Trystan Casey
Amperage, or amps, is a measure of the amount of electricity entering and flowing through your home's wiring. The more amps entering your home, the more appliances and gadgets you can run simultaneously. To determine the amperage of your electrical service, you'll need to access the main components of your house's electrical distribution system, including the wire, the conduit, the meter, the panel, and the main breaker. The amperage rating of the main breaker is typically the overall amperage of your electrical service. This can range from 60 to 200 amps or more in most homes, with older homes having as low as 30 amps and larger homes having 400 amps or more.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main service panel location | Inside or outside the home, usually on the opposite side of the wall where the exterior electrical meter is located. |
| Main service panel appearance | A vertical gray metal (or brown or white) box mounted on a wall in a utility area. |
| Amperage of individual breakers | Between 15 and 50 amps. |
| Amperage of the main circuit breaker | 60, 100, 150, or 200 amps. |
| Amperage capacity of subpanels | Typically 60 to 100 amps. |
| Amperage capacity of small homes | 100-amp service panel, especially if gas heating is used. |
| Amperage capacity of larger homes | 200-amp panel or more. |
| Amperage estimation method | Measuring the diameter of the conduit that houses the service cable entry. |
| Amperage estimation method | Visually inspecting and estimating the size of the main service cable. |
| Amperage estimation method | Checking for a label indicating the amperage rating on the power meter box or electrical panel. |
| Amperage estimation method | Inspecting the panel for a main disconnect. |
| Amperage estimation method | Referring to the shape and features of the meter box (e.g., glass window vs. dome, square vs. rectangular). |
| Amperage estimation method | Performing a load calculation according to NEC Article 220. |
| Amperage estimation method | Using the "80% rule" as a guideline. |
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What You'll Learn
Identify the main service panel
To identify the main service panel, you'll need to locate the main breaker box, which is usually a grey metal box, sometimes brown or white, mounted on a wall in a utility area. It may be inside or outside your home, perhaps in a cabinet if it's in a finished living space.
The main breaker box will contain the main circuit breaker, which controls the power to the entire panel. This is usually at the top or bottom of the box and may be bolted in place or a snap-in breaker. The amperage rating of the main circuit breaker will be something like 60, 100, 150, or 200 amps.
If your home has an older electrical service, it might use fuses to manage the individual branch circuits. In this case, you'll have a main fuse block with a steel handle, and the amp rating of this will determine the overall service dimension of your home.
If you have a subpanel, this will be fed by the main service panel and will not contribute to the overall amperage offered. The subpanel will have its own main breaker, which will have the same amp rating as the double-pole breaker in the main panel.
Once you've located the main service panel, you can determine the amperage by checking for a label inside the panel door, which may have been affixed by the manufacturer or an electrician. Alternatively, you can add up the amperages of all the individual breakers in the box.
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Locate the main circuit breaker
Locating the main circuit breaker is essential for safety reasons and for routine maintenance or troubleshooting. The main circuit breaker controls the power supply to the entire electrical system and is the first line of defence in emergencies such as short circuits or overloads.
The location of the main circuit breaker depends on the type of residence. In apartment or condo buildings, the breaker is typically placed centrally in a common area that all residents and building utility staff can easily access. In family houses, the breaker is usually located in an area that is not frequently accessed by residents.
In residential setups, the main circuit breaker is often found in the garage or basement, where the electrical panel is usually housed. It is typically placed in a visible and easily reachable spot. The main circuit breaker can also be located in the utility room or at the service entrance of the house, where the main electrical supply enters the house from the utility provider.
In commercial buildings, the main circuit breaker is usually located in an electrical room or control centre, which houses the electrical equipment necessary to power and control the building's electrical systems.
Identifying the correct circuit breaker associated with a specific electrical outlet or appliance can be challenging. A breaker finder, or circuit breaker finder, is a useful tool that simplifies this task. It is a small, battery-operated electronic tool that identifies the circuit breaker in a main service panel that serves a particular outlet or light fixture. To use a circuit breaker finder, ensure that it is fully charged or equipped with fresh batteries, and follow the tool's instructions and safety precautions. Plug the transmitter into an outlet that is part of the circuit you want to locate, and then place the receiver near the transmitter. The receiver will light up and/or beep to indicate that it has picked up the transmitter's signal. You can then use the device to locate the matching circuit breaker in your breaker box.
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Understand the role of subpanels
An electrical subpanel is a secondary service panel that is fed by the home's main service panel. It is a smaller service panel that distributes power to a specific area of the home or other buildings on the property. It is essentially a satellite circuit breaker panel that has its own breakers. It can be placed anywhere inside or outside of the house, as long as it is at least a foot away from the main circuit breaker box.
