The Home Electrical Service Panel Reference

The service panel is the control center of your home's electrical system. The panel receives the power leads from the electrical company and shunts this power to the various electrical circuits via a series of circuit breakers, which are like re-usable fuses. These breakers clip onto a brass buss which is connected to the hot line from the power company, and return lines from each circuit are connected the power company return line via the neutral buss. In addition, each household circuit is connected to the ground buss in the panel, which is itself connected to ground.

It is important to note that electrical codes change, and that in some areas local electrical codes are not the same as the National Electrical code. The local authority having jurisdiction in your area may have different codes than the national code. It is important to find out if the local residential codes differ from the national code, your local authority having jurisdiction is the final judge and jury.

Home Electrical Service Panel

If you intend to replace your entire existing electrical service by doing it yourself there are some things you will need to consider before you start, let’s go through some of the things you will need to consider.

Every electrical service can be different but here are some ideas for your parts list.

Main Electrical panel – Make sure the ampere rating of the panel is the same as the ampere rating of the service cable providing power to the panel.

Circuit Breakers – Take the cover off your existing panel ( Be careful not to touch any live power!) and check that the size of wire going to each breaker is the right size for each breaker. Ex. 12g wire connected to a 20 amp breaker and so on. This is to make sure who ever worked on it in the past did things correctly. Now you should have a list of what circuit breakers you will need for your new panel.

Circuit breakers are the primary safety devices in your electrical system and they are integral to electrical panel wiring. A breaker automatically "trips" and shuts off power to a circuit if it senses an overload, which can be caused by plugging in too many appliances on one circuit, or by a short. A short can result from things like loose wires, damaged insulation or a curious kid sticking a coat hanger into an outlet (ouch).
Breakers are rated for the power draw of each circuit. Standard breakers carry 120 volts and either 15 or 20 amps (amperes). High-voltage breakers carry 240 volts and 30 or more amps. The amp rating is the number stamped on the end of each breaker switch lever. All panels should have an index label on the panel door listing the main devices on each circuit (e.g. "kitchen plugs," "dryer," "living room lights"). A certified Houston Electrician in the area will be beneficial in ensuring all electrical installations are done correctly. Electricians in Houston should be trained in all aspects of home lighting and should be able to assist you at the drop of a dime.