This guide will show how a professional electrician connects a residential electrical panel to the main service wires to your home and the individual circuits. In all situations, this should be done by a licensed electrician, such as those at Best Electric Pros Hollywood.
Our guide assumes you will install the electrical panel on the wall near the main feeder wires that come into your home and branch out into circuit cables with the existing conduit runs. The last step in a major rewiring project is to connect all the wires to the main panel, as described here.
Before we proceed into the details of electrical panel service, here are safety considerations that the installer must strictly follow. This project is not DIY for homeowners, as dealing with an electrical panel is dangerous work if you do not have the experience and expertise. Building codes in most communities will not allow you to perform this major electrical work.
Turn off the power. Before doing any electrical work, turning off the power should be the first and strictly followed step.
Wear protective gear. Rubber gloves, goggles, and jumpsuits are some of the most basic protective wear you should wear at all times when dealing with electrical components.
Test wires for electricity. Using a volt tester, test the wires for current flow, even when you know the power is turned off, to ensure the wires you are working with are dead.
With the safety considerations in place, let’s proceed to the panel installation process. Again, note that inexperienced homeowners should not do these steps as a DIY project. Call a licensed electrician for your safety.
- Check Feeder Wires.
The professional electrician should ensure the power utility company has cut off the main feeder wires. A voltage tester is used to test the feeder wires in this case.
- Open Knockouts in Panel.
Knockouts are the preset holes temporarily covered by the manufacturer. The electrician can easily knock out these holes using a hammer and screwdriver. These are where the wires and screws need to be placed. Once the knockouts are removed, the electrician can install a conduit or cable connectors into the panel.
- Mount Electrical Panel.
The electrician then positions the panel, levels it, and secures it to the wall with screws or anchors at the back of the panel. A drill can drill holes in the back of the panel if the original holes don’t align.
- Install the Service Wires.
The electrician will then feed a fish tape through the conduit inside the panel to the outside entry point where the main service wires are available. There are normally two black “hot” wires and a white “neutral” wire.
Secure the service wires to the end of the fish tape and pull it back into the electrical panel. Allow the excess wire to be pulled into the panel to allow connections to be made from anywhere in the box.
- Connect the Ground Wire.
The main ground wire is usually a large, bare copper wire. The electrician feeds it into the panel and connects it to the main grounding connection, usually a metal lug on the back of the panel.
- Connect the Main Neutral Wire.
The electrician now connects the main service neutral wire to the neutral bus bar, usually located away from the two hot bus bars. It is silver-colored with many screws and connection points.
- Connect the Main Breaker.
With the neutral wire in place, the electrician bends the two black service wires for easy connection to the main breaker. The main breaker is usually a large 240-volt circuit breaker located at the top of the panel. It controls the power entering your home and connects to the hot bus bars.
- Pull Branch Circuit Wires.
Pull the wires for the branch circuits into the panel. Use fish tape to pull them through the metal conduit. Plenty of wire is pulled into the panel to provide enough margin of error.
- Connect Branch Circuit Ground Wires and Circuit Breakers.
The branch circuits’ green and bare copper wires connect to the panel’s ground bus bar. Insert the ends of the wires into openings in the bus bar before the set screws are tightened.
The electrician connects the circuit breaker for each branch circuit at a time. Ensure the breakers match the required amperage and voltage of the circuits to meet code requirements. A licensed electrician is trained in selecting the appropriate breaker for the circuit.
- Complete the Installation.
Install the electrical panel cover before asking the utility company to turn the power back on. The electrician then turns on the circuit breakers and ensures all circuits operate correctly. Each circuit is then labeled to identify its function.
All You Need to Know About Electrical Service Panel – Guide for Homeowners
Your main electrical service panel is the heart and brain of your electrical system. It is the system’s main control switch. If you plug in an appliance and the power goes off, the electrical panel protects your home from sudden power surges like those generated when appliances power cycle. Knowing the basics of your electrical panel installation and how it works can come in handy in case of emergencies.
- Electrical Panel
An electrical panel connects the external wires from the outside power grid to the internal wires of your home’s electrical system. The central distribution point allows power to enter your house and into different circuits.
- Location
The electrical panel is generally kept away from major household activity. Locations for your electrical panel may include the garage, basement, closet, or utility room. However, newer building code requirements in some states in the United States require electrical panels to be placed outside the home. Putting the panel outside allows first responders to safely turn off the power before entering your home, like in the case of a house fire.
- Types
Main Breaker. The main breaker panel controls electricity distributed into your house’s different rooms. It can cut off the power to your house.
Fuse Box. Fuse boxes use a thin wire to prevent circuit overload. When current exceeds its maximum potential, the fuse filament burns out, cutting off the flow of electricity.
Once you have the basic knowledge about electrical service panels, you should know what to do when your power suddenly goes out. You will know what to check and that only a licensed electrician should work on every electrical project in your home.
Don’t hesitate to call Best Electric Pros Hollywood for licensed electricians in the Hollywood area. We are happy to resolve all your electrical problems and assist with your electrical projects using our skills and expertise to deliver results.