Kitchen Remodel

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charlie b

charlie b

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Lockport, IL
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Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
This is not a DIY attempt!

We are considering a major kitchen remodel sometime next year. It will involve taking walls down to studs, moving major appliances around, redesigning the countertops, and redoing the lighting. We will hire a GC and I will require that that company hire an EC. What I want to know now is whether I face a difficult situation with my service panel. I had it replaced when we bought the house just over 10 years ago. With the current version of the NEC, and with the Washington State and City of Seattle amendments (and the 2017 NEC might come into play by the time we get the project started), I strongly suspect that all circuits in the remodeled kitchen will need to have AFCI breakers. What I don't know is whether my current panel can support them, or whether I am also looking at replacing the panel itself. It is a Square D, and the label says Homeline Load Center, HOMC42UC. Is that enough for anyone to be able to tell me whether the EC will simply be able to remove the existing 20 amp SABC breakers and 15 amp kitchen lighting breaker, and replace them with AFCI versions? Our budget planning is at stake here! TIA.
 
charlie b said:
What I don't know is whether my current panel can support them, or whether I am also looking at replacing the panel itself. It is a Square D, and the label says Homeline Load Center, HOMC42UC. Is that enough for anyone to be able to tell me whether the EC will simply be able to remove the existing 20 amp SABC breakers and 15 amp kitchen lighting breaker, and replace them with AFCI versions?
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Homeline AFCI breakers are available for that panel, if that's the question. About $30 or so each, before your EC and GC mark them up. :)
 
The only problem I see is if the panel was stuffed full of twin breakers & being a 42 circuit panel, not going to be a problem.
 
Hopefully the ec is smart enough not to use multiwire branch circuit's because Homeline doesn't make a dp afci--at least they didn't make them a few years back.
 
charlie b said:
Homeline Load Center, HOMC42UC. Is that enough for anyone to be able to tell me whether the EC will simply be able to remove the existing 20 amp SABC breakers and 15 amp kitchen lighting breaker, and replace them with AFCI versions?
Click to expand...

My question for you, Charlie, is whether that existing set of 20 Amp SABC breakers are supplying multiwire branch circuit(s)? Any multiwire SABCs will require, at minimum, a handle tie, and, in light of Code and manufacturer's limited product choices, the added AFCI and/or dual function AFCI / GFCI HOM breaker will have to be a two pole. At present, Schneider makes a two pole AFCI, but does not make a two pole dual function breaker.
 
if in doubt try and select your electrical contractor now and pull the permit this year. That will allow you to lock into the 2014 code.
 
Thanks for the replies, everyone. I have three SABCs, and none of them is on a MWBC. There are no twin breakers. The two pole breakers have handle ties and all of them serve 240 volt, single phase loads. There are two spare breaker positions and 10 blank breaker positions.
 
Home Depot shows 15 and 20 amp Homeline dual function breakers at $45 each. There are in stock at some of the stores in my area.
 
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