You provided pics of the panel, but no pics of the actual problem

 

I was only showing you the name of the panel, but when I take the cover off the panel, I have two spots left to put a 60 amp 240 breaker in. When I went to test the breaker if it fit in the panel, it does, but it does not clip because the plastic clips are broken that come down the middle of the panel where all your breakers clip into. The last breaker spot I have left that I need to clip in will not hold the breaker in place. Can I fix that?

 

I’m actually not home right now. I just figured you could visualize the room I have on the bottom left of my panel when I takeoff the panel right where I need to put that breaker on the bottom left the clip is broken so the breaker will not clip into place. Can I fix the clip so the breaker will clip into place cause I have just enough room to put that breaker in, if that clip could be replaced

 

If the plastic is broken, there is no way to fix it.

 

It doesn't sound like something that can be fixed, no

Are you sure it is the correct breaker?

Once again, pics would help

 

Commandeer another pair of slots, and put in there a breaker set for a subpanel. Put the branch circuit(s) that lost their place(s) together with the new branch circuit for your EV down in the subpanel.

Given the amperes draw of the EV charger (if dialed up to more than 16 amps continuous for a 20 amp circuit), you will need to do a home load analysis whether or not you needed a subpanel for the added breakers. Sample rules at the back of the NEC code book.

 

The issue I am having is the clips that hold the breaker in place in the box are broken. So the breaker does not snap into place. Is there a way this could be fixed without changing out the panel and ptting a whole new panel box in.

On thee recommendation of the manufacturer I once used a breaker hold down kit to keep a breaker in place in such a damaged slot. Hold down kits are actually meant to hold a breaker that is controlling a source of supply current in place to prevent accidental removal that would expose the person working in the panel to the still energized busbar grip springs which could remain energized. That wasn't a GE panel so you would have to seek GE's recommendation on how to deal with that particular panel.

The only other way I know of to deal with damaged plastic anchoring rails is to replace the panel with a new one mounted in the same enclosure. If that model of panel is no longer made then you would have to find out from GE if there is a recognized panel that will fit in that enclosure. I know that replacing the panel is not what you wanted to hear but doing so in an existing enclosure is less than 1/2 the work of installing a complete panel and enclosure because re-terminating the conductors which are still in place in the existing enclosure is a lot less work.

Tom Horne

 

Is this GE enclosure still being made? If so get another one and just replace the entire guts. This way you do not need to deal with the actual enclosure housing and wires coming in and leaving the housing.

 

Not sure what you are referring to. You say in the middle of the panel. Do you mean the bus bar or the plastic on the back end opposite the bus bar?

 

The four bottom left spaces are NOT useable breaker locations. See circuit diagram on load center door.

 

Good catch! But why would they make the tabs removable on the dead front to confuse us LOL?

May be there are models where the bottom left fingers are usable that the OP can get and swap out the guts.

 

I would relocate 2 of the 15 amp breakers from the upper right side (2 separate phases) to the lower right side then install the new breaker in those spots.

 

This is a 20 circuit panel and is full. There are two mini spaces available on the right side, the panel cover knock outs are misleading. Read the label.
You need to install a sub panel.

 

This is a 20 circuit panel and is full. There are two mini spaces available on the right side, the panel cover knock outs are misleading. Read the label.
You need to install a sub panel.

One moment your saying that it's a 20 circuit panel and it's full. Then you say "There are two mini spaces available on the right side." There are 50 ampere double pole 1 inch wide breakers made by GE. Those two presently empty 1/2 inch spaces can be filled with any single pole 120 ampere breakers taken from any 2 adjacent 1/2 inch spaces in the panel which actually come off of different energized busbars. The available 2 pole, 50 ampere breaker would then be installed in the 2 adjacent 1/2 inch spaces which are supplied from the 2 different energized busbars. Then the panel will be full to the gunwales but it will also provide the 50 ampere double pole breaker for the car charger.

But if he actually wants to use what he has and run a car charger he's going to have to get a 200 ampere service installed. As several of the other electricians here have said you just cannot draw anything like 40 amperes out of a 100 ampere service and keep its all of its present electrical load as well. So what they have asked for is possible but it's not practical. There really isn't any reason to keep the existing panel but if you want to avoid the work to replace it at the same time as you install the additional panel nothing prevents you from doing that as long as the calculated load is not more than the ampacity of its 100 ampere maximum rating. Since your house would have to have an outside emergency disconnect if you increase the size of your electric service you could work out with your electrician or whoever is advising you how to best use the disconnect as the service equipment mounted outside the house to provide the rated 100 amperes to the existing panel and install an additional 100 ampere panel. Once those 2 feeders leave the Service Equipment there is no restriction on were the panels they feed end up, except the specific prohibitions for such places as bathrooms.

Tom Horne

 

Install a full double breaker for the mid size breakers in lower right moving it up one slot, which would leave two slots for an additional double breaker. The panel is not full. It only has 18 breakers.

 

Well mechanically you are correct.
But adding a 60 amp breaker to a 100 amp service......that's not really the way to go.
And those two 30 amp breakers.....that's a dbl pole breaker.
If he moves it up he will have 2 120v circuits....not 240.

 

Oh, I agree, 60 amps is not feasible. He may be able to get a 30 or 40 amp unit and have a lesser charging rate, but never full. That's why I suggested a full size double breaker. If that is a full size breaker, he'll have to try one of the ones in Post 14

 

Your right he could put a full size 2 pole breaker in that panel but that would take 4 1 inch spaces which he doesn't seem to have. His best choice might be to increase the ampacity of his service and install a 40 by 60 space 200 panel near the existing one. By using the required exterior disconnect as Service Equipment he could run the a 200 ampere feeder to the new panel and use a 100 ampere breaker to supply a feeder to the 100 ampere panel. If GE makes a 40 by 60 circuit panel he would want to use one to save the cost of all new breakers. He could then move all of the double pole breakers, no matter what loads they supply, into the full size breaker only portion of the new panel and move the 120 volt only breakers into the portion of the panel that excepts 1/2 inch type as his time permits. Most of the full size only breaker slots would still be open for future loads.

I have seen assertions on the Electrician talk forums, which are only open to use by professional electricians, that he would need to comply with all of the Arc Fault Circuit and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter requirements while others claim with, equal certainty that is not required. I suspect it is required because a service ampacity increase is not a one for one replacement. I haven't taken the time to research that yet. If someone already knows the answer then please chime in.

Tom Horne

 

Unless the "heavy up" involves extending the branch circuits, then no requirement to add AFCI.

 

A garage or outdoor receptacle does not require AFCI protection, only GFCI. Direct wired EV chargers require neither.