Lou Knudson Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Here is a picture of my new outdoor sub panel. It has 120 amps of dedicated power with 24 - 15 amp circuits, 2 - timer controlled circuits, 8 - outputs for my 8 channel audio to light controller, speaker jacks and LOR network connection. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan78 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Yes very neatly done. So when you say LOR network connection, do mean from your computer to you controllers are in the panel also? I see what looks like a lot of RJ45 jacks at the top. Also I think I see what looks like a hole at the bottom which I am going to guess is for running the cords in? If so does the door shut when cords are plugged in? I can't really tell from the pic. Can you get some close ups? It looks very nice though, I am about to have to upgrade mine as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Knudson Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 It was already dark when I took the pictures. What you are seeing at the top are the 24 fuse holders for each of the 15 amp circuits. My controllers are going to be located out within my display. I put the LOR network connection in the panel so I can disconnect the network cable when it isn't being used. I have five holes punched in the bottom of the display for the extension cords, but four are currently covered with weather tight hole seals. I'm starting out with 32 channels, but wanted room for expansion. I will get some close up's taken, but like everyone else doing a display I have a lot to do in the next two weeks. I did attach another picture that is slightly closer. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan78 Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Never seen this done before, that is why I am asking, but what is the purpose of the fuses? I mean I know what fuses do, but are they really necessary in this application since they are connected to GFCIs and the breaker will trip also if something goes wrong? Is there a reason you went with 15 amp circuits instead of 20 besides the fact you can get more outlets with 15 amps or was that the main reason. I like that CAT5 connection being in there as well as speaker hook ups. I would like to centralize my stuff especially for Halloween and that would be really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wbottomley Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Good grief... that's HEAVY DUTY!Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Knudson Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 I have the sub panel fed with a two pole 60 amp circuit breaker which gives me 120 amp's of power at 120 volts. The ground fault receptacles do not provide over current protection. Each of the circuits has to be protected by a fuse or circuit breaker to protect the wire and receptacles. I went with the 15 amp receptacles because of cost and the LOR controllers I am using are 15 amp's per eight channel or 30 amp's per controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan78 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I am confused now. The whole fuse thing I am not familiar with. I always thought the breaker provided over current protection. That is unimportant though, this is what puzzles me. I am going to be upgrading my electrical after the Holidays and looking to do a setup like this or similar. Now I was going to use 20 amps for each circuit. Reason being is I have some controllers that have little things on them like arches, north poles etc. not nearly enough to take up much, but needs its own channels for effect. So lets say each side takes up only 8-9 Amps. Now that totals more then 15 Amps together so you would have to use 2 circuits to control one box. Now if you used 20 amp circuits you could put both sides on one circuit since both sides are under 20 amps together and save circuits for more controllers or lights, etc. Did you use 12 gauge wire so if you needed to upgrade breakers as you need them you can? Don't get me wrong I am not trying to question your ways, just curious because I am about to have to do something like this and it is overdue.....I can't tell from the pic, but when the cords are plugged in, does the door shut without much stress on the plug? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore60 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Just a note. If your going to supply 20amps to the controller, then you should up the power input to 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp plug with a 20 amp receptacle.I have not price 20 amp receptacle and such, but I would guess they are a little bit more expensive. That alone can add up in time.Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan78 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 cmoore60 wrote: Just a note. If your going to supply 20amps to the controller, then you should up the power input to 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp plug with a 20 amp receptacle.I have not price 20 amp receptacle and such, but I would guess they are a little bit more expensive. That alone can add up in time.ChuckWas this for the Lou? I am aware of the 12 gauge wire for 20 amp circuits which is why I asked him in my last post if he had wired it with 12 gauge wire in case he wants to upgrade circuits.I currently use nothing but 20 amp circuits with 12 gauge wire to code and 20 amp GFI receptacles. I am about to expand and add on a sub panel because I am out of room in my main breaker. 