Placing Breakers in New Sub-panel

[nwav8tor]

Please remember the saying "The only stupid question is the one that's not asked."

I'm installing a new sub-panel in my attached garage. It's a Siemens 125A main lug with 16 spaces for a maximum of 24 circuits. Provisions for tandem breakers are in the bottom 4 positions on each side. I only plan to use 8 spaces initially ( 6 single pole and one double pole) so here's the question:

Is there a preferred/standard method for placing the circuit breakers in the panel? For example, all 8 in a single column on either the left or right side OR 4 C/Bs in each column at the top or bottom of the panel.

What would you do and why?


Thanks,
Paul

 

[Stuart in MN]

You want to have the loads equally distributed across both hots as well as you can, and arranged so the wiring can be routed neatly out of the panel, but otherwise it doesn't matter too much how you place them.

 

[Cougar]

4 in each column at the top.

No particular reason, just the way I would do it.

 

[RECox286]

Since the main bus bars are staggered like when you mesh fingers of

both hands, you would have to skip every other position in order to

load only one leg of input power. IOW: as long as you load the

panel with c/b's in a configuration that puts the breakers all touching

each other, the load is considered to be in balance. (Load the breakers

with a space in between each breaker, and you are out of balance.)

Savy ?

UncleBob as opposed to U n c l e B o b

 

[nwav8tor]

Since the main bus bars are staggered like when you mesh fingers of

both hands, you would have to skip every other position in order to

load only one leg of input power. IOW: as long as you load the

panel with c/b's in a configuration that puts the breakers all touching

each other, the load is considered to be in balance. (Load the breakers

with a space in between each breaker, and you are out of balance.)

Savy ?

UncleBob as opposed to U n c l e B o b

That much is clear to me - thanks.