On Sun, 21 Jan 2018 00:26:11 -0500, wrote:

On Sat, 20 Jan 2018 23:14:11 -0500, 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?

Although it is not a standard disconnect size, are you sure that is
not 90? You were looking in a mirror. ;-)
Either that house is older than you think or something else is going
on. To start with I have never seen a 60a service with breakers. They
usually had a split bus panel with fuses. The pull outs were fed
directly from the service for the stove and water heater and they had
another pullout feeding the plug fuses.
It may be time to call an electrician to sort this mess out.
Something is not right. Have you looked at the property appraiser web
site to see when they think it was built?
The first thing I would look at is the size of the service conductors.
If they are 4ga copper (2ga al) it is 100a.
If it's 4 ga copper it will SUPPORT a 100 amp panel. Could still
have a 60 amp main installed.

Square D STILL makes a 60 amp distribution panel - Model
#CQO116M100C60

http://www.gimme-shelter.com/wp-cont...n-Edmonton.jpg
shows a 60 amp FPE breaker panel from years gone by.
The same panel was available with 60 and 100 amp - as well, I believe
, as a 75 amp.