# Simple Panelboard Question



## stang623 (Nov 23, 2016)

I work for a small company and we are cleaning up 30-40 years worth of half a**ed wiring. It was bad, someone actually tied what looks like 10 awg wires directly to the buss bar in the panelboard. That was the first thing removed.

I spent about an hour trying to figure out the answer last night but no dice searching this and other forums. If I have a 200 amp panel, can I install a large 100 amp breaker plus a bunch of smaller 15 or 20 amp breakers for the various outlets around the shop? The total would be around 400 amps of breakers. It has been like this for sometime and never any issues.

What is the right way to do this, what does the code book say?


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

You really need to get an electrician in there to take care of your problem.

I will say this, you don't add up the breakers in a panel to determine the load. It's based on the actual load calculation.


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## knomore (Mar 21, 2010)

I get asked that question a few times a year... I never have a good answer for it. I just kinda look at the person who asked it like "wow you're really new aren't you" and then I start to talk about something else. 

Anyways you could put as many of whatever breaker you want in there until the panelboard is stuffed to the tits, and non of it matters. Nothing really matters but the load calc, and you can find that in your code book.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm confused. Please post a photo of this panel where the branch circuit wiring was connected to a busbar.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

The load calc doesn't matter either. Load calcs are uneducated guesses. 

The first thing that should be done when doing a load calc is seeing how many teenage females will be there with hair dryers, curling irons, straightening irons, and space heaters that they will use when the air conditioning is on because they are cold. 

The only thing that matters is the real world usage. If a circuit or feeder is overloaded, the breaker will trip and an electrician can be brought in to evaluate the real reason why and split things up.


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## stang623 (Nov 23, 2016)

So the answer to my question then appears to be you can put whatever you need in the panel, if it trips the main then we have issue's. In addition we should probably look at obtaining a power logger or having an electrician do some power logging on the panel.

Yes I'm new and yes I like to learn, you guys have a very cool job in my eye's. Thanks.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

stang623 said:


> So the answer to my question then appears to be you can put whatever you need in the panel, if it trips the main then we have issue's. In addition we should probably look at obtaining a power logger or having an electrician do some power logging on the panel.
> 
> Yes I'm new and yes I like to learn, you guys have a very cool job in my eye's. Thanks.


"Officially", when it comes to dealing with stupid inspectors, having a load calculation will help you with him, but that is all. 

As long as the bus stabs in the panel can handle that size breaker, you can put whatever you want in, (20) 100A breakers is fine, altho uncommon and unnecessary. Breaker size has very little to do with how much current is actually being pulled.


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## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

> what does the code book say?


Do you have one? You should if you're doing this type of work.
Why don't you open yours up and read it?

Not trying to be rude stang but if you're not trained for electrical work you should either be supervised by a journeyman, or not doing it at all. You could hurt yourself or someone else.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Honest to Gods truth,, I haven't done an actual load calculation on one single job since taking the master's license test thirty two years ago. Nobody cares here in Paradise, except for commercial jobs and those have one on the plans already.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Why is this guy sticking his face inside a panel when he calls electricians "you guys"?


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

99cents said:


> Why is this guy sticking his face inside a panel when he calls electricians "you guys"?



Because he's a peripheral trade seeking to _energize equipment_ for whatever company he works for that is too cheap and/or not required to call one of '_us guys_' in SC....>>>


_What is your electrical related field/trade_:
*Equipment Installation*

:no::no::no::no:
~CS~


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Thanks for posting on ElectricianTalk.com. However, working with electricity and electrical systems can be unsafe if not done by a professional licensed electrician. The moderators of this site would like to advise you to contact a professional electrician in your area. 

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