There are many different types of electrical panels, and it can be confusing to know which one is right for your home. In this blog post, we will take a look at the different types of panels and their benefits. We will also discuss how to choose the right panel for your needs. So, if you are wondering what type of electrical panel you need, keep reading!
Electrical panels come in many different shapes and sizes. The choice of the type of electrical panel that one installs is at the discretion of the electrician contractor. Prior to deciding on the type of electrical panel, it would be best to check what your local or city building codes require for your home. Wooding Electric is a San Jose City-based electrician that can help you with all of your residential electrical needs. Wooding Electric has been in business for over 27 years and has seen every kind of installation under the sun. View website.
Wooding Electric has installed many different types of electrical panels, including:- Square D (oldest)- GE (oldest)- General electric (most common)- Siemens (newest & toughest standards)
Square D - This company made its name by making sturdy and durable equipment able to withstand decades of constant use and abuse without flinching. If you wanted the toughest electrical switch panel, this was the brand you bought. These panels were made to take a pounding and still run the next day.
GE - Was around long before Square D and always competed with them for dominance in the marketplace. They might not have been as well known, but they still offered an excellent product at a fair price. These days GE is owned by Cooper Industries and Cooper Manufacturing is what most people think of when they hear GE. General Electric - This company started out making appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, ovens and other large electric home appliances. As time went on their product line expanded to include smaller things such as lamp fixtures and wall switches. It wasn't until after WWII that this company decided to get into the electrical switch panel market. General Electric has been a popular choice for many decades and still makes an excellent product.
Siemens - There is no doubt that this company came from humble beginnings, but they have certainly come a long way since then. Siemens might have started out making things like light sockets and porcelain lamp holders, but over time they expanded their line to include electrical switch panels and other types of electrical equipment used in homes and businesses around the world. Just like GE, Siemens was bought out by another major company (in this case it was SIEMENS AG). They are now part of the multinational conglomerate called SIEMENS group.
Wooding Electric has installed all kinds of Square D panels inside people's homes. They are extremely tough and durable, but they also have their drawbacks.
- Most of these panels are at least 15 years old, which means that electrical switches inside them are obsolete. Therefore the only way to replace a switch is to replace the entire panel - If you need more circuits than this one has to offer, you will need two or more panels added to it in order to get the job done - Can be pretty expensive if you have more than just a few outlets throughout your home.
Square D electrical switch panels have been around for 70 years so there's not doubt that they work. But new technology has brought with it new technology and some people might find it beneficial to update their electrical panel with something newer.
GE Panels - This company has been around for a long time and offers an excellent product. When these electrical panels were first developed GE made a good name for itself in the appliance market, which proved to be a great springboard for making an impact on the electrical switch panel world as well.
- These panels are more modern than those of Square D, so where you need several switches replaced you can just replace them rather than having to replace the entire panel - Can sometimes cost more than those of some other manufacturers due to higher quality standards - Not as tough as those by Square D General Electric Panels - You might not have heard of this company, but they have been pioneers in electrical engineering and manufacturing since the early days of electricity and continue on this tradition today.
Service Panels Main Panel Sub Panel
Service Panels are typically located outside the home near an external wall, although this depends on where you live or if you have purchased an old home or not. It allows for a disconnection point in order to work on the wiring, in addition to providing circuit protection in case there is an overload. This type of panel usually requires that all circuits be disconnected prior to any work being carried out on the service which can be very dangerous when left unattended.
Another problem is that the service panel has fuses that measure 15 amps max. These can't handle any major load like electric heat, central air or clothes dryer without tripping off or blowing fuses regularly. The solution to this problem is getting upgraded (over 100 amps) circuit breakers installed in your home, but this will require more work on the panel and maybe even more power lines coming into your home so for most people, it's just not worth it.
Main Panel normally located inside of the house with two purposes: to protect circuits feeding individual rooms/areas of your home and to provide you with multiple circuits at different amperages for appliances, outlets, etc. This type of panel buss bars inside instead of fuses which means that if something goes wrong you won't have a problem. It also allows for a high amperage service so you can do bigger jobs without worrying about fuses blowing.
Sub Panel is basically a smaller version of the main panel and pretty much what you would see in an apartment or small home (you can also get them bigger). It's there to take over when the main panel trips off, which ensures that your home remains connected and all circuits work properly. The problem with this type of panel is that it has fuses that measure 20 amps max. So if you need more than that (which most people do) you will soon find yourself in trouble. This is why many people choose to upgrade their electrical service panels with circuit breakers from companies such as Square D, Siemens, etc.
- The main switch controls power coming into the home - Circuit breakers protect each individual circuit - The main switch disconnects all electricity from your home - Sub-panel is switched by the main panel and cuts power to circuits that trip - Circuit breaker protects each individual circuit
- Service panel is completely shut off before any work can be done - The main switch controls power coming into the home - Circuit breakers protect individual circuits - Service panel disconnects the power going into the home - Circuit breaker protects each individual circuit.
Main panels can generally handle a greater load which is why they are used on larger properties, while sub-panels are more suited for apartment or townhouse dwellers.
The different types of electrical panels can be confusing for people who are not familiar with them. Hopefully, this article has cleared up some of the confusion and given you a better understanding of what each type of panel does. If you have any questions about which type of panel is best for your needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to help!