Couple of electrical panel questions w/ pics

[paranoid56]

I recently moved into a new condo type place. (More like a duplex) and I am adding a few things and just wanted to double check. I am a bit paranoid

First up, these are the things I am going to do.
1. Add a dedicated 20amp circuit just for home theater. 20amp will be more then enough for my small setup. (For this, would I put in a different orange plug to show that its dedicated?)
2. Add a subpanel in the attached garage. Currently there is 2 plugs in the garage and both 15amp. I have a 110v welder, 110v air compressor and lots of other tools. Hoping in the next few months to pick up a 220v compressor and a new tig welder (had to sell both when I moved to help pay moving costs doh) so i figured since our house has a 100amp service, i was just going to do a 60amp or 80amp sub panel in the garage. And wire up the whole garage off that.

Now, I have added circuits in the past and feel comfortable around electricity and like do to things overkill. So I am confident in my abilities

Here are my questions.
Why in this pic of my box is the main switch in the middle? does it still shut off all breakers? (I haven’t tested it as I have a lot of electronics on and don’t want to shut them off yet)
Also, the box says GE on it and the only number on it shows 9-19L2. Short of taking a breaker out and taking it to HD what kind of breakers fit? It looks like I have 5 spots open, so 2 will be for the sub panel box and the another for my 20amp dedicated outlet. Any reason I shouldn’t put them both at the top?

Sorry for the long winded post

Thanks
Shane

And yes, i have been labeling them as I mess with them. these in the pics are the POs work

 

[ArthurPE]

the main CB will kill all the bus power, ie, all breakers...
it's a 100A panel, not sure how much you can add, you need to check the load...
turn EVERTHING on, heating or cooling, etc. and see what you draw with a amp probe...
still won't have much for the subpanel..

it looks like only 1 space at the bottom
adding one 2P and one 1P at the top shouldn't be an issue...

 

[paranoid56]

on the inside pic it doesnt show it, but there is space at the bottom for two full breakers. i just have never seen a main CB in the middle like that.

i will have to see what the amp pull is. however, i wont ever be running everything at the same time. but i guess if i were to sell the house, they wouldnt know that LOL

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The buss bars do not have lugs to feed them, the buss bars are back fed thru the 100 amp breaker. It can be mounted anywhere on the bars, I guess they didn't have enough wire to reach the top. The backfed main is legal, but is required to have an approved lock or screw to retain it in the panel so it cannot be easily removed. Cannot tell from the pics, but it may have a recessed hold down screw in that hole in between the two halves of the main breaker.

That is one of those "western style" main meter/panelboard combos that puts the breakers outside.

Those grey aluminized finish stabs with the notch in the middle of them is indicative of a GE stab.

The bottom double pole breaker looks like a Siemens or possibly a Bryant, which will plug on a GE stab (but technically may not be legal to do so due to UL approvals). The breakers with the colored handles look like Federal Pacific breakers, but that is certainly not a FP panel, and FP breakers won't fit other panels, unless FP made replacements intended for other panels.......... doubt that.

Charles

 

[paranoid56]

Thanks for the info. not sure why i over thought main CB LOL. what do you mean by the "the backfed main is legal, but is required to have ......" does this mean that the main breaker is bolted to the panel?

i dont think the house has ever been rewired, so i figured those red and blue brakers were orginal to when the house was built (built in 80)

The buss bars do not have lugs to feed them, the buss bars are back fed thru the 100 amp breaker. It can be mounted anywhere on the bars, I guess they didn't have enough wire to reach the top. The backfed main is legal, but is required to have an approved lock or screw to retain it in the panel so it cannot be easily removed. Cannot tell from the pics, but it may have a recessed hold down screw in that hole in between the two halves of the main breaker.


Those grey aluminized finish stabs with the notch in the middle of them is indicative of a GE stab.

The bottom double pole breaker looks like a Siemens or possibly a Bryant, which will plug on a GE stab (but technically may not be legal to do so due to UL approvals). The breakers with the colored handles look like Federal Pacific breakers, but that is certainly not a FP panel, and FP breakers won't fit other panels, unless FP made replacements intended for other panels.......... doubt that.

Charles

 

[nate379]

No electric dryer or stove in the house?

 

[paranoid56]

another question i was reading that you cant flush mount the subpanel on a fire wall. i am putting the sub panel on the wall between the garage and the house. how do you run the wires then?

 

[paranoid56]

No electric dryer or stove in the house?

no, everything is gas. we do have a 220v ac unit, but we dont use it.

 

[nate379]

If that's the case then several houses I have lived in were wired wrong.

another question i was reading that you cant flush mount the subpanel on a fire wall. i am putting the sub panel on the wall between the garage and the house. how do you run the wires then?

 

[mrb]

It can be mounted anywhere on the bars, I guess they didn't have enough wire to reach the top.

these are factory made like this. I have a 200a SQD version of the same type of panel on my house, the main is directly across from where the wires enter the panel section