How to Know What Amperage Your House's Breaker Panel Is?

Electrical current is measured in units of amperes, or amps for short. Your breaker panel manufacturer determines the maximum ampere rating for your panel, but that may or may not be the same as the amount of electricity you have entering your home. The main breaker inside the service panel will show you the present electrical capacity of the panel; it may be less than your panel's rated maximum. Large houses with more than 200-amp service will have two service panels: one rated for and supplying 200 amps and the other most likely supplying either 100 or 200 amps.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Safety glasses

1. Put on safety glasses before examining your breaker panel. Examine the outside of the breaker panel for any stickers or tags which may indicate the maximum amperage. Do not touch any wires or cables.

2. Open the breaker panel access door. Look on the inside of the access door for a sticker or tag indicating the maximum rating.

3. Locate the main breaker, usually located at the top middle of the breaker panel. It will be the largest switch in the panel; this is the switch that shuts off all electrical power to your house. The breaker size, in amps, is printed on the handle. If you know that your panel was installed by a licensed electrician, you can be confident that the breaker panel is rated for at least the same amount as the main breaker.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find any rust while examining your service panel, call an electrician to arrange a more thorough inspection.
• Do not touch electrical equipment if you are standing on a wet surface.
• Do not touch any pipes or gas lines while examining your electrical panel.
• Call an electrician if you find that the breaker panel rating printed on the panel is less than the size of the main breaker.

References

• Wiring a House; Rex Cauldwell; 2002