Subpanels are typically 60 to 100 amps and often have branch circuits serving a specific area of the house. They have their own main breaker, which is fed by the main panel. Subpanels do not add amps to your home's electrical system because they feed off current from the main panel, but they do help take the load off of the main circuit breaker. They are useful when your main panel has little or no room to add new breakers.
Subpanels are also useful when you need extra power directed to a certain area of your home, such as a media room, hobby shop, or home addition. They help your electric panel manage electricity by powering specific areas of the property.
It is important to note that subpanels do not increase the total amount of power your home is able to accept. If you have a 100-amp or 200-amp power panel, installing a subpanel will not add extra amps. The subpanel feeds from the main panel, rather than increasing the total available power.
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Calculate your home's electrical load
To calculate your home's electrical load, you need to determine the amperage of your electrical service. This can be done by following the steps outlined below:
Locate the Main Service Panel
The first step is to find the main service panel, which is usually a grey metal box mounted on a wall in a utility area. It may also be enclosed in a cabinet if it is located in a living space. This panel will contain the circuit breakers that control the power to your home.
Identify the Main Circuit Breaker
Within the main service panel, you will see two rows of individual circuit breakers. At the top or bottom of these rows will be the main circuit breaker, which controls the power to the entire panel. This breaker will have a higher amperage rating, typically ranging from 60 to 200 amps.
Check the Amperage Rating
The amperage rating of the main circuit breaker will determine the overall electrical service size of your home. You can also check for a label inside the panel door, which may indicate the amperage rating.
Consider Subpanels
If your home has a subpanel, it is fed by the main panel but does not contribute to the overall amperage. Subpanels typically have their own breakers with amperage ratings between 60 and 100 amps, serving specific areas of the house.
Assess Your Electrical Appliances
To calculate your home's electrical load, you need to consider all the electrical appliances and fixtures in your home. This includes light fixtures, kitchen appliances, TVs, washing machines, and other items that consume electricity. The total power demand of these appliances will impact the overall electrical load.
By following these steps, you can determine the amperage of your electrical service and calculate your home's electrical load. This information is crucial if you plan to make any changes to your electrical system or want to ensure safe and efficient energy usage.
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Upgrade your circuit breaker
Upgrading your circuit breaker can be a complex task and should be done to prevent power outages and protect your electrical devices. Before upgrading, it is important to assess your circuit breaker's capacity and determine whether an upgrade is necessary.
To assess your circuit breaker's capacity, you need to calculate your electrical load, which is the amount of electricity your home consumes. Make a list of all the electrical devices, appliances, and lighting fixtures in your home, along with their electrical ratings, usually expressed in watts or amps. Add up these ratings to calculate your total electrical load.
Once you have calculated your electrical load, compare it with the ratings of your circuit breakers. If your total load exceeds the capacity of any individual circuit breaker, it is a sign that an upgrade is required. Overloading circuit breakers can lead to frequent tripping, power outages, and potential fire hazards.
If your circuit breaker panel has spare capacity, a straightforward upgrade method is to replace the existing breakers with higher-amperage ones. For example, upgrading from 15-amp breakers to 20-amp breakers will increase the circuit's capacity.
If your circuit breaker panel is already at full capacity, consider installing sub-panels to provide additional slots for new circuit breakers. Sub-panels act as extensions of the main panel and distribute electrical circuits to different areas of your home. However, installing sub-panels requires professional expertise, so it is recommended to hire a qualified electrician.
In some cases, you may need to upgrade your entire circuit breaker panel to meet your increased electrical needs. Older panels may have outdated technology, lower ampere ratings, or insufficient safety features. Upgrading to a new panel will improve the reliability and safety of your electrical system, but this complex task should be left to a licensed electrician.
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Frequently asked questions
The electrical service panel is usually a vertical grey metal box mounted on a wall in a utility area. It may be brown or white and could be inside or outside your home. If it's inside, it will likely be in a cabinet in a living space.
Open the metal door on the service panel. You will see two rows of individual circuit breakers with small toggle levers. These control individual branch circuits in your home. The amperage of these individual breakers will be between 15 and 50 amps.
A subpanel is a secondary service panel that is fed by the main service panel. Subpanels typically have their own main breaker and are usually 60 to 100 amps. They serve a specific area of the house.
The amperage rating of your electrical service will be listed on the main circuit breaker. This is usually 60, 100, 150, or 200 amps. You can also estimate the amperage by measuring the diameter of the cable that comes from the electric company and enters the power meter box.
Older homes may have a fuse box instead of a circuit breaker box. If you have a fuse box, the main fuse block should have a number printed on it, which indicates the home's amp service. Fuse boxes typically have 60 amps or less.
