Back feeding the main breaker in a residential distribution panel

[Ericpdx]

I want to back-feed a 100 amp breaker into a new 200 amp residential distribution panel as the main breaker, this will be the main panel not a subpanel. I talked to the people at Eaton, they said that will work fine as long as you use a hold down kit. My concern is 'will it pass inspection in Portland Oregon?' I'm doing it this way to allow for a future service upgrade to 200 amp, at which time this panel will become a subpanel, but for now a 100 amp main breaker is all the service wires will support. Will it pass city inspection?
Thanks, Eric

 

[growler]

Will it pass city inspection?

It should pass the city inspection. The only person that can say it "will" pass is the inspector.

 

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum.

This panel only needs to be a main-lug panel if it will be supplied from within the same building in the future.

 

[garbo]

Was told at an IAEI class a few years ago that one thing you have to look for before back feeding any circuit breaker is to look carefully if it is marked load on it. If so marked we were told that it is not approved for back feeding.

 

[infinity]

Was told at an IAEI class a few years ago that one thing you have to look for before back feeding any circuit breaker is to look carefully if it is marked load on it. If so marked we were told that it is not approved for back feeding.

That is correct. I've seen that on large 3 phase breakers.

 

[Tulsa Electrician]

Take a look at 480.36 (D)
Based on code year your on be sure you use a kit that does line terminal protection. Pic of Square D. Quick call to AHJ is the safe bet.
Related to, marked for line and load
In 705.12 (4) it references "shall be suitable for such operation"
MFG listing is important.

 

[Tulsa Electrician]

Some additional info

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Use an approved hold down kit, clearly label the main and I like to keep the two busses across from the main clear. I will mark them as do not use so the main breaker stands out clearly.

 

[petersonra]

That is correct. I've seen that on large 3 phase breakers.

I don't know why but for some reason it appears that breakers that have interchangeable trip units are labeled line and load and cannot be reverse fed, while ones with non-interchangeable trip units are not labeled that way and are allowed to be reverse fed. I have also seen some molded case circuit breakers that have a seal on the trip unit that appears to be basically an interchangeable trip unit with a seal on it that are not labeled line and load and the catalog page says they can be reverse fed.

 

[RDF]

I know of many inspectors that would not approve of such an installation. It seems as if you are attempting to use a 200 amp main panel without changing the components of the existing service to utilize a 200 amp service panel you already own. In all circumstances, the AHJ has to approve of the components. The first issue that comes to mind is that if you field modify a UL listed device, it requires relisting. Is the circuit breaker labeled as being suitable to be back fed? If it is an Eaton panel, do they offer a main lug conversion kit where you could feed the 200A panel from a 100A circuit breaker in the existing service panel? Of course, that would require the 200A panel to be configured as a sub-panel. There are numerous considerations including selective coordination. Which breaker(s) would kick in the case of a fault? IMHO, either change the service to 200A or don't use a 200A main panel as you presently intend to. In any circumstance, an inspector cannot consider cost savings over code-compliance. Then again, maybe my retired brain is missing something here.