Otis Singleton
An electric load service centre, also known as a load centre, is an essential component of a building's electrical system. It is a metal box that receives incoming electrical power from utility company lines or another load centre and distributes it to various branch circuits throughout the building. Each circuit within a load centre is protected by a circuit breaker, which safeguards against potential property damage or personal injury in the event of a short circuit or overload. Load centres are used in both residential and commercial applications and can be customised to meet unique power distribution needs. They are also sometimes referred to as panelboards, circuit breaker boxes, electrical panel boxes, or fuse panels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | An electric load service center is a metal electrical service box that receives incoming power from the utility company lines or from another load center. |
| Function | It distributes electricity throughout the house. |
| Safety | It helps to provide safety to the homeowner and maintenance personnel by housing all the branch circuits in one enclosure, helping to prevent contact with energized electrical parts. |
| Circuit Protection | Each branch circuit is protected by a circuit breaker housed in the load center. |
| Overcurrent Protection | A lever-style main breaker provides overcurrent protection to all downstream branch circuits. |
| Power Cutoff | The main breaker can be manually turned off to stop the flow of all power to the house, and it shuts off on its own in the event of a power surge. |
| Subpanels | A main lug load center, often called a subpanel, is installed downstream from a main breaker load center. |
| Circuit Expansion | A main lug load center is sometimes installed to expand the number of circuits in a home. |
| Circuit Breakers | Load centers use plug-on circuit breakers to distribute electricity to circuits throughout a home or small building. |
| Types | All types of load centers can be divided into two main categories: main breaker and main lug load centers. |
| Main Breaker Load Centers | These receive incoming power through the main breaker, which then distributes power to various connected circuits. They are always service entrance-rated and provide overcurrent protection. |
| Main Lug Load Centers | These do not have a built-in main breaker. Incoming power feeds directly into the bus bars or main lugs, and circuit protection is provided remotely. |
| Customization | Load centers can be customized with different interiors, enclosures, and amp ratings to meet unique needs. |
| Upgrades | It may be necessary to upgrade a load center for more breaker spaces and a higher power rating. |
Explore related products
$55.63
What You'll Learn
- Load centres distribute electricity throughout a building
- They are also known as panelboards, circuit breaker boxes, electrical panel boxes or fuse panels
- They are essential for safety, preventing contact with energised electrical parts
- They can be used to upgrade and replace older distribution equipment
- They can be divided into two categories: main breaker and main lug load centres
Load centres distribute electricity throughout a building
A load centre, also known as an electric service panel, distributes electricity throughout a building. It is a metal electrical service box that receives incoming power from the utility company lines or from another load centre.
Load centres are used in residential and light commercial applications to distribute electricity supplied by the utility company throughout the home or building to feed all the branch circuits. Each branch circuit is protected by a circuit breaker housed in the load centre. In the event of a short circuit or an overload on a branch circuit, the circuit breaker will cut the power before any potential property damage or personal injury can occur.
Load centres can be divided into two main categories: main breaker and main lug load centres. Main breaker load centres receive incoming power through the main breaker, which goes through the load centre, distributing power throughout its various connected circuits. The main breaker also provides overcurrent protection and can halt power flow if necessary by serving as the main disconnect. Main lug load centres, on the other hand, do not have a main breaker. Incoming power feeds directly into the bus bars or main lugs, and circuit protection is provided by a circuit breaker located further down the line of the electrical system.
Main lug load centres are typically applied downstream of a main circuit breaker panel and are often referred to as a subpanel. They can be used when a main breaker load centre runs out of circuit space. While they do not have built-in circuit protection, overload protection for main lug load centres is located remotely, or further down the line of the electrical system.
Jetted Tub Electric Code: Access Requirements Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
They are also known as panelboards, circuit breaker boxes, electrical panel boxes or fuse panels
An electric load service centre, also known as a panelboard, circuit breaker box, electrical panel box or fuse panel, is a metal electrical service box that receives incoming power from the utility company lines or from another load centre. It then distributes the power to electrical circuits throughout the home.
Each circuit is protected by a circuit breaker housed in the load centre. In the event of a short circuit or an overload on a branch circuit, the circuit breaker will cut the power before any potential property damage or personal injury can occur. A load centre helps to provide safety to the homeowner and maintenance personnel by housing all the branch circuits in one enclosure, preventing contact with energised electrical parts.
Load centres are also used to upgrade and replace older distribution equipment. They can be equipped with a main breaker or main lug only (MLO) design. In a load centre with a main breaker design, the incoming supply cables are connected directly to the main circuit breaker. A main breaker load centre receives all incoming electrical supply to the house from the utility company overhead or buried power lines.
