Load Balancing Basics 101

[Teken]

Would like to know from the pro sparkies or those who have played with wiring in their homes about the proper method and reasons for load balancing.

I currently have a one year old Federal Pioneer 225 amp panel, which uses the Stab-Lok style breakers.

In the future I plan on renovating the basement and wanted to learn as much and the theory of load balancing, and why this is important, or IF its important.

Insight . . .

 

[oleguy]

load balanceing:each hot leg should have as best you can the same load.in other words,leg a has 60 amps,leg b should have 60 amps.if you have a panel with just one breaker and it is a double pole 60 amp,at full60 amps each leg will have 60 amp draw.line to neutral loads should be done the same way.

 

[Aceman]

Your biggest draw items are 240v, so they're already balanced.

Everything else doesn't matter, stick the breaker where it's convenient. Trying to balance a residential panel is a waste of time IMO. I don't know any electricians who do....

 

[Falcon67]

I did it in the shop, not the house. As noted, 220 items are the big draw and are automagically balanced. I have two light circuits, one on each leg and four plug circuits. You can also convert any 3/4HP and up motors from 110 to 220 if you like (and if the motor allows). The house we are leaving only has two 220V runs anyway. The new one has a bunch. The rest is so what - the biggest lights in the new house are the dual 32w fixtures in the kitchen, the rest are like 20w CFLs. All our TVs are LCD. So, hardly any draw at all. Wife's blow dryer pulls more than all the TVs and lights we turn on in the morning. Heater, AC, water heat and stove are the big draws in the new house.

 

[ishiboo]

Would like to know from the pro sparkies or those who have played with wiring in their homes about the proper method and reasons for load balancing.

I currently have a one year old Federal Pioneer 225 amp panel, which uses the Stab-Lok style breakers.

In the future I plan on renovating the basement and wanted to learn as much and the theory of load balancing, and why this is important, or IF its important.

Insight . . .

If you have lots of 20 and 30A breakers with high load, you should attempt to distribute them. Otherwise, it doesn't much matter... would be very difficult to overload a leg with typical residential uses.

What made you pick that panel? I would have went with a brand/style with a bit more storied history

 

[Teken]

Its from the builder and have to think it was because of costs. How are the other panel makers better with respect to their set up?

Looking at the panels from various makers like Square D, etc they all appear to be very similar minus how they place the actual breaker in there.

 

[ishiboo]

Its from the builder and have to think it was because of costs. How are the other panel makers better with respect to their set up?

Looking at the panels from various makers like Square D, etc they all appear to be very similar minus how they place the actual breaker in there.

They're all pretty similar, but the Square D's don't pose a huge safety hazard

http://www.inspectapedia.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm

I'm sure the newer Federal Stab-Lok's are better than the previous series, I was just curious as I thought based on the load balancing question you had installed the panel, and was just curious what made you pick that particular panel.

 

[Teken]

They're all pretty similar, but the Square D's don't pose a huge safety hazard

http://www.inspectapedia.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm

I'm sure the newer Federal Stab-Lok's are better than the previous series, I was just curious as I thought based on the load balancing question you had installed the panel, and was just curious what made you pick that particular panel.

Jesus . . .

When I have more time I will read the entire link you have supplied. Based on a cursory review, man this brand has a lot of problems . . .

I appreciate the heads up . . .

 

[ishiboo]

Jesus . . .

When I have more time I will read the entire link you have supplied. Based on a cursory review, man this brand has a lot of problems . . .

I appreciate the heads up . . .

I don't mean to worry you - I get the feeling that a 1-year-old board probably doesn't have any components/safety issues actually related to the FPE Stab-Lok's with problems. They've (FPE) been sold and resold and are now made by different companies, which hopefully have fixed the problem... one being Square D in Canada. (Like we can trust the Canadians...) The original designs with flaws could be completely gone right now... though if it was my panel I would check They existed for decades, too, so it may not be too far of a stretch.

My thought was that given the reputation they have, I was curious why someone would pick the brand - the question wasn't meant as a dig, I was genuinely curious what made you find/source a FPE in terms of cost/features/etc, which I haven't really seen around here, as I thought you picked it. As you said, I'm sure the builder+electrician picked it primarily on price point, which is not so interesting

 

[babzog]

I put the lights on the opposite leg as the plug circuit that powers my mitre saw... hated the momentary dimming when I started the saw.

 

[-JP]

There is another discussion on this board about different panelboards and their quality.

It's titled "Another breaker box question...Which One?"
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85056

 

[Grumpy365]

How are the other panel makers better with respect to their set up?

Breaker AVAILABILITY.

You can always find a Squre D breaker. If you have a breaker go bad, and have to find a Federal Pioneer breaker, your sources are limited.

 

[Teken]

Breaker AVAILABILITY.

You can always find a Squre D breaker. If you have a breaker go bad, and have to find a Federal Pioneer breaker, your sources are limited.

This is very true I have to say . . . The common sizes I would have expected Lowes, HD, Rona, to carry seem to vary from store to store.

Yet the other brands all amperage was always in the locked cabinet fully stocked . . .

 

[Norcal]

Federal-Pioneer does not have the same issues that the US made FPE, Federal Pacific Electric (AKA Fisher Price Electric) have, from what have heard that Schiender has discontinued Federal-Pioneer, if that is the case then getting rid of a F-P panel is a thought to consider.

Someone said their F-P panel was 1 year old. Can we say "Clearance Special"?

 

[Teken]

I don't know what the state of Federal Pioneer panels are in the USA. But, they are carried and in stock in all of the major reno store outlets.

Came back from HD, and a local electrical supply store and all of them were in stock. Asked the counter guy at the electrical supply store and he did mention that Federal Pioneer doesn't move as much product as the other brands he sells.

But, they are in fact top notch panels and hasn't ever received any complaints or any of them being brought back because of faults, poor workmanship, or safety issues . . .

Alot of the information in the link provided is from way back when and also is reflective of what Norcal has mentioned . . .

I dunno . . .

Looking at 9 different panels from all the major players. All of them seem to have very similar designs and how the internals are laid out.

Teach me, there is something I am missing here on this . . .

The one thing I did notice besides the other major brands is that the breaker style GFCI, Arc Fault, are hellaaaaaaaaaaa expensive . . .

What do they have in there, gold??

 

[Norcal]

I don't know what the state of Federal Pioneer panels are in the USA. But, they are carried and in stock in all of the major reno store outlets.

Came back from HD, and a local electrical supply store and all of them were in stock. Asked the counter guy at the electrical supply store and he did mention that Federal Pioneer doesn't move as much product as the other brands he sells.

But, they are in fact top notch panels and hasn't ever received any complaints or any of them being brought back because of faults, poor workmanship, or safety issues . . .

Alot of the information in the link provided is from way back when and also is reflective of what Norcal has mentioned . .
I dunno . . .

Looking at 9 different panels from all the major players. All of them seem to have very similar designs and how the internals are laid out.

Teach me, there is something I am missing here on this . . .

The one thing I did notice besides the other major brands is that the breaker style GFCI, Arc Fault, are hellaaaaaaaaaaa expensive . . .

What do they have in there, gold??

No Federal-Pioneer panels in the USA to my knowledge, unless somebody brought one across the border. Replacement breakers for FPE are Canadian F-P, or UBI Chinese made replacements.