Anxious enough to put more breakers inside your main electrical panel? It’s okay to be aware of an overload possibility. In the past, the NEC stated that your main panel could only accommodate 42 circuit breakers at most.
But since this regulation no longer exists, it’s okay to question how many breakers can I put in a 150 amp panel? Get to know the relevant factors in this article before filling up the spaces in your panelboard.
Table of Contents
Number of Breakers You Can Put in a 150a Panel
In most cases, a 150-amp panel has 30 spaces that can carry as many as 60 circuits, although this varies between different brands. You can fill up all the slots, installing 30 circuit breakers.
For your reference, the average number of circuit breakers in a home of an average size is 20 to 30, and this number could go up if all appliances use electricity.
If you can put in a tandem breaker, this increases the panel’s acceptance for more circuits. But take note, a stab or a bus bar finger in a 150A panel shouldn’t exceed more than 200 amps. If not followed, the risk of overloading is high.
You can fill up all the free spaces in the panel, but make sure that the load of all circuit breakers in a house never surpass 80% of the breaker’s total amperage.
The National Electrical Code Regulations
Before 2008, the NEC allowed main circuit panelboards to carry not more than 42 circuit breakers (except for smaller panel boxes).
Later, in 2008, the NEC changed the recommendation, and people were told to follow the advice of electrical panels manufacturers regarding the maximum number of circuit breakers in a panel.
Hence, if you have a panel that exists before 2008, follow the 42 rule. For panels that are newer, look for the manufacturer’s stipulation.
This factor is worth considering because you can determine how many CBs you can install in your 150-amp panel depending on the year you got it.
Manufacturers tend to put the number of breakers you can use in your load center. You can easily find this near the panel door’s schematic diagram. However, some products don’t have this feature, so you’ll need to find it out yourself.
Conclusion
Filling all the empty slots in your 150-amp panel won’t be a problem since all circuit breakers aren’t expected to draw strong currents at once.
If your load center is a post-2008 model, its manufacturer has the answer to how many breakers can I put in a 150 amp panel. You can find it yourself with just a service panel check-up.
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I am Andrew Wright. With 8 years of experience designing, installing, and maintaining electrical power systems. I love my job, and I have always wanted to offer others the necessary help so they can take care of their houses.