Panel Upgrades
Memphis homes are very electrical power hungry. Today our air conditioning systems take more power than an entire home did 30 years ago. A kitchen, in a new home, will usually be equipped with a number of receptacles capable of supplying more than 60 amps just to counter top appliances.
Adding receptacles will not increase the accessible power if they are looped from other receptacles. To get more power to a location the circuit should run dire ctly from the distribution panel.
Old style distribution panels, those with screw-in fuses are normally considered fire hazards. The contact between the base of the fuse and the buss bar oxidizes or charcoals from poor contact. In many areas, insurance companies will not renew homeowner insurance if the home is equipped with an electrical distribution panel that has screw-in fuses.
Above and Beyond Electric is now a certified for installing Eaton panels.
A Brief Service Panel History
Thirty years ago, the average Memphis home was equipped with a 60 amp electrical service connected to a screw-in type fuse panel with two fuse blocks. The general distribution was a fuse block for the stove and one for the hot water tank. The balance of the homes electrical needs were served by six, 15amp screw-in fuses.
Twenty years ago the average new home was equipped with a 100 amp electrical service and some of them used the latest in technology, circuit breakers.
Average homes is equipped with a 200 amp electrical service with a distribution panel handling up to 40 circuit breakers serving the electrical needs of the home.
If your current electrical service to your home is less than 200 amps, and/or if it has an unsafe distribution panel that uses screw in fuses, you should consider replacing it as a top priority in any major home improvement project.
