Residential properties have different electrical panel types, each playing a different role within your home’s electrical system. Knowing the different types and how they operate can help you identify potential problems and understand how they all work together to support your family’s electrical usage. Keep reading to explore the four different types of electrical panels you may find in your home.
#1 Main Electrical Panel
The main electrical panel, or breaker panel, controls electricity that flows throughout your property. As the most common type of panel found in homes, the main electrical panel distributes the electrical current to different rooms of the house and protects the circuits, while identifying the capacity of amperage.
This panel is a two-pole breaker where you can shut off the power to the entire property during an electrical emergency or service. It also contains safety features, like the neutral and ground bus bars, which work to prevent overheating circuits due to defective equipment or wiring problems. The panel’s breakers trip if a hot lead or dead short comes in contact with metal.
#2: Main Lug Panel
This panel works much like the main electrical panel with one primary difference—there is not a main breaker. Some electricians use the main lug panel as the sub-panels. The line wires run to an electrical connector known as a lug. In this panel style, the main breaker is at the meter and is separate but can also be connected to the breaker. Because there is a separate disconnect area, you can cut off power to the property without entering the home.
#3: Sub-Panels
Sub-panels are smaller electrical panels that provide electricity for specific rooms or areas; they are separate from the main electrical panel. For properties that require multiple circuits in the same area, sub-panels are a good choice. However, they do not have dedicated disconnects, and you can’t have more sub-panels in a property than the main breaker panel circuits available. Sub-panels facilitate current distribution, but they do not increase electrical power.
#4: Transfer Switches
The transfer switches in your system are responsible for transferring generator power into the electrical power your home needs. As a sub-panel type, transfer switches are beneficial if you live in an area with inclement weather. The switches may be manual or automatic and are common for homes that use backup generators. You can wire the backup to the home’s breaker panel to switch easily between regular power and backup power if you experience an electrical outage.
Get Reliable Electrical Services for Any Type of Panel
If you need qualified electrical services for any type of home electrical panel, count on Kalahari Electrical Services. We are the Atlanta Metro area’s trusted local electricians. Schedule an appointment for services for different types of electrical panels by contacting us today.
