Changing out your Fuse Panel to a circuit breaker Banel
Reprint By Steven Soby Electrician
508-394-0004
http://www.stevensobyelectrician.com/
It should be noted that in most jurisdictions it is necessary to obtain an electrical permit in order to convert from a fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel. Usually this type of permit is only granted to licensed electrical contractors. Failure to do so can lead to fines and utilities disconnecting power to your home.
Electrical distribution fuse panels, as shown in Figure 2 have become obsolete and in many jurisdictions a homeowner cannot get home insurance if they have a fuse panel installed.
Although a properly installed fuse panel is safe, insurance companies see the convenience to over size the fuse on a circuit as a potential hazard.
If you are converting from a fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel (as shown in Figure 1), because your home needs more power, then you must have the utility replace the incoming feed wires to your home. Just installing a new electrical distribution panel with more circuits will not provide your home with more power if the incoming service is not changed. The wires coming to your meter are sized based on the service provided. More power means larger gauge wires coming into your home.
The basic electrical service coming into your home will look something similar to
If you have a fuse panel then the main disconnect will most likely have cartridge fuses installed, rated at the load acceptable for the home.
If you have sufficient power, and only want to change the current fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel, leaving the main disconnect as it is with the cartridge fuses, then the electrical parts that you require can be obtained at most of the big box home improvement stores, online, or at an electrical wholesale.
Make a list of the number and sizes of circuit breakers that you will require. The breaker size is based on the gauge of the wire that is being used to run from the distribution panel to the device or appliance.
Do not assume that the screw-in fuse rating is correct for the wire size or circuit. People have a tendency to increase fuse amperage ratings as time progresses.
Charts on correct wire gauges for different amperes.
Purchase a panel that has more circuits spaces than you currently require so that you will have available spare breaker positions for future additions.
There should never be more than one wire on any fuse or breaker terminal. If there is more than one wire on a terminal count each wire as a separate circuit.
Remember that circuits in the fuse panel that fed 240 VAC to hot water tanks, ranges and clothes dryers were most likely made up of 2 cartridge fuses, as shown in Figure 1, on a removable fuse block. These will need to be replaced with double pole circuit breakers (see Table 1) for the proper amperage.
Table 1 - Types of Circuit Breakers
Single pole breaker is used for circuits that require 115VAC
Double pole breaker is used for circuits requiring 230 VAC or for spit receptacles (common in kitchens) where each of the sockets on a duplex receptacle are separately fused.
The cartridge fuse blocks serve 3 purposes:
1.They can be used to fuse each side of a 230 VAC circuit. Common for water heaters, ranges and dryers.
2.They can be used to fuse spit receptacles where the upper and lower part of the receptacle are on independent circuits. Common for kitchen receptacles.
3.They can be used as the main disconnect for the fuse panel. In this situation the cartridge fuses will disconnect all power from the fuse panel circuits.
You can purchase your new breaker electrical panel with and without a main breaker. This combines the older method of having a separate disconnect from the fuse panel. The main breaker turns off the power to all branch circuits. If you have a separate main disconnect switch, there is no need to have a main breaker.
You will be turning all of the power off in the home to do the conversion from the fuse panel to the circuit breaker panel. Because you will not have any utility lighting, make sure that you have flashlights or lanterns to provide you with working light.
1.Turn off the power at the main disconnect (see Figure 2). This is either a lever on the side of the main disconnect electrical box, usually market with "ON" in one direction and "OFF" in the opposite direction or a switch mounted on the front of the main disconnect electrical box, again marked "ON" and "OFF".
2.Open the main disconnect electrical box and remove the fuses. There is live power in this electrical box, even with the switch or lever turned to the "OFF" position. Removing the fuses, protects you from someone inadvertently turning the switch or lever back to the "ON" position and delivering power to the electrical circuits you are working on.
