Feed subpanel from below?

[Kaizen]

I am in planning phase for electrical. Looking to do a 100 amp sub panel in the garage. Going to surface mount to interior plywood wall and run conduit.
Question is are there panels with the lugs at the bottom? I have a 1 foot stem wall so i'll be coming up and over that but in at the two foot aprox height. Do i just mount it upside down?

 

[ForceFed70]

Most panels are designed such that they can be mounted upside down. Check the manufacturers specification.

 

[teamextreme]

If not, there's nothing wrong with running the wires up through the panel to the top and looping them back down into top-mounted lugs. Done all the time, just requires a couple more feet of wire.

 

[Kaizen]

If not, there's nothing wrong with running the wires up through the panel to the top and looping them back down into top-mounted lugs. Done all the time, just requires a couple more feet of wire.

Thanks Easy enough


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[ddawg16]

One note on that sub....if you get more than 6 breakers, you have to have a main breaker

 

[wyliesdiesels]

One note on that sub....if you get more than 6 breakers, you have to have a main breaker

Only if the garage is a detached structure and the OP didnt specify whether attached or detached.

 

[Norcal]

Most panels are designed such that they can be mounted upside down. Check the manufacturers specification.

Bottom fed panels are not “upside down “.

 

[malibu101]

My understanding has been that----
If the main breaker handle moves horizontally- it doesn't matter
BUT
If the main breaker handles moves vertically- up must be on and, obviously, down must be off.

 

[acer66]

My understanding has been that----
If the main breaker handle moves horizontally- it doesn't matter
BUT
If the main breaker handles moves vertically- up must be on and, obviously, down must be off.

Just to clarify, the other breakers can be installed being on while handle down?

 

[ForceFed70]

Bottom fed panels are not “upside down “.

Umm. Thank-you for stating the obvious?

 

[dscheidt]

Just to clarify, the other breakers can be installed being on while handle down?

In Canada, sure. In the US, not so much. They go side to side.

 

[stonesg]

My main panel is a Square D and it's fed to lugs on the bottom with a horizontal main.

Probably happens a lot in sub divisions like mine where all the power lines are buried.

 

[toplessHO]

I never run straight to lug and tight.
allow enough slack to reterminate should you ever need to

 

[Kaizen]

One note on that sub....if you get more than 6 breakers, you have to have a main breaker

It is detached and I will definitely have more then six. So in house panel I have a 100amp breaker and the sub has a 100 main breaker?


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[Kaizen]

Bottom fed panels are not “upside down “.

I wasn’t sure if there are panels specifically made with the lugs at the bottom and all the printed stuff that way as well or if it’s a normal panel turned like the Canadians do.


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[dscheidt]

It is detached and I will definitely have more then six. So in house panel I have a 100amp breaker and the sub has a 100 main breaker?

Yes. The breaker in the sub is just serving as a disconnect, so it can be rated higher than the breaker feeding it. In other words, you can feed a 100A main breaker subpanel with a 90 or 60A breaker. People do that because the wire cost is lower, they don't really need 100A in the garage, and 100A main panels are common and cheaper (and have more spaces) than 60A ones.

 

[Norcal]

Umm. Thank-you for stating the obvious?

Does not seem to be as obvious as you think.

 

[ddawg16]

Only if the garage is a detached structure and the OP didnt specify whether attached or detached.

Being New England, I assumed it was. But, you are correct and I should have stated that

 

[75gmck25]

I installed a Square D 100 amp sub-panel and fed it from conduit connected to the bottom. However, I just ran the incoming wiring (2-2-2-4 AL) longer and routed it up inside the panel so I could leave the main breaker at the top. There was plenty of space to make the turns in the wire. I just liked the look of the panel better with the main breaker at the top.

Bruce