sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information A question for any prior sparkies out there

dave, remember here in canada too we have idiot proof service panels. the main breaker has to be in a separate compartment, that way when it is turned off and the cover is off the box all connectors are de energized, no way of getting a shock

The 208 comes from the three 120V phases being 180 degrees out of phase from each other...

208 is the nominal 3 phase phase to phase voltage. Each of the three phases are 120 degrees from each other. 120+120+120=360

220 is the nominal single phase phase to phase or hot to hot voltage. The relationship is 180 degrees as you would expect from a center tapped transformer. 180+180=360

With a 3 phase service it's proper to refer to the "hots" as phases. With single phase services they still are refered to as phases but some prefer hot legs. Either is correct though I doubt you will find anybody looking at a panel and call them hot legs or hots.

-Hal

Ed, Hal -

Thanks for putting that straight.

Sam

Sorry for the hijack, but -

The basement is being remodeled as a bar, complete with an actual bar (technically 2 - a wet bar and a bar bar), pool (snooker) table, and one day a 70" LCD. The hardest thing to decide about the whole remodel was: Do I put in a urinal or not?

Single guys who don't ever plan on moving can do these things ya know.

So you're all invited over for beers and/or your favorite beverage.

No such thing. Anytime someone designs something "idiot proof", along comes a bigger idiot. :toothy:

That's what I love about this site !!! I learn more here by "accident" than I do most places by design...Keep up the good work guy's.

...bob...

I wish it were that way here. I don't go anywhere near the panel unless I'm well rested and ready to pay respect (and then some) to the work at hand. Even at that, I don't particulary care to be working in a panel with live feeds, even if the main breaker is off. During my residential wiring times (summer jobs) I was told never to work in a live panel with both hands..... I've followed that practice every time, and although I feel a bit safer because of it.... well.... it's still death waiting for you in there if you disrespect it for a fraction of a second.

Also it would make swapping out the panel one heck of a lot easier. I currently have a POC Sylvania panel, and would prefer to have Cutler/Hammer. I'd swap the panel out if I had the disconnect you mention... but as it is I'm not about to go through the hassle of having the meter pulled, getting permits, etc; and although I don't particulary care for the panel I have, it will have to sufffice until the budget allows for a master electrician to do the job.

You can always just get a generator transfer switch installed that has a disconnect position. Not sure if it's any cheaper then just a plain disconnect but it would give you options in the future should you need them.

Unless they have big money most residential generators only power the essential loads like heat, well pump, refrig, and some lighting. As such the transfer switch would transfer a sub-panel with only those circuits that would normally be fed off the main panel. So the transfer switch wouldn't be in the service entrance before the main panel anyway.

It doesn't make any sense to install a disconnect between the meter and panel just so you can change the panel. Going through all that would cost as much as the new panel.

-Hal

According to the service guy who takes care of my generator a disconnect is supposed to be placed between the meter and the transfer switch so the switch can be serviced. I've never seen one around here. He comes from another jurisdiction so it may be required there.