Not too long ago I bought an older condo which I've been fixing up. I've been told I have 60 amp service to my condo. The circuit panel is both very old and doesn't have a main switch, here is a picture: old circuit panel.
Probably a really basic question but I don't know much about electricity and want to have a better idea before contractors pull me in a wrong direction.
Its a 1200 sq ft condo and the only big electrical items I have are an AC fan (just a blower motor, not central AC) and kitchen appliances. I should note I have a gas range so my kitchen electrical use is overhead light, refrigerator, microwave, garbage disposal, dishwasher and the range.
Otherwise I have 2 bedrooms (4 outlets in each, no built in lighting), 1.5 bathrooms (2 outlets total and 4 total light fixtures) and living room (about 8 total outlets, 1 built in light).
I've never tripped a circuit breaker from usage, but it worries me how the current setup has both bedrooms, bathrooms, and the blower motor on one circuit, the living room on one circuit, and I believe the kitchen on one circuit.
I'm planning to replace the circuit panel when I remodel my kitchen and my question is: can I add circuits without upgrading my service? I don't plan on adding much in terms of electrical use, but I'd like to have the separate rooms split onto separate circuits. Would also like to have kitchen appliances separated and want to use a cabinet lighting/electrical system that would require 3 separate circuits alone (Legrand Adorne). Also, can you use a 100-amp panel with 60-amp service? I'd think as long as the circuit breakers are appropriately sized the breakers would still trip based on the service provided so it wouldn't matter but I don't know.
Thanks for the help... trying to wrap my head around this stuff so I do the right thing electrically and don't have to fix problems down the road.
Submitted February 25, 2016 at 12:34PM by blackngold14 http://ift.tt/24qEvtt electricians
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