Main lug load centres, on the other hand, do not have a main breaker. They are typically applied downstream of a main circuit breaker panel and are often referred to as a subpanel. Incoming power feeds directly into the bus bars or main lugs, and circuit protection is provided by a circuit breaker located further down the line of the electrical system.
Electric Fencing: DIY Guide to Building Your Own
You may want to see also
Explore related products
They are essential for safety, preventing contact with energised electrical parts
An electric load service centre, also known as an electrical panel or load centre, is an essential component of any building with electrical service. It is a metal electrical service box that receives incoming power from utility company lines or another load centre, and then distributes this power to electrical circuits throughout the building.
Load centres are critical for safety. They house all the branch circuits in one enclosure, preventing accidental contact with energised electrical parts. Each branch circuit is protected by a circuit breaker, which will cut the power in the event of a short circuit or overload, thus preventing potential property damage or personal injury. This is also known as overcurrent protection, and it is provided by a main breaker load centre.
A main breaker load centre is always service entrance-rated and receives incoming power through the main breaker. It then distributes power to the various connected circuits. The main breaker can halt the power flow if necessary, acting as the main disconnect.
Main lug load centres, on the other hand, do not have a built-in main breaker. They are typically installed downstream of a main breaker load centre and are often referred to as a subpanel. In this design, the incoming cables are terminated on the line side of the lugs attached directly to the bus, and there is no main overcurrent device within the panel. Overload protection for main lug load centres is located remotely, further down the line of the electrical system.
Load centres can be upgraded for more breaker spaces and a higher power rating. The cost of installation or upgrade depends on factors such as power and class ratings, the number of breaker spaces, job preparation, and labour rates.
California's Electricity Export: Paying Arizona to Take It
You may want to see also
Explore related products
They can be used to upgrade and replace older distribution equipment
Load centres are used in residential and light commercial applications to distribute electricity supplied by the utility company throughout the home or building to feed all the branch circuits. Each branch circuit is protected by a circuit breaker housed in the load centre.
Load centres can be used to upgrade and replace older distribution equipment. For example, a homeowner replaced an outdated panel with a new custom load centre built to their home’s specifics that minimised time, rework and costs.
Load centres can also be used to expand the number of circuits in a home. A main lug load centre, often called a subpanel, is installed downstream from a main breaker load centre.
Load centres can be equipped with a main breaker or main lug only (MLO) design. In a load centre with a main breaker design, the incoming supply cables are connected directly to the main circuit breaker. Main lug load centres, unlike main breaker load centres, do not have a main breaker built-in. However, main lug load centres can be used when a main breaker load centre runs out of circuit space.
The Right Way to Thread Electrical Cable Through Walls
You may want to see also
Explore related products
They can be divided into two categories: main breaker and main lug load centres
An electric load service center, also known as a load center, is a metal electrical service box that distributes electricity throughout a house or building. Each branch circuit is protected by a circuit breaker housed in the load center.
Load centers can be equipped with a main breaker or main lug only (MLO) design. They can be divided into two categories: main breaker and main lug load centres.
Main Breaker Load Centres
A main breaker load center receives all the incoming electrical supply to a house or building from the utility company's overhead or buried power lines. It then distributes the power to the branch circuits. Every home or building with electrical service will have a main breaker load center. A lever-style main breaker provides overcurrent protection to all downstream branch circuits. It can be manually turned off to stop the flow of power to the house or building, and it also shuts off on its own in the event of a power surge.
Main Lug Load Centres
A main lug load center, also called a subpanel, is installed downstream from a main breaker load center. It is used to expand the number of circuits in a home or building. A main lug only load center does not have a main breaker. Instead, incoming power from the main breaker load center feeds into a central lug, which then feeds into the line side of the lugs attached directly to the bus bar. Main overcurrent protection is provided by the main breaker load center's main breaker. Circuits in the main lug load center also have their own individual overcurrent protection with circuit breakers.
Main lugs are commonly used in electrical panels when a separate main disconnecting means is required by code or design. They are also used in industrial settings where multiple distribution points are required, and the main disconnecting means is centralized in a separate enclosure.
Texas Power Grid: Public or Private?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
An electric load service center, also known as a load center, is a metal electrical service box that distributes electricity from the utility company throughout a home or building.
A load center and a panelboard are considered the same thing for residential purposes. However, panelboards are typically deeper and can accommodate both bolt-on and plug-on breakers, while load centers only use plug-on breakers.
A main lug load center, also known as a subpanel, does not have a built-in main breaker. It is installed downstream from a main breaker load center to expand the number of circuits in a home.
A main breaker load center receives all incoming electrical supply to the house from the utility company. It distributes power to the home's branch circuits and provides overcurrent protection.
You may need to upgrade your load center if you require more breaker spaces or a higher power rating. Upgrading your load center can also help replace older distribution equipment.