20 amp breakers are not anymore then then 15 amps. I think the ones I added last year were like around $3 and the 20 amp GFI were between $9-10 I think like $1 more then the 15 amp if I remember correctly.I am just trying to get some ideas of how I want to do this. It will be on the back of my house so I want it to look nice. I don't want a lot of plugs hanging off you can see year round. The way Lou has them is really nice because with the cover closed it just looks like a panel. Lou, what kind of panel is that you used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmoore60 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Do you have 20 input cables on your LOR boxes? Are they plugged into 20amp rated receptacles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ItsMeBobO Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Panel Envy ! Wow Lou you went all out! I asked my electrician about doing this and he could not comprehend the need or even picture what I wanted.So this year I am running cords to existing circuits all around the house. Maybe next year. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark h2o Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Texan78 wrote: Never seen this done before, that is why I am asking, but what is the purpose of the fuses? I mean I know what fuses do, but are they really necessary in this application since they are connected to GFCIs and the breaker will trip also if something goes wrong? Is there a reason you went with 15 amp circuits instead of 20 besides the fact you can get more outlets with 15 amps or was that the main reason. I like that CAT5 connection being in there as well as speaker hook ups. I would like to centralize my stuff especially for Halloween and that would be really nice.Not to talk for Lou,but from what I understand reading and looking at this very well thought out and built panel I'd say imagine his 60A double pole breaker as the equivalent of your 100 or 200A main breaker in your service panel. That 60A does for the sub panel what the 100 or 200A does for the service panel for the house.So now you still need the breakers in the main service panel to protect the individual circuits running through the house because there is no way 14ga wire could handle over 200A of draw before the main tripped. That is why there are fuses in the sub panel which are the equivalent to the breakers in the main service panel except you can't reset them if they are overloaded. So the fuses are the same as the breakers, a 15 or 20A circuit couldn't handle the load required to trip the 60A sub panel man breaker, the reason for the individual fuses.As far as GFI's go, new building code requires that circuits in bathrooms or that are near water source in the house have GFI protection even tho there is a 15 or 20A breaker attached to that circuit. So now you have a GFI attached to a breaker or fuse that is attached to a main breaker that supports the overall load.That's the way I understand and can describe the setup looking at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan78 Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 cmoore60 wrote: Do you have 20 input cables on your LOR boxes? Are they plugged into 20amp rated receptacles?I am not real sure what you are trying to ask me? Are you asking me if I have 20 amp pigtails on my LOR controllers? If so no they are not, they are the 14 gauge standard ones that come with them. Yes, as stated in my last post I use 20 amp GFI receptacles.You do not need to use 12 gauge pigtails on your controllers unless you change the fuses out from 15 to 20 amp and up your heat sink and change from a plastic to metal box.Mark, so what you are saying is the fuses are to protect the individual breakers in the main panel? I mean it sounds like the fuses just work like a extra line of protection for your individual breakers. Your mains should never trip and you should really never able to trip it. That is what the breakers are for and why they are rated so they will trip to keep from an overload. So if you were to load up a 20 amp circuit with lets say 23 amps it would trip that 20 amps circuit while protecting the rest and still giving you power.I knew about the guidelines for the GFIs, I use them as well. I am just real curious about the fuses as I have seen a lot of panels and never seen anyone use them before. So I was wanting to know if this is something I need to be expecting to do when I upgrade mine or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Knudson Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 Yes the cover does shut with the extension cords plugged in otherwise it would defete the purpose of using an enclosure rated for outdoor use. The enclosure is 8" deep and the front of the receptacles only extend out 3 " which allows 5" for the plugs. I did use # 12 wire to feed the GFCI's since I wasn't sure how much power I need being my first year using LOR. Building the sub panel only became a priority because I was having some siding repairs done on my house. I thought it would be a good time remove the receptacles I had installed many years ago when I thought they would provide all the power I would ever need. I attached a picture of what I used prior to installing the sub panel. I don't have a clear cover over the buss, but it is something I could easily add once the weather warms up. I do keep the sub panel locked unless I am workng in it. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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