Is Your Electric Service Panel Big Enough

Is my electric panel big enough for all my appliances? Estimating the Required Electrical Service, Home Electrical Panel Sizes, Circuit Breaker Spaces in Electric Panels.

Electrical Panel Capacity
Electrical Question: Is my electric panel big enough for all my appliances?

• I live in a mobile home park and my model home which is plugged into 50-amp service.
• Is this sufficient to have an electric kitchen stove?
• I have an electric water heater and all the usual small appliances and electronics, and we also have an air conditioner.

Thank you.

This electrical wiring question came from: Judy, from Desert Hot Springs, California.

Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical wiring question Judy.

Home Electric Service Panel

Guide to Electrical Panel Circuit Capacity

• Estimating the Required Electrical Service
  • Judy, it is a good thing that you are asking this question before you purchase the kitchen stove because it appears that your electric service panel may not have the extra amperage capacity, and most likely there may not be any available circuit breaker spaces as well.
  • The electric water heater is commonly a 240 volt 30 amp circuit, and the air conditioner may be on a dedicated circuit, possibly 15 or 20 amps. Your home will also have circuits for the bathroom outlet, kitchen outlets, lights and additional circuits for the rest of the home outlets and lights.
  • When taking all of these circuits into consideration and then seeing that your electrical service is limited to 50 amps then it does not appear that you could add an conventional electric stove, unless the stove is much smaller than normal. You may want to consider installing a gas stove instead.

• Home Electrical Panel Sizes
  • Most newer homes have an electric service that is sized according to the size of the home and any special circuit loads.
  • Some smaller homes have a 125 amp panel, and most three bedroom, two bathroom homes have a 200 amp panel.
  • Larger custom homes may have a 200 to 600 amp main electric service with multiple sub panels.
  • The amperage size of the electrical service and the load capacity has little to do with the number of circuit breakers and their amperage rating because not all of the circuits are being used at the same time and each circuit may not reach the rated amperage load of the circuit.

• Circuit Breaker Spaces in Electric Panels
  • The amperage size of the panel is one thing, however there must be spaces available for additional circuit breakers as well if you are considering adding more circuits.
  • Each electrical panel is designed to allow a specified number of circuit breakers, however there are options for additional circuits to be added depending on the type of electrical panel and the actual load or available capacity.

More about Electrical Panel Loads

• Residential Electrical Load Calculator

  • The Electrical Load Calculator is a fully functional online and Interactive tool that will assist you with accurate panel load calculations.
  • The Residential Electrical Load Calculator is Pre-Loaded with electrical information for you to chose for typical electrical loads in the home.
  • General Electrical Load Requirements, Appliances and Motor Loads, Heating and Air Conditioning equipment.
  • Sizing Wire for a Panel: Voltage Drop Calculator

More about Electrical Service Panels

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» You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes! « Here's How to Do It: Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book Great for any Home Wiring Project. Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring Perfect for Homeowners, Students, Handyman, Handywomen, and Electricians Includes: Wiring GFCI Outlets Wiring Home Electric Circuits 120 Volt and 240 Volt Outlet Circuits Wiring Light Switches Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Electric Range Wiring 3-Wire and 4-Wire Dryer Cord and Dryer Outlet How to Troubleshoot and Repair Electrical Wiring Wiring Methods for Upgrading Electrical Wiring NEC Codes for Home Electrical Wiring ....and much more.

Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all Electric Wiring Projects.

Electrical Tips to Help You Wire it Right The Safest Way to Test Electrical Devices and Identify Electric Wires! The Non-Contact Electrical Tester This is a testing tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and is the first test tool I grab to help identify electrical wiring. It is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use. The Quickest Way to Check for Faulty Electrical Wiring! The Plug-In Outlet Tester This is the first tool I grab to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring. This popular tester is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring. It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect Very handy and easy to use. Strip Off Wire Insulation without Nicking and Damaging the Electric Wire! The Wire Stripper and Wire Cutter My absolute favorite wire stripping tool that I have had in my personal electrical tool pouch for years, and this is the tool I use to safely strip electrical wires. This handy tool has multiple uses: The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation. The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.. The wire stripper will work on both solid and stranded wire. This tool is Very Handy and Easy to Use.

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Home Electrical Wiring and Electrical Repairs Please Note: Unless otherwise posted, please refer to the following Guidelines when working on Electrical Projects: Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced - Electrical Repairs and Circuit Wiring is Best Performed by a Certified Electrician or Licensed Electrical Contractor. Electrical Tools Required: Basic Electricians Pouch of Hand Tools, a Voltage Tester and a Multi Meter. Estimated Time: Depends on personal level experience, ability to work with tools, work with electrical wiring, and the available access to the project area. Precaution: Identify the project circuit, turn it OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring. Important: Modifying existing electrical circuits or installing additional electrical wiring should be done according to local and National Electrical Codes, with a permit and be inspected.

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