How can I tell what my main panel is?

Hoping to upgrade to an e-brew setup this year. We have a fuse box instead of a breaker panel and the swmbo has vetoed the idea of upgrading the panel just for me to brew with. So, I'm trying to figure out what amperage my main panel is. What should I be looking for?

I know that I have one 20a circuit and one 15a circuit to use in my workshop and it's possible that I could get the 15a upgraded to a 20a service. But if I'm going to be paying a dude to run wire and upgrade I was thinking just putting in a 50a outlet might be cheaper as the main panel as about 18" away on the other side of a wall.

Just hoping that this idea doesn't get priced out of "oh hell no" range at the outset.

You probably have 60 amp service running into the house.

You can tell by looking at the amperage of you main fuse in the fusebox.

There are many many other reasons for upgrading your service. Safety and adding to the value of the home would be the first to come to mind.

Do you have problems making coffee and toast at the same time without blowing fuses?

I closed the access door and saw that it read "100 amp panel" would that indicate 100a service? There are two big fuse holders that have two 35a tube fuses each; so the biggest service looks to be 70a.

I am going to enter a caveat here that I am NOT a professional electrician.

but

It would probably indicate that you have 100 amp service, which was normal residential capacity from the early 1950s to the mid-1960.

Are either of the double 35 amp fuses the main fuse?

I'm going to wager that, if you have an electric stove and clothes dryer, 1 of those double fuses is for the stove and the other is for the dryer.

If your service is 100 amp, the main fuse should be 100 amp.

If you want to run a line for brewing, at 50 amps, a new socket for a 50 amp fuse would have to be added to the panel (if they are even available) and the appropriate gauge wire is needed to run to your brew rig. I believe 6 gauge is appropriate. It is about $1.50 /foot and not easy to work with. Rule of thumb is that your wire should be rated for 125% of the load you will put on it. Ever looked in your toaster when you use it? The wires glow to toast the bread. That is what they would do in the walls o your house if they couldn't handle the load you were using them for. That would be ummmmm.... bad.

I would certainly use an electrician in your case. It is not worth burning down your house. It is also not fun getting whacked by 240 volts. It is going to cost a few hundred dollars. Ask for a quote to run a new line for brewing and one to upgrade your service. Compare the difference and decide whether or not it is worth it.

My recommendation is to find an electrician buddy who likes beer. Let him do the electrical work for beer. You buy any parts. Both are winners & no electrocution or house fires!

the Panel label is for the Max load. There is probably a main at the top of the panel, look at the amp rating on that fuse.

Drat, can't see it without pulling it. I'll find a time when I can shut off the whole house and pull it.

Pulling it WILL shut off the whole house.

Something tells me that calling an electrician may be in your best interests.

VonMessa said:

It would probably indicate that you have 100 amp service, which was normal residential capacity from the early 1950s to the mid-1960.

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I wouldn't go by that... My rental was built mid-50's and only has a 60 amp service. The duplex's we rent down the street were built in the early 80's and have 200amp service, but my house built 10 years later and 3 doors down only has a 100amp service.

Shockerengr said:

I wouldn't go by that... My rental was built mid-50's and only has a 60 amp service. The duplex's we rent down the street were built in the early 80's and have 200amp service, but my house built 10 years later and 3 doors down only has a 100amp service.

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Hence the disclaimer of me not being a professional electrician.
I changed my service from 60 amp fuses to 200 amp breakers, to include new ground spike, service entrance cable, grounds to plumbing, meter socket and replacement of knob/tube wiring and receptacles/switches throughout the house, right up to running the new service-entrance cable to the mast head. When it came time to connect it to the street line, that is where I called an electrician.


It was the norm in those years, but not a hard and fast rule to go by. 100 amp written on the box is a good indication, though.

Bottom line is that, if one is having a difficult time even determining what the amperage of one's service is, it is probably best to get an electrician involved. There is no shame in not wanting to get electrocuted or burn one's house down and it would certainly NOT be worth the savings of doing it one's self.

im getting ready to upgrade my main pane, I know its 100 amp, but you can tell by looking at the writing on the wire coming into the panel. it should have a small panel with a screw or two holding it in. now days the wire will say #2 aluminum = 100 amp

VonMessa said:

Hence the disclaimer of me not being a professional electrician.
I changed my service from 60 amp fuses to 200 amp breakers, to include new ground spike, service entrance cable, grounds to plumbing, meter socket and replacement of knob/tube wiring and receptacles/switches throughout the house, right up to running the new service-entrance cable to the mast head. When it came time to connect it to the street line, that is where I called an electrician.


