GE Sub panel "Convertible to main breaker" question

[sjoseph316]

I'm going to replace my small sub panel with a larger one so I can organize a little better than what I have room to add a 60 amp breaker in my main panel for my gym building. The sub panel I'm replacing is right next to the main panel in the house and it services the addition we built a couple years ago. It's a GE and has all GE breakers so I bought a larger GE sub panel to replace it with.
As you can see in the picture it's a GE Powermark Gold, 14 space/24 circuit Main Lug. It says it's convertible to a main breaker and the instructions tell me what I need to buy to make it a main breaker. My question is if I don't add the main breaker can I just use those spaces where the main breaker would go with regular 20 amp circuits/circuit breakers? I circled the placement in red in the pic of where the main breaker would go according to the instructions. I'll be using it as bottom feed so the orientation is how it will be installed. Thank you!

 

[sjoseph316]

 

[luvtheheat]

Take a look at this.

Main breaker for sub panel

Hi, I am having a correction on one of my projects. The inspector wants me to install main breakers to the sub panels of a residential house with ADU. He told me that the reason is because I have more than 6 circuits in both sub panels. My understanding was that it needs to be in a different...

forums.mikeholt.com

My understanding is if the addition is attached to structure containing the main panel, you don't need a "main cutoff" breaker in sub-panel. If the addition is not attached to structure containing the main panel, you do need a "main cutoff" breaker in the sub-panel if you have more than 6 circuits hot in sub-panel.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

yes you can use those spaces. you have a 14 space/24 circuit panel

if you count the top 5 stabs which can have twins, that gives you 20 circuits. the bottom 2 stabs give you the other 4 circuits with full width breakers.

make sure the breakers from the old panel are listed for use in the new panel. GE changed the design of their breakers years ago and the old ones are not compatible with the newer panels.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Take a look at this.

Main breaker for sub panel

Hi, I am having a correction on one of my projects. The inspector wants me to install main breakers to the sub panels of a residential house with ADU. He told me that the reason is because I have more than 6 circuits in both sub panels. My understanding was that it needs to be in a different...

forums.mikeholt.com

My understanding is if the addition is attached to structure containing the main panel, you don't need a "main cutoff" breaker in sub-panel. If the addition is not attached to structure containing the main panel, you do need a "main cutoff" breaker in the sub-panel if you have more than 6 circuits hot in sub-panel.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

that has nothing to do with what he is asking.....

youre correct in that a subpanel in the same building as the main or feeding panel, does not need a main breaker.... but again, has nothing to do with the OPs question...

 

[sjoseph316]

Thank you very much!