Hiya Folks,
What's the general consensus on "mothballing" circuits to use the amperage
elsewhere? I've got a 50A circuit for the range which is unused and am
trying to add a 40A circuit for refrigerated air. Just curious to see how
that is viewed. When it comes time to sell, is it a problem? Down the
road I suppose I'll try to upgrade to a real service (200A probably) but for
now and the near future, it's the 100A.
Cheers,
cc

It will be a issue at resale time depending on wether the potential
buyer wants say a electric stove...

just go ahead and swap breakers, reuse slot and plan on a future
breaker panel upgrade.

On Mon, 29 May 2006 22:57:00 -0600, "James \"Cubby\" Culbertson"
wrote:

Hiya Folks,
What's the general consensus on "mothballing" circuits to use the amperage
elsewhere? I've got a 50A circuit for the range which is unused and am
trying to add a 40A circuit for refrigerated air.

Is there no empty slot in the breaker box? Why can't you just add the
circuit and leave the range circuit alone, since it is unused?

Even if it were connected, it's not good to bake or roast when the AC
is on. You're adding heat to the house and then paying to remove it.
That's why outdoor grilling is so popular in the summer. Especially
before there was AC, cooking in the house in the summer made it even
hotter inside.

(Do people remember these things?)

Just curious to see how
that is viewed. When it comes time to sell, is it a problem? Down the
road I suppose I'll try to upgrade to a real service (200A probably) but for
now and the near future, it's the 100A.
Cheers,
cc

Assuming you have a gas range or some sort, to have an unused electric range
line in place would be a bonus. Just disconnect it in the panel and use the
two slots

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message
...
Hiya Folks,
What's the general consensus on "mothballing" circuits to use the amperage
elsewhere? I've got a 50A circuit for the range which is unused and am
trying to add a 40A circuit for refrigerated air. Just curious to see
how that is viewed. When it comes time to sell, is it a problem? Down
the road I suppose I'll try to upgrade to a real service (200A probably)
but for now and the near future, it's the 100A.
Cheers,
cc

I have done this here and my box is jammed

When the $ is available I need to go from 100 to 200 amp.

or you could add a sub panel but honestly its not worth it

"mm" wrote in message
...

Is there no empty slot in the breaker box? Why can't you just add the
circuit and leave the range circuit alone, since it is unused?

Even if it were connected, it's not good to bake or roast when the AC
is on. You're adding heat to the house and then paying to remove it.
That's why outdoor grilling is so popular in the summer. Especially
before there was AC, cooking in the house in the summer made it even
hotter inside.

(Do people remember these things?)

No available slots. After I sent this, it dawned on me that I could add
the A/C circuit to a subpanel I installed last summer specifically for my
220V tablesaw. I think I'd be pushing the feed into the subpanel if I
turned on the saw and the A/C comes on at the same time (both are 20A FLA
and the sub is 40A) but it'll work until I'm able to upgrade the service
altogether. Thanks much for the comments!
Cheers,
cc

wrote in message
ups.com...
I have done this here and my box is jammed

When the $ is available I need to go from 100 to 200 amp.

or you could add a sub panel but honestly its not worth it


Thanks. After sending this, I realized I could in fact use my subpanel
that I installed last summer. There's a 220V/20A circuit there for my
table saw but otherwise, I can install the A/C there. Wish I'd thought of
that before I sent the message! So I can leave the range circuit alone.
I will plan to upgrade to a 200A service in the future however.
Cheers,
cc

James "Cubby" Culbertson wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...

Is there no empty slot in the breaker box? Why can't you just add the
circuit and leave the range circuit alone, since it is unused?

Even if it were connected, it's not good to bake or roast when the AC
is on. You're adding heat to the house and then paying to remove it.
That's why outdoor grilling is so popular in the summer. Especially
before there was AC, cooking in the house in the summer made it even
hotter inside.

(Do people remember these things?)