It was the norm in those years, but not a hard and fast rule to go by. 100 amp written on the box is a good indication, though.

Bottom line is that, if one is having a difficult time even determining what the amperage of one's service is, it is probably best to get an electrician involved. There is no shame in not wanting to get electrocuted or burn one's house down and it would certainly NOT be worth the savings of doing it one's self.

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You're right that it can be difficult to determine. I ran into that with the rental in that they had partially upgraded the house - updated the internal wiring and panel to 100 amp, but didn't upgrade the service to the house. made for a lot of problems with insurance as my primary provider wouldn't insure a house with only 60 amp service.

The one thing I've learned with older houses is don't assume anything.

Okay I finally pulled the main. There are two 100a cylindrical fuses. So would that mean 100a service with redundancy or 200a service?

"it is probably best to get an electrician involved." Yup, going to. I just want to have a clue as to what my house has before calling one.

lwcm said:

Okay I finally pulled the main. There are two 100a cylindrical fuses. So would that mean 100a service with redundancy or 200a service?

"it is probably best to get an electrician involved." Yup, going to. I just want to have a clue as to what my house has before calling one.

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It's 100A service, both hot legs of the power have to be fused, thats why you have 2x100A fuses. You still only have 100A service.

Cool, I'm a fan of confirmation. Thanks for the info.

Now onto the bigger issue. SWMBO has vetoed upgrading the panel at this time (and possibly forever unless we start having problems). I do have two circuits going into my workshop that is close by (like under 10' from the main panel). Currently one is a 15a and one is a 20a. The build I'm planning uses 2-3 4500W ULWD elements with a max of two being on at any time and two pumps along with a BCS. Would powering this setup even be possible with upgrading my two circuits to 30a service? Or would I be better served by possibly (all this done by an electrician) splicing into the 240v/70a service running to the laundry room?

I'm a total newb to the whole e-brewing thing and I want to have some of my ducks in a row prior to calling in an electrician. Could I have a pro put in a 50a sub panel on the same circuit as the laundry room? Then I just choose laundry or brewing and not both (or I can manually de-activate the power to the drier.) Does any of this make sense?

4500W/240 = 18A
Pump = 1-2A
BCS = <1A

So 2 elements + 2 pumps = 18 + 18 + 2 + 1 = 39A. Some people believe in a 80% rule that you only use 80% of the available power (this is for continuous loads and I don't feel a brewery is such though, this debate has been had elsewhere).

Either way if you want 2 elements your best option is likely 50A, if you want 1 element at a time you can (and many have) use 30A. You can do as you describe using your existing feeds, however it won't be as simple (re: cheap) as your likely thinking "just splicing in"

AllanMar said:

4500W/240 = 18A
Pump = 1-2A
BCS = <1A

So 2 elements + 2 pumps = 18 + 18 + 2 + 1 = 39A. Some people believe in a 80% rule that you only use 80% of the available power (this is for continuous loads and I don't feel a brewery is such though, this debate has been had elsewhere).

Either way if you want 2 elements your best option is likely 50A, if you want 1 element at a time you can (and many have) use 30A. You can do as you describe using your existing feeds, however it won't be as simple (re: cheap) as your likely thinking "just splicing in"

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I am going to agree with 50A.

Best bet would be to install a 50a sub-panel to the garage (hot-tub style, perhaps?) and run your circuits off of that.

Still going to need an electrician, still not going to be cheap.

Fire is cheap. Flames, combustion, etc...

When I upgraded to 200A service, I considered brewing electric for about .7 seconds.

.2 seconds to remember that I have NG in my residence.

.7 seconds to consider that there are copious amounts water on the floor when I brew, my brewstand is all metal and that with even the best grounding and GFI safeties employed, Murphy is still one mean S.O.B.

Double Post...