Electrical Subpanel Installation: Expanding Capacity
As your home's electrical needs grow, you might find that your main electrical panel is running out of space for new circuit breakers. A subpanel is essentially a smaller, secondary service panel that is fed from the main panel. It's a common and effective solution for adding circuit capacity for a specific area or project without replacing the entire main panel.
🤔 When Do You Need a Subpanel?
A subpanel is the ideal solution in several common scenarios.
🔧 How a Subpanel Works
The installation is a job for a licensed electrician, as it involves working inside the main panel.
⚠️ Critical Safety and Code Requirements
Subpanel installation has very specific code requirements, particularly regarding grounding.
In a subpanel, the neutral and ground wires must be kept separate. The neutral bus bar must be isolated (floating), and a separate ground bus bar must be installed and bonded to the panel's metal enclosure. This is different from a main panel and is a critical safety rule to prevent creating dangerous parallel paths for electricity.
Other Key Rules:
- The subpanel must be fed by a 4-wire cable (two hots, one neutral, one ground).
- It must have enough capacity for the planned circuits.
- The installation will require a permit and inspection.
Expanding your home's electrical system requires professional expertise. The Box Advantage Group provides safe and code-compliant subpanel installations to give you the extra circuit capacity you need for your growing home. Contact us to discuss your expansion project.
