How to Wire a 200 Amp Square D Breaker Panel

The Square D brand 200 amp service breaker panel hasn’t changed much for decades. It has a back feed design, with the main supply cables coming through the back of the panel and connecting to terminal blocks immediately below the entrance hole, but above the main, neutral, and ground bus bars. Installing them is just like installing any other 200 amp panel, but the main design difference is the location of the terminal blocks.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Wire strippers

Instructions

1. Be sure the power company has turned off the power to the building at the line before proceeding.

2. Secure the 200 amp Square D panel between two wall studs using the supplied screws. The pane is exactly 16 inches wide, making it fit perfectly between studs.

3. Feed the 40-40-40 cable into back of the panel, through the large hole near the top.

4. Strip about an inch of the wires to expose the bare metal inside.

5. Feed the two hot, black wires into the main bus bar terminals on the right and left. They are the biggest terminals. Tighten the screws on each to secure them in place.

6. Feed the white striped neutral wire into the slightly smaller terminal block, between the two main terminals. There are two smaller blocks between the main ones. The neutral block is the one on your right that’s slightly larger than the other small one. Tighten that screw as well, once the neutral is in there.

7. Finally, feed the bare copper ground wire into the smallest terminal block on the top, to the left of the neutral block. Tighten that screw as well.

Tips & Warnings

• If you try to install this panel while the power is live to the 40-40-40 cables, you risk dying of electric shock.

References

• Directory M: Circuit Panel and Distribution Panel Location
• Great Inspector: Wiring Sizes and Usage
• Hammer Zone: Installing a Panel