3.With the switch or lever in the "OFF" position and the fuses removed, the fuse distribution panel is dead. Remove the cover from the fuse distribution panel. You will most likely see a birds nest of wires running to terminals and grounding bars or screws.
The cables entering the fuse distribution box, should be coming in through box connectors. It is best to identify each of the cables and where it goes before you remove them. Use a piece of masking tape wrapped around the cable. Remove all the wires from terminals and pull the wires out through the box connectors (see Figure 2b).
The box connectors that you removed from the fuse panel can be reused on the new breaker panel.
4.It is most common that the wires running from the main disconnect electrical box to the fuse panel were run in a metal pipe, with threads on the ends, as shown in Figure 3. The pipe is most likely connected to the fuse panel using a large hexagon shaped nut, which screws over the thread on the inside of the fuse panel. There may also be a nut on the outside of the fuse panel, so that the fuse panel ends up being sandwiched between the nuts and the pipe goes through a knockout in the fuse panel. Remove the inside nut in the fuse panel from the pipe.
5.With the wires removed from all the terminals and the nut removed from the pipe, the only thing holding the fuse panel in position will be a few screws on the back of the fuse panel. Remove the screws and then remove the fuse panel from the wall.
6.Look at your breaker panel, there should be knockouts on the side, choose a knockout that is in the correct position and size to match the metal pipe holding the wires from the main disconnect. Remove the knockout.
The easiest way to remove the knockouts is to use a hammer, heavy duty flat head screw driver and a pair of lineman's pliers (see Figure 1). Place the edge of the screwdriver over the inside of the cut area of the knockout and hit it with the hammer, the knockout should bend inwards. Grab the piece that has bent in with the lineman's pliers and twist to break the tabs. On larger knockouts it may be necessary to use a small file to remove the burrs left by the knockouts on the panel.
7.Slide the wires from the main disconnect through the knockout hole - make sure you do not scratch or nick the insulation as the edges of the knockout can be sharp. Push the pipe through the knockout hole, slide the nut over the wires and tighten the nut.
8.Screw the panel to the wall using appropriate screws.
9.It is easier to dress, position, the wires if you start with the heaviest gauge wires first. These should be the wires coming from the main disconnect (see Table 1). It is highly likely that the wires will have to be cut to fit the layout of the new distribution panel. If the wires are to short - replace them. Although not an electrical requirement, a neatly dressed electrical box, is safer and will allow you to trace problems in the future.
10.The next step, after the wires have been connected from the main disconnect are the individual circuits. From a layout standpoint, mount the double pole breakers in the upper most slots and the 15 amp breakers in the slots below.
11.There should only be one circuit per breaker.
12.If a wire is to short to reach the location you can add to the wire inside the distribution panel using a wire nut or you can mount a junction box on the exterior of the panel and add to the cable length.
13.Not all breaker locations need to be used.
14.Bring the wires into the distribution panel by using the knockouts on the sides and bottom of the box. Use proper box connectors in the knockout holes to ensure that wire insulation is not damaged during installation.
15.Connect each of the breakers in sequence, placing the hot wire on the breaker, the neutral wire on the neutral buss bar and the ground wire to the grounding screws. Don't forget that in some cases, where you have a 240VAC appliance, the white wire may be used as a hot wire, not a neutral. Any white wires that are used as live wires should have black electrical tape wrapped over the white wire.
16.Once you have all the wires connected to the appropriate terminals, double check that they are all snug - pull on the wires individually and see if any of them move or pull out from the terminal.
17.The cover plate will have knockouts for each breaker. Only remove the knockouts that have breakers in those positions. Mount the cover plate on the box.
18.Replace the fuses in the main disconnect.
19.Turn the main disconnect lever or switch to the "ON" position.
