those that got the new panel.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Barjack said:


> This wasn't the original service. It was upgraded to that Challenger mess sometime in the 80's or 90's. Most of those Romexes feed an old fuse panel/junction box. I don't know if that was permitted or not, but there were a lot of grounds/neutrals under the same lugs, and incorrect breaker/wire combinations.
> 
> It's also located in a "utility" closet in a den that was converted from a bedroom. That closet header on the left of the panel makes the working width just under 30" :whistling2:.


I don't get too wound up about existing violations, myself. As long as I made the stuff I touched better than it was before. I'm guessing you're the same way.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Looks great. 

I don't think I've ever seen anybody take the guts out of a residential panel before.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

MHElectric said:


> Looks great.
> 
> I don't think I've ever seen anybody take the guts out of a residential panel before.



It takes just seconds to do, but saves your knuckles when situating the wires. 

I picked up that trick here on ET. I'm pretty sure it was the late great B4T.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Do you normally use copper wire for your service conductors?


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

MTW said:


> Nice job. :thumbsup: I have not seen those yellow romex connectors in years. Where do you buy them?


*Grainger...*


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## RatherHandsome (Aug 16, 2015)

MHElectric said:


> Looks great.
> 
> I don't think I've ever seen anybody take the guts out of a residential panel before.





Barjack said:


> It takes just seconds to do, but saves your knuckles when situating the wires.
> 
> I picked up that trick here on ET. I'm pretty sure it was the late great B4T.


Yup, I was going to post that B4T was always big on that.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

RatherHandsome said:


> Yup, I was going to post that B4T was always big on that.


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Nice job Barjack. Is that a roach motel or something on the wall?



RatherHandsome said:


> Yup, I was going to post that B4T was always big on that.


Hey buddy!


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## RatherHandsome (Aug 16, 2015)

3xdad said:


> Nice job Barjack. Is that a roach motel or something on the wall?
> 
> 
> 
> Hey buddy!


What's up dude? Long time. :thumbsup:


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

Black Dog said:


> *Grainger...*


$23 per 100? :laughing::laughing:


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

Black Dog said:


> *Grainger...*


Sure, if I want to drive out of my way and pay 3 times the price.....:no:


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

RatherHandsome said:


> Yup, I was going to post that B4T was always big on that.


OK, who is this?



MTW said:


>


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

Barjack said:


> Sure, if I want to drive out of my way and pay 3 times the price.....:no:


They're worth it and I just get them delivered.


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## RatherHandsome (Aug 16, 2015)

Barjack said:


> OK, who is this?


Harry304E


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

RatherHandsome said:


> Harry304E


Riiiiiiight........why can't Harry304E just be Harry304E? :001_huh:


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## RatherHandsome (Aug 16, 2015)

Barjack said:


> Riiiiiiight........why can't Harry304E just be Harry304E? :001_huh:


Because he wanted to be TurkeySteve for some reason, and then kept changing his name.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Barjack said:


> Riiiiiiight........why can't Harry304E just be Harry304E? :001_huh:


Because I'm 
*Black Dog* 
The Dog Report.









 

Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Reporting From Fenway Park Home of the Boston Red Sox....
Posts: 9,692 
Rewards Points: 346




:laughing::laughing::thumbup:


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

I always put three strips of tape on the neutral.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> Because I'm
> *Black Dog*
> The Dog Report.
> 
> ...


Do you ever lose arguments with yourself? :whistling2:


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

Barjack said:


> Do you ever lose arguments with yourself? :whistling2:


:no::yes::laughing:


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

MTW said:


> Do you normally use copper wire for your service conductors?


Actually, no. Whoever originally installed the Challenger panel used 2/0 Cu with a 1/0 Cu neutral. It was in good shape so I just reused it.

Almost every other time though, we us Aluminum XHHW. 

If there is a situation with an existing conduit or something where a physically smaller conductor would work better, we use copper, but it is definitely the exception.


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