jeff48356
Senior Member
- Location
- Livonia, Michigan
When a customer calls you for some electrical upgrades at their house, and you discover that they have an old split-bus panel, would you recommend that they have you upgrade it? I always do because the customer does not have full access to all the amps that the service is rated at. For example, most split-bus panels are rated at 100 amps, with a 50A or 60A breaker being used to power the lower part of the panel (where all the 120V breakers are located). Even though the panel is rated at 100 amps, they would only have access to 50A or 60A for ordinary loads. If I replace the box with a new 100A panel, then they will have access to 100 amps regardless of the loads being used. Also, many split-bus panels are full as far as the lower section, and I need to explain that 120V loads are not allowed in the upper section.