mwemaxxowner
Platinum Member
Been figgered out. Thanks.
Generators - Backfeeding - 120V
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MossRoad
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Yep. But never hurts to reinforce the lesson.
You can only have one main panel. All others are sub-panels.
Your main panel has your HVAC stuff in there, and most likely, without opening the panel, there are feeds directly to your two 200amp sub panels. Personally, I don't care for that setup. I'd have two 200amp breakers in that main panel under your meter to feed the two 200amp sub panels. That way, if you had to work on one of the 200amp sub panels, you could shut off the entire panel from the main panel. The way it is now, if you flip the 200 amp breaker at the bottom of that sub panel and then remove the cover, there's still hot power on the line side of that 200 amp breaker. While the risk of touching them is low, you'd still have to be aware of it if you were working on the panel.
Anyhow, looks like you have it figured out.
mwemaxxowner
Platinum Member
Now that I know how they work, I'll be sure to shut off both before I mess with anything. I understand your point though!Yep. But never hurts to reinforce the lesson.
You can only have one main panel. All others are sub-panels.
Your main panel has your HVAC stuff in there, and most likely, without opening the panel, there are feeds directly to your two 200amp sub panels. Personally, I don't care for that setup. I'd have two 200amp breakers in that main panel under your meter to feed the two 200amp sub panels. That way, if you had to work on one of the 200amp sub panels, you could shut off the entire panel from the main panel. The way it is now, if you flip the 200 amp breaker at the bottom of that sub panel and then remove the cover, there's still hot power on the line side of that 200 amp breaker. While the risk of touching them is low, you'd still have to be aware of it if you were working on the panel.
Anyhow, looks like you have it figured out.
Didn't have anything to do with the reinforcing, the condescending tone wasn't appreciated.
I've never had or dealt with a sub panel before. For some reason was just assuming that the panel inside the house that runs most everything was the "main". Then, as I was taking pictures and we were talking about it, as I saw how the true main panel is attached to the meter box, that's when I figured I had it backwards.
Last weekend when I had to clear the ice off my condenser fan was the first time I've ever opened or messed with that box. I opened the sub in the house and realized that there was no breakers for the HVAC.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
what your describing is a 400 amp service. he has a 200 amp serviceYep. But never hurts to reinforce the lesson.
You can only have one main panel. All others are sub-panels.
Your main panel has your HVAC stuff in there, and most likely, without opening the panel, there are feeds directly to your two 200amp sub panels. Personally, I don't care for that setup. I'd have two 200amp breakers in that main panel under your meter to feed the two 200amp sub panels. That way, if you had to work on one of the 200amp sub panels, you could shut off the entire panel from the main panel. The way it is now, if you flip the 200 amp breaker at the bottom of that sub panel and then remove the cover, there's still hot power on the line side of that 200 amp breaker. While the risk of touching them is low, you'd still have to be aware of it if you were working on the panel.
Anyhow, looks like you have it figured out.
MossRoad
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2001
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- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
I have no idea what he has without seeing things in person. he says he has two 200amp panels. i've only seen a picture of one. perhaps he's counting the one at the meter as one, and the one in the house as number 2?
If that's the case, there's no way to shut off power to the one in the house without shutting off the main service disconnect under the meter.
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
his pics show a 200 amp main on house with a sub distribution panel. ive installed lots of these same panels. not my favorite panel by a longshot, especially if you add an automatic backup transfer switch, as the additional circuits dont get included in backup unless special transfer switch is used. However, this panel design makes for a great and easy manual transfer switch install.