REPRINT BY STEVEN SOBY< ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
508-394-0004
"please leave you comments and links at http://capecodelectric.blogspot.com and cleick FOLLOW to be alerted to all future postings"
Steve Soby
Reprint By Steven Soby Electrician
508-394-0004
http://www.stevensobyelectrician.com/
It should be noted that in most jurisdictions it is necessary to obtain an electrical permit in order to convert from a fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel. Usually this type of permit is only granted to licensed electrical contractors. Failure to do so can lead to fines and utilities disconnecting power to your home.
Electrical distribution fuse panels, as shown in Figure 2 have become obsolete and in many jurisdictions a homeowner cannot get home insurance if they have a fuse panel installed.
Although a properly installed fuse panel is safe, insurance companies see the convenience to over size the fuse on a circuit as a potential hazard.
If you are converting from a fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel (as shown in Figure 1), because your home needs more power, then you must have the utility replace the incoming feed wires to your home. Just installing a new electrical distribution panel with more circuits will not provide your home with more power if the incoming service is not changed. The wires coming to your meter are sized based on the service provided. More power means larger gauge wires coming into your home.
The basic electrical service coming into your home will look something similar to
If you have a fuse panel then the main disconnect will most likely have cartridge fuses installed, rated at the load acceptable for the home.
If you have sufficient power, and only want to change the current fuse panel to a circuit breaker panel, leaving the main disconnect as it is with the cartridge fuses, then the electrical parts that you require can be obtained at most of the big box home improvement stores, online, or at an electrical wholesale.
Make a list of the number and sizes of circuit breakers that you will require. The breaker size is based on the gauge of the wire that is being used to run from the distribution panel to the device or appliance.
Do not assume that the screw-in fuse rating is correct for the wire size or circuit. People have a tendency to increase fuse amperage ratings as time progresses.
Charts on correct wire gauges for different amperes.
Purchase a panel that has more circuits spaces than you currently require so that you will have available spare breaker positions for future additions.
There should never be more than one wire on any fuse or breaker terminal. If there is more than one wire on a terminal count each wire as a separate circuit.
Remember that circuits in the fuse panel that fed 240 VAC to hot water tanks, ranges and clothes dryers were most likely made up of 2 cartridge fuses, as shown in Figure 1, on a removable fuse block. These will need to be replaced with double pole circuit breakers (see Table 1) for the proper amperage.
Table 1 - Types of Circuit Breakers
Single pole breaker is used for circuits that require 115VAC
Double pole breaker is used for circuits requiring 230 VAC or for spit receptacles (common in kitchens) where each of the sockets on a duplex receptacle are separately fused.
The cartridge fuse blocks serve 3 purposes:
1.They can be used to fuse each side of a 230 VAC circuit. Common for water heaters, ranges and dryers.
2.They can be used to fuse spit receptacles where the upper and lower part of the receptacle are on independent circuits. Common for kitchen receptacles.
3.They can be used as the main disconnect for the fuse panel. In this situation the cartridge fuses will disconnect all power from the fuse panel circuits.
You can purchase your new breaker electrical panel with and without a main breaker. This combines the older method of having a separate disconnect from the fuse panel. The main breaker turns off the power to all branch circuits. If you have a separate main disconnect switch, there is no need to have a main breaker.
You will be turning all of the power off in the home to do the conversion from the fuse panel to the circuit breaker panel. Because you will not have any utility lighting, make sure that you have flashlights or lanterns to provide you with working light.
1.Turn off the power at the main disconnect (see Figure 2). This is either a lever on the side of the main disconnect electrical box, usually market with "ON" in one direction and "OFF" in the opposite direction or a switch mounted on the front of the main disconnect electrical box, again marked "ON" and "OFF".
2.Open the main disconnect electrical box and remove the fuses. There is live power in this electrical box, even with the switch or lever turned to the "OFF" position. Removing the fuses, protects you from someone inadvertently turning the switch or lever back to the "ON" position and delivering power to the electrical circuits you are working on.
3.With the switch or lever in the "OFF" position and the fuses removed, the fuse distribution panel is dead. Remove the cover from the fuse distribution panel. You will most likely see a birds nest of wires running to terminals and grounding bars or screws.
