Panel Board Balancing

[electricdoc]

I am beginning to wire new residential homes in the area, I understand the concept of balancing the various loads in the panel board to each phase but I wonder is there a trick that will help ensure when large loads such as A\C Units and\or if other high current equipment come on line when lighting is in use will help prevent the lights in the residence from flickering. Currently, I place my higher current loads at the top of the panel and decrease as I go down the panel in amperage. Is this a good practice or is this slight flickering of lights something that is unadvoidable in our trade?

 

[NICK D]

The Flickering Promblem Is Most Likely Unavoidable. This Is From High Inrush Current When The Unit First Starts Up.

 

[LarryFine]

Some flicker is unavoidable. It depends on the impedance of everything between the source (utility transformer) and where the circuits split (the panel). 240v equipment has no effect on balancing.

I also prefer higher-current loads closer to the main, but it "shouldn't" matter. I always try to run the 2-poles down one side of the panel and single-poles down the other. See here: http://fineelectricco.com/KwPanels2.jpg

As for equalizing the single-pole loads, I try to keep them grouped. For example, if I keep the 2 kitchen circuits' breakers together, one will be on each phase. Used your load calculation figures as you land your hots.

 

[NICK D]

Some flicker is unavoidable. It depends on the impedance of everything between the source (utility transformer) and where the circuits split (the panel). 240v equipment has no effect on balancing.

I also prefer higher-current loads closer to the main, but it "shouldn't" matter. I always try to run the 2-poles down one side of the panel and single-poles down the other. See here: http://fineelectricco.com/KwPanels2.jpg

As for equalizing the single-pole loads, I try to keep them grouped. For example, if I keep the 2 kitchen circuits' breakers together, one will be on each phase. Used your load calculation figures as you land your hots.

Larry you have a violation on your panel to your left. You need to tape that white ungrounded conductor with some black tape.

 

[ramsy]

I always try to run the 2-poles down one side of the panel and single-poles down the other

Nice panels, never seen seperate neutral bus on each side of the panel, would certainly make ckts easier to trace.

If electric heating exists, lights on opposite phase may flicker less, since they are more likely to run at the same time.

If evening motor appliances are causing lights to flicker, such as sink disposers, refrigerators, garage door openers, pool pumps, or ranges, etc., maybe interior lighting would flicker less on an opposite phase with more continuous loads.

 

[infinity]

Placing the higher ampacity loads at the top should make no difference if the bus and the service conductors are both properly sized. You are free to install them any way that you prefer. As far as balancing in a dwelling panel, this is nearly impossible and shouldn't really be a concern.

 

[LarryFine]

Larry you have a violation on your panel to your left. You need to tape that white ungrounded conductor with some black tape.

If you look more carefully, you can see that the whites were recolored blue. The camera flash makes the blue look more faded than it is in person.

 

[bkludecke]

We try to locate the panelboard as close to the center of the load as we can. This makes most of the homeruns similar in length and helps reduce IR drop when appliances come on. Of course this also creates some decorator issues and we have to get creative to get the HO or designer to buy off on panel locations (tell them it's code etc). Lately we have been having the cabinet maker provide a cabinet door and face frame so the panel can be made to look like a linen cabinet in the hallway etc.

Bob on the left coast.

 

[petersonra]

I am beginning to wire new residential homes in the area, I understand the concept of balancing the various loads in the panel board to each phase but I wonder is there a trick that will help ensure when large loads such as A\C Units and\or if other high current equipment come on line when lighting is in use will help prevent the lights in the residence from flickering. Currently, I place my higher current loads at the top of the panel and decrease as I go down the panel in amperage. Is this a good practice or is this slight flickering of lights something that is unadvoidable in our trade?

I doubt the placement of breakers in the PB will make any appreciable difference. You may get some mileage out of increasing wire size on selected circuits.