On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 21:28:13 -0800 (PST), trader_4
wrote:

On Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 11:14:15 PM UTC-5, micky wrote:
In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 20 Jan 2018 21:26:13 -0500,
wrote:

On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 21:02:39 -0500, micky
wrote:

In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 20 Jan 2018 17:24:34 -0500,
wrote:

On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 14:45:42 -0500, micky
wrote:

A neighbor asked me about upgrading her breaker box.

I used to know what it is. However now, to see the value on my main
breaker would require climbing on the dryer and using a mirror but I do
know that the box has 4 duplex breakers (for the oven, water heater, AC,
and clothes dryer), 12 15-amp breakers and it has 6 empty slots before I
used one. One breaker is a GFI.

Does that imply how much amperage the house is wired for?

They were built in 1979-80. 3 floors including basement, 3 bedrooms.

It seems to me there is nothing a normal person could want to add that
would require a bigger box. Maybe an electric chair would need more.

Without actually seeing all the details I say she is fine. The "box"
seems big enough since she has extra slots and running a calc based on
1500 sq/ft (not including the basement) water heater, range, dryer at
the standard assigned load and guessing the AC as ~20a FLA, I get this
coming out around 22kva and that is 92a. The minimum size panel is
100. The house could actually be over 3000 sq/ft and still come in
under the wire.

I'm sorry I didn't give the 60amp value first. Had to find a mirror.

Where in the hell would they let her build a house in "79-80" with a
60a service? 100a has been the minimum since the Eisenhower
administration.

Well, that's what the number was on the bar connecting the two breakers.

Perhaps the rating is twice that, since there are two breakers?

No.

You sure this isn't a sub-panel?

I was curious about that myself. They may have a meter main outside or
something. That could be an MLO panel and the 60 could be for a load.
We didn't ask if there was a furnace or toaster wire in an air handler
supplementing a heat pump. If so that would usually be on a 60.
Having talked to Micky before, I am thinking he might need some help
on site.