Could you benefit from an upgraded electrical system? For more information, call Crowe Electric at 781-678-8266.
Do you find your electrical appliances frequently don’t have enough power? You could benefit from installing and wiring a subpanel, increasing your home’s electrical capacity. But now’s not the time to flex your DIY muscles.
As a trusted professional electrician in Hingham, MA, Crowe Electric can safely install a new subpanel at a competitive price. If you’re tired of choosing which appliances are more important, install a new subpanel today.
What Is a Subpanel?
Also called a “small panel” by the National Electrical Code, a subpanel is a type of smaller circuit breaker that works in conjunction with the main circuit breaker. It provides your home with additional electrical capacity if your main circuit breaker no longer has room for additional circuits. Homes with more than two bedrooms likely have a subpanel to help meet electrical needs.
These also help take the load off the main electrical panel and minimize the risk of overloading your circuits. Rather than functioning as a separate main panel, the subpanel uses two hot bus bars (which distribute the current) to feed power directly from the main circuit breaker and a ground bus bar (which helps prevent shock hazards).
How the Pros Install a Subpanel
Even if you’re proficient in basic electrical safety, wiring a subpanel requires special training and knowledge. You should always hire a certified professional to install a new subpanel. They’ll use the following process.
1. Choose the Right Panel
In general, experts suggest choosing the largest panel you can afford. Many homeowners feel confused trying to figure out how much capacity a subpanel has because various circuits and appliances require different amounts of space on the panel.
While your electrician can help you determine the right size for your home, to avoid installing another subpanel in the future, consider buying the biggest one you can within your budget.
2. Choose the Location
You can install the subpanel indoors or outdoors, though you’ll need a weather-proof model if you install it outside. You can’t install them in bathrooms, as the high moisture level poses a safety risk. Any obstructions, such as hanging drapes or clothes, also create a fire risk, so you can’t install the panel in an area like a closet.
Your licensed electrician can help determine the best location for your subpanel, as they’ll know the other requirements, such as placing it at least six and a half inches from the ground.
3. Connect the Right Wire
Once you’ve decided on the size and location of your panel, you’ll choose the best cable for wiring a subpanel. While most panels benefit from the standard 600-volt copper wire, you have other options, including the following:
- SER cables prevent you from running underground but provide an affordable option.
- You can use THHR cables inside, outside, and underground, but they require a conduit, which adds a small expense.
- XHHW cables offer the same benefits as THHR cables but provide higher quality that should last longer.
4. Mount the Panel
After deciding what wires you’re using, your electrician can mount the panel to the wall. It only requires a powered screwdriver and screws that go into each of the panel’s four corners, ensuring its sturdiness.
5. Organize the Route
Once mounted, your electrician can plan where you’ll lay the wires. They’ll want to use the least wiring while maintaining an organized layout to help with future maintenance or repairs. The subpanel requires four wires: two hot wires, a neutral conductor, and a grounding wire.
6. Strip and Connect the Hot Wires
Your electrician will strip the hot wires and connect them to the groundbreakers. These wires deliver electricity to the various appliances in your home and from the circuit breaker to the subpanel, which gives it power.
7. Connect the Neutral and Grounding Wires
The neutral wire carries power from your circuit back to the panel, which completes the system and generates the power. The grounding wires help prevent problems when a power surge or other electrical problem occurs.
Crowe Electric Provides Quality Electrical Services
Wiring a subpanel is a potentially dangerous and complicated task. Thankfully, Crowe Electric can complete the job safely without breaking your budget. Our friendly and expert staff can’t wait to solve your electrical problems.
Whether you’re wondering the best questions to ask an electrician or need a new subpanel, Crowe Electric can help when you call 781-678-8266.