PowerPro 220v surge protector

[BuckeyeDennis]

I researched this for my shop wiring. Your main panel, the one with a big breaker where you connect to the utility lines, is called a "main breaker load center".

Subpanels are usually fed from a branch breaker in your "main breaker load center", so there's no need for a master breaker in the subpanel. That kind of subpanel is called a "main lug load center". The branch-circuit breaker is sized to properly protect whatever size wire you use for the subpanel feeder.

It's also possible to wire a subpanel to "feedthrough" lugs in the main panel. In this case, the subpanel feeder is protected only by the main breaker, and the feeder wire must be sized accordingly.

[ChrisNeilan]

[quote="BuckeyeDennis"]I researched this for my shop wiring. Your main panel, the one with a big breaker where you connect to the utility lines, is called a "main breaker load center".

Subpanels are usually fed from a branch breaker in your "main breaker load center", so there's no need for a master breaker in the subpanel. That kind of subpanel is called a "main lug load center". The branch-circuit breaker is sized to properly protect whatever size wire you use for the subpanel feeder.



This is how we did mine when I tore down my old garage and built the new one and connected it to the house. I had my main service upgraded to 200 amps and the electrician ran a 100 amp box to the garage. Quite handy having a separate 100 amp box in the garage!

[claimdude]

As Jsburger notes his panel looks like mine and is attached to the main panel of the house using a 60amp breaker so I guess mine would be called a sub-panel that is serviced by 6 or 8 ga aluminum electrical cable and all mine was done by a licensed electrician as well. Back to my question, is it ok to install the whole house protector mentioned earlier in my sub panel near the main wire feeding electricity to the shop using a 50 amp breaker band will it serve the purpose of protecting my PowerPro which is on a separate circuit.

Thanks
Jack

[videobear]

Thanks JPG and Videobear. My panel in the shop is run from my house panel so there is no main breaker in the shop just in the house. Can I still use the whole house mentioned above in my shop electrical panel?

Thanks
Jack

Yep. Or you can install it in the main house panel and provide protection for everything. Consult your local electrician!

[JPG]

Are you telling me your shop is in a building different from where the breaker panel is and there is no breaker/panel in the shop?

To quote claimdude..."My panel in the shop is run from my house panel so there is no main breaker in the shop just in the house."

Mine is the same way. The shop is fed from a 60 amp breaker from the house. There is no "main breaker" in the shop panel. The shop is fed under underground from the house with 6 gauge (maybe 8 I don't remember). It was installed by a licensed electrician. I wired the shop myself.

The picture shows the shop panel.

Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! Mine is wired the same way. I could swear there was a main breaker on the panel in the garage- nope!

I have encountered this also recently. Have also encountered main breaker external(at the meter base panel) and NO input breaker at the interior breaker panel.

Apparently the NEC has changed. Makes sense actually! Why does a feeder need protection at both ends? The down stream breaker adds nothing to the level of protection. In the case of a panel fed from a service drop, a main breaker is needed(there is no over current protection in the service drop).

However building to building feeds still need an independent ground IMO.

[backhertz]

Have a 2 panels in my house- a 200 amp main in the basement & a 100 amp sub panel in the garage/shop. Each have their own surge protection. The main has a large Eaton protector outside the panel. The garage has a Square D snap-in protector.

Depending on where you live, these devices may not protect me in the event of a direct lightning strike, but they’re better than nothing. Saw the results of lighting striking a runway light on the ground, 2 miles from the control room. The control panel blew off the wall- even though there was lightning protection.

What are the chances of being hit by lightning? Have no idea. Have seen lighting get through 3 tiers of lightning protection. Home Depot doesn’t carry much in surge protection up in NJ. But if you go to Florida, they have quite a selection.

Residential power is relatively clean, but still carries voltage spikes of very short duration we can’t see. Years ago, the voltage often would dropped so much the lights would dim & the TV picture would shrink or sometimes the lights would get brighter. Those days are gone, I think. What we don’t see are short duration spikes. These are the ones that cause havoc to modern electronics. Surge protectors are most effective against voltage spikes.

Years ago appliances were relatively simple & essentially ‘bulletproof', as were Shopsmiths. Nowadays, just about everything has a microprocessor & other sensitive components.

Lightning goes wherever it wants to & can even jump across contacts of an open switch. The best protection is to unplug anything you don’t want damaged IMHO. It’s a lot cheaper .

[claimdude]

Backhertz,

Good info. I am in property claims management so have a good deal of experience with Texas lightning claims. I don't worry about lightning cause I have insurance that covers that peril. Most policies don't cover power surges or spikes (if covered they usually have low limits) that are not directly related to a lightning strike. To that end the GE whole home surge protector I picked up from Home Depot will provide me with a little be of peace of mind.

Thanks
Jack