The cables entering the fuse distribution box, should be coming in through box connectors. It is best to identify each of the cables and where it goes before you remove them. Use a piece of masking tape wrapped around the cable. Remove all the wires from terminals and pull the wires out through the box connectors (see Figure 2b).
The box connectors that you removed from the fuse panel can be reused on the new breaker panel.
4.It is most common that the wires running from the main disconnect electrical box to the fuse panel were run in a metal pipe, with threads on the ends, as shown in Figure 3. The pipe is most likely connected to the fuse panel using a large hexagon shaped nut, which screws over the thread on the inside of the fuse panel. There may also be a nut on the outside of the fuse panel, so that the fuse panel ends up being sandwiched between the nuts and the pipe goes through a knockout in the fuse panel. Remove the inside nut in the fuse panel from the pipe.
5.With the wires removed from all the terminals and the nut removed from the pipe, the only thing holding the fuse panel in position will be a few screws on the back of the fuse panel. Remove the screws and then remove the fuse panel from the wall.
6.Look at your breaker panel, there should be knockouts on the side, choose a knockout that is in the correct position and size to match the metal pipe holding the wires from the main disconnect. Remove the knockout.
The easiest way to remove the knockouts is to use a hammer, heavy duty flat head screw driver and a pair of lineman's pliers (see Figure 1). Place the edge of the screwdriver over the inside of the cut area of the knockout and hit it with the hammer, the knockout should bend inwards. Grab the piece that has bent in with the lineman's pliers and twist to break the tabs. On larger knockouts it may be necessary to use a small file to remove the burrs left by the knockouts on the panel.
7.Slide the wires from the main disconnect through the knockout hole - make sure you do not scratch or nick the insulation as the edges of the knockout can be sharp. Push the pipe through the knockout hole, slide the nut over the wires and tighten the nut.
8.Screw the panel to the wall using appropriate screws.
9.It is easier to dress, position, the wires if you start with the heaviest gauge wires first. These should be the wires coming from the main disconnect (see Table 1). It is highly likely that the wires will have to be cut to fit the layout of the new distribution panel. If the wires are to short - replace them. Although not an electrical requirement, a neatly dressed electrical box, is safer and will allow you to trace problems in the future.
10.The next step, after the wires have been connected from the main disconnect are the individual circuits. From a layout standpoint, mount the double pole breakers in the upper most slots and the 15 amp breakers in the slots below.
11.There should only be one circuit per breaker.
12.If a wire is to short to reach the location you can add to the wire inside the distribution panel using a wire nut or you can mount a junction box on the exterior of the panel and add to the cable length.
13.Not all breaker locations need to be used.
14.Bring the wires into the distribution panel by using the knockouts on the sides and bottom of the box. Use proper box connectors in the knockout holes to ensure that wire insulation is not damaged during installation.
15.Connect each of the breakers in sequence, placing the hot wire on the breaker, the neutral wire on the neutral buss bar and the ground wire to the grounding screws. Don't forget that in some cases, where you have a 240VAC appliance, the white wire may be used as a hot wire, not a neutral. Any white wires that are used as live wires should have black electrical tape wrapped over the white wire.
16.Once you have all the wires connected to the appropriate terminals, double check that they are all snug - pull on the wires individually and see if any of them move or pull out from the terminal.
17.The cover plate will have knockouts for each breaker. Only remove the knockouts that have breakers in those positions. Mount the cover plate on the box.
18.Replace the fuses in the main disconnect.
19.Turn the main disconnect lever or switch to the "ON" position.
REPRINT BY STEVEN SOBY< ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR
508-394-0004
"please leave you comments and links at http://capecodelectric.blogspot.com and cleick FOLLOW to be alerted to all future postings"
Steve Soby
This post first appeared on Steven Soby Electrician Of Cape Cod, Ma, please read the originial post: here
