A Diy Guide To Upgrading Electric Panels

By Author: John Smith
Total Articles: 13
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Are you installing new additions to your electrical circuit? Are there electrical extensions needed in your house? Extending or adding new rooms in an old house is something that is very commonly done. However, when you are remodeling the room arrangement in your house, there is one very important task you must undertake. The original electrical configuration of your house will be insufficient. It becomes imperative for you to upgrade the electric panels to handle the added demand for power. Unless you upgrade, your electrical system will not be able to bear the load of the added installations, resulting in frequent power cuts, or worse, electrical hazards.

How can you upgrade electrical panels? This is a task that is generally assigned to a professional electrician. However, it is not that difficult and anyone can take on the challenge. The first task is to get your facts correct and organized. All the lines in your house need to be labeled. Remember, the black wires are the ones that carry power, green ones are the ground power ...
... and the white wires are neutral. The breakers need to be taken out and the ground wires should be disconnected.

Now you are ready to remove the old power breaker from the original panel. Ensure you are maintaining extra caution when you are dealing with live wires. If proper precautions are not taken, these can prove to be fatal. It is advisable not to have children around when such electrical repairs are in progress in the house. Take care that no one accidentally touches the wires. Remove the old panel from the wall with care. In place of the old panel, install the new one.

The entrance hole for the power lines needs to be broken off and the power bars need to be wired off with the right wires. Ensure that the neutral lines are wired to the neutral bar and the ground wires to the ground bar. Ensure that you are not feeding the wrong bars with the wrong wires. Another precaution that you would have to take is making sure that there is some connection between the ground bar and the neutral bar. Once you reinstall the old breakers, you are good to go with the new ones as well.

About the Author
J-Five is one of the highest rated electrical contractors in Dallas Texas. They have been performing residential, commercial and remodeling electrical repairs and construction services in Dallas TX.