No available slots. After I sent this, it dawned on me that I could add
the A/C circuit to a subpanel I installed last summer specifically for my
220V tablesaw. I think I'd be pushing the feed into the subpanel if I
turned on the saw and the A/C comes on at the same time (both are 20A FLA
and the sub is 40A) but it'll work until I'm able to upgrade the service
altogether. Thanks much for the comments!
Cheers,
cc



How large is the feeder supplied (SUB) panel? IOW what is it's rated
amperage and how many slots does it have?
--
Tom Horne

Well we aren't no thin blue heroes and yet we aren't no blackguards to.
We're just working men and woman most remarkable like you.

"Thomas D. Horne, FF EMT" wrote in message
k.net...
How large is the feeder supplied (SUB) panel? IOW what is it's rated
amperage and how many slots does it have?
--
Tom Horne

Well we aren't no thin blue heroes and yet we aren't no blackguards to.
We're just working men and woman most remarkable like you.

It's 8 ga, 40 A. The sub itself is rated to 60A I believe. I have 3
slots left. I intend on putting the 40A A/C breaker there as the other
breakers see very little use. I'll just have to shut off the A/C if I want
to run my tablesaw until I can afford to upgrade to 200A. I don't suppose
I can just change the innards in the main panel to make it a 200A can I? I
don't suppose I'd gain any spaces that way anyway.
Cheers,
cc

"EXT" wrote in message
ews.com...
I am not sure that a 200 amp service would help you much, other than the
box will have more breaker positions, but that count is limited by code.

I have only a 100 amp service with a 24 breaker box. Years ago I outgrew
the tiny box size and added a subpanel to add breakers. I now have 3
subpanels in my house and much more equipment than you indicate you have.
While one panel is a generator transfer panel, the others are just
subpanels, and my original main panel is mostly full of large breakers to
feed the big loads and subpanels. The subpanels take care of the smaller
loads.

I have never had a problem with 100 amp being under capacity as far as
power draw, just I have a lot of lightly loaded breakers in my house and
need all the panels to hold them.

I'd like to go a similar route but unfortunately, there's really no place to
locate another subpanel where all the existing wiring would reach which
means I'd be ripping out walls and such. I think I can pull this off
within Code but I will have to move some breakers around. I've got a
serious imbalance on my phases as it is now (installed by the homebuilder no
less).
Cheers,
cc

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message

I'll just have to shut off the A/C if I want to run my tablesaw until I
can afford to upgrade to 200A. I don't suppose I can just change the
innards in the main panel to make it a 200A can I? I don't suppose I'd
gain any spaces that way anyway.

Changing the panel does not change the feed. You can buy a larger panel,
use the 100A breaker for now, and have more slots. When you have the $$,
you can change the entry service and maybe the meter box and have 200A
service.

You can also get an Amprobe and see just how much power you are using now to
see how fast you will have to upgrade.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news

"James "Cubby" Culbertson" wrote in message

I'll just have to shut off the A/C if I want to run my tablesaw until I
can afford to upgrade to 200A. I don't suppose I can just change the
innards in the main panel to make it a 200A can I? I don't suppose I'd
gain any spaces that way anyway.

Changing the panel does not change the feed. You can buy a larger panel,
use the 100A breaker for now, and have more slots. When you have the $$,
you can change the entry service and maybe the meter box and have 200A
service.

You can also get an Amprobe and see just how much power you are using now
to see how fast you will have to upgrade.


I was hoping to not cut up the wall installing a larger can. I don't think
that's an option (buying different buses, etc....to fit the existing can to
bump up my rating). If I'm going to buy the larger panel anyway, I might
as well do it all. I've got a 200A meter, have to measure my feeds from
the meter to the main breaker, and confirm with the power company that their
feed is indeed ok for 200A. In the meantime, I'm gonna spend $24 on
breakers and get this A/C up. Then maybe this fall, I'll put in a real
service. Thanks much!
Cheers,
cc