Hi,
Please help. This is a main service panel on a single family dwelling fed by overhead service conductors sized for 200 amp service terminating behind a 200cl meter. The panel is rated for 200 amps, but the largest breaker in the panel is a 2-pole 90 amp breaker labeled panel. Does this mean that this is a 90 amp service? Thanks
Not a 90A service. That is the feed for the interior sub panel. Whatever the weakest service component rating shows is the estimated service ampacity. Sounds like 200A. You also have an overfused branch circuit for the Shop.
And a double tap on lower right double pole breaker
Looks like a 200 amp service but you would need to know the size of the service entrance conductors to determine this since this service has 6 service disconnects.
I agree on it being a 200 amp service, with 6 throws to fully de-energize, which is allowed. on top of the other suggestions here, be sure that there is a 4 wire feed to the 90 sub panel inside the home - with separate neutral and ground that are not boned together in the sub panel. Regardless of date of construction, lack of 4 wire feed to sub panel on the same structure is an unsafe violation.
Thank you Robert and Bradley for you response. If the 90amp breaker is not the main service disconnect below the meter then where is the main 200amp disconnect? Thanks Bradley for pointing out the other issues inside the panel. On the breaker with the double tap there is an odd shaped washer that looks like it is made for each wire to lay into seperately one on each side of the lug, however I do not see any description on this D-HOM breaker stating that you could run 2 ungrounded conductors to this breaker in this manner. Thanks again
All 6 of those breakers are your disconnect. It must not take you more then 6 throws of the hand to turn off all power to the house. Turning off those 6 breakers will shut down all power to the residence.
I did a little research on the double tapped breaker in the panel and found out that this breaker allows for this type of installation I have posted a couple pics below. In training we are told to base the service on the lowest rated component in the system so again service coming in is for 200amp, service panel 200amp, meter is 200cl, largest breaker 90amp and the interior distribution panel is rated 125amp max capacity with no main disconnect. I do not see a larger rated disconnect anywhere so am I wrong on thinking that the lowest rated component is the 90amp breaker or the 125amp max distribution panel inside. Please correct me if I am wrong so I do not make this mistake in the field. Thanks again guys.
You have 6 breakers that act as the main, not a single breaker that is more common.
Ok, I will get off the 90amp breaker I do understand the no more than 6 hand movements, but do I need to take into account the 125amp max sub panel inside the house as the lowest rated component or do I just look at the lowest rated component at the service entrance.
Larry, you are comparing a double pole breaker to a single pole breaker. Two different animals. While they make a single pole breaker good for two conductors, I don’t believe Square D has a Double pole breaker that allow two conductors under a single side lug.
The main service is 200 amp. The remote distribution panel is 90 amp as the supplying breaker is that size in the main distribution panel.
Square D has 2 pole breakers for two conductors (30A or less). Just not sure if tapping just one pole is a good idea or not.
2 conductors on 1 lug? or 4 conductors for the 2 lugs?
The rating of the sub-panel is irrelevant because you are trying to determine the size of the service. The service is what you have posted in your second photo. The sub-panel is not the service.
Thanks again guys for your help. I will look into the double tapped breaker and change out the shop breaker to match the rated conductor.
Right now you can’t call it anything…As someone stated, you need to know the size of the service conductors that are coming into the panel being displayed to be 100% sure. Keep in mind that there is a note on the panel itself that says that all circuit breakers are service disconnects.
Also while you are mentioning things (and I wont cover what the others have pointed out, unless I just did not see it because I have a tendency to not read others posts…sorry) the issue of all the wires and cables entering through a single KO. Now, granted that people do this but sure does not meet 312.5©…but hey that’s just me.
I will notice the hodgepodge of breaker manufacturers in that cabinet…might want to mention that also unless again someone already mentioned it…
