[miamicuse]

I just moved into an older house that was built in 1941 and have gone through multiple renovations over the years. It has three separate panels.


The meter is on the outside wall of the garage, and next to the meter are two panels which I labeled "A" and "B".

Panel A - has the main breakers to turn off EVERYTHING in the house. It is labeled "MAIN 1 OF 2" with a Sharpie. It controls the wiring in the two original bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as the downstairs central AC handler and compressor.



Panel B - controls the outside wiring, the pool pump, spa heater, pool lights, outside motion lights, pond pump, post lights, front gate motor.



Then inside the garage I have another panel, which I have labeled "C".

Panel C - controls the kitchen, garage, living room, dining room, second floor addition.


I am thinking panel A is the first and original panel? Then panel B was added and then the panel C inside? So panel A is the "main" panel and B & C are subpanels?


As I try to determine which breaker controls what, I need to label each of them so I know what breaker controls a particular receptacle or switch...I make a notation on the back side of the cover plate that this is circuit 8A, this is circuits 5B/7A etc, but with three panels I need to reference which panel. Is there a customary convention to follow for labeling the panel+circuit? Is it something like A,B,C or I,II,III or something else?

 

[joed]

If turning off panel A or breakers in panel A makes panel B and C go off, then you are correct they are sub panels.

 

[chandler48]

In your situation, about the only way to label the breakers is to have someone turn off a breaker and you find out what goes dead. Label everything that goes dead with each breaker using sticky note paper indicating the circuit controlling it. Once you have all you think done properly, do a walkthrough to see if there any receptacles or lights that aren't labeled. You can type up a legend for each box showing what each breaker controls.

I have done the cover plate thingy, too and it is GREAT, until someone comes in and paints your interior, removes the plates and jumbles your numbers up

 

[Wiredindallas]

Someone double tapped the meter adding panel B. That is why they referenced to 2 mains(in panels A and B). C is the only sub panel from A.

 

[fa_f3_20]

Why do these panels not have dead fronts? Did you take them off?

 

[miamicuse]

If turning off panel A or breakers in panel A makes panel B and C go off, then you are correct they are sub panels.

Yes Panel A's main breaker turns off everything including everything in B and C.

 

[miamicuse]

In your situation, about the only way to label the breakers is to have someone turn off a breaker and you find out what goes dead. Label everything that goes dead with each breaker using sticky note paper indicating the circuit controlling it. Once you have all you think done properly, do a walkthrough to see if there any receptacles or lights that aren't labeled. You can type up a legend for each box showing what each breaker controls.

I have done the cover plate thingy, too and it is GREAT, until someone comes in and paints your interior, removes the plates and jumbles your numbers up

Yes good idea. I am going to do a schedule for each panel as well.


I am pretty much done with figuring out which breaker controls which and have sticky notes all over. I haven't done the attic and crawlspace to see if there may be some stuff like live wires or hidden junction boxes yet. Not looking forward to that.

 

[miamicuse]

Someone double tapped the meter adding panel B. That is why they referenced to 2 mains(in panels A and B). C is the only sub panel from A.

Panel C's main breakers do turn off Panel B and C.


Here is a picture of what's inside Panel A.

 

[miamicuse]

Why do these panels not have dead fronts? Did you take them off?

Yes I removed them so I can see what conductors go into which conduits above and below just to have a better idea.

 

[miamicuse]

So is there a "proper", conventional, customary way to label these three panels?


Panel A has "MAIN 1 OF 2" written on it, Panel B has "MAIN 2 OF 2" written on it but is a sub panel of A. Panel C has no label.


I called them A, B, C on here just for easy reference. Are they typically labeled a certain way I II III or what?


I would like an easy but short reference. For example, the 240V window unit in a den is on circuits 5B/7A on the panel inside the garage. I would like to be able to label it [PANEL: Circuit Number] something like that but not sure if there is a standard way to do it.

 

[fa_f3_20]

For residential, not really. There is a standard for commercial work, but that's for large installs with dozens of sub-panels. It's unnecessarily complicated for resi work. I'd probably just put stickers that say "A", "B", and "C" on the three panels, and then number the circuits by breaker slot number in the panel. So, for instance, breaker 17 in panel C would be circuit C17.

 

[miamicuse]

For residential, not really. There is a standard for commercial work, but that's for large installs with dozens of sub-panels. It's unnecessarily complicated for resi work. I'd probably just put stickers that say "A", "B", and "C" on the three panels, and then number the circuits by breaker slot number in the panel. So, for instance, breaker 17 in panel C would be circuit C17.

Ok got it. But would calling panels ABC adds to the confusion? Is it better to call them I, II, III?

I am thinking when someone sees "C12" could they be thinking the C just mean "Circuit"? Or B4 means "Breaker 4"? Plus I have tandem breakers so I may have B6A and A14B?

 

[joed]

ABC would be my choice.

 

[ktownskier]

As long as you are consistent, and you indicate what rules you are are following, then you can do whatever you want.

For example:

P1:B3:C4 could stand for Panel 1, Breaker 3 Circuit 4
or
P1:L:B3 Panel 1, Left side Breaker 3

Since you have multiple panels, with probably different panel manufacturers, you may want to consider adding some additional items to your breaker list. For example, breaker size and maker.

Panel 1
Cutler Hammer
Main Panel
200 Amp Main Breaker
Uses BR type breakers

Panel 2
General Electric
Sub Panel
60 Amp
Uses THQL breakers

Panel 3
Siemens
Sub Panel
100 Amp
Uses BR type breakers

P1:L:B4:20amp

Or something like that.