Changing 3 pole 30A breaker to a 3 pole 70A breaker

[reethepink]

Hello,

I am looking to change a 3 pole 30A breaker to a 3 pole 70A breaker on one of my projects. Currently we have approved a submittal with the Eaton 400A PRL1A panel. I want to know if changing the breaker would change the panel since it needs more space? Also, for my curiosity can someone please tell me know do I calculate breaker space size?:?

 

[GoldDigger]

Breaker slots in panelbooards are modular, in multiples of a standard spacing, and sometimes with the option of half-module size units for lower current breakers.
You do not calculate the size of the breaker, you just look at the cut sheets for the breakers and see whether they use standard spacing of half spacing and whether they use the same number of spaces as they have poles or use more. (Some specialty breakers, such as ones with a shunt trip feature, my occupy more module spaces than the number of poles because the additional functionality takes an additional space while some larger breakers may use two spaces per pole. )

 

[Jraef]

Breaker slots in panelboards are modular, in multiples of a standard spacing, and sometimes with the option of half-module size units for lower current breakers.
You do not calculate the size of the breaker, you just look at the cut sheets for the breakers and see whether they use standard spacing of half spacing and whether they use the same number of spaces as they have poles or use more. (Some specialty breakers, such as ones with a shunt trip feature, my occupy more module spaces than the number of poles because the additional functionality takes an additional space while some larger breakers may use two spaces per pole. )

All truew, except when it comes to 3 pole breakers, the issue of 1/2 space breakers is moot. As a general rule, 3P breakers up to 100A are all the same physical size in a panelboard, so I'm not sure why you are thinking the 70A breaker will take more space, unless you are choosing the incorrect version of the 70A breaker for your panel. Posting some part numbers (breakers, panel interior etc.) would help us to help you.