Our house has a 100 amp circuit with some nob and tube wiring. I would like to change main panel to a 200 amp circuit with new wiring as circuits blow all the time. What is the best panel to use for this. Thanx

I have installed 4 Sq D "Homeline" 200 AMP panels and they work well. Inexpensive & BIG.

My understanding is that Canada is radically different than US. The one they sell here could have a Maximum of 42 -1" breakers.

First thing I'd do is check with Utility as your incoming svc. wires might not be adequate for 200 AMP.

Here the electric co. charges a $200 "fun tax" for going over 175 AMPS!

Good luck.

I suggest that you use a panel such as a GE or Square D both are very nice. However, be sure to pick a panel that your local big box store carries breakers for. Just in case you ever need to add another breaker. You want to be able to purchase them.
Any panel that you purchase must be underwriters approved. So there is no one panel better then another.
Just be sure to remove all the K&T wires as they are unsafe.

Upgrading to a 200 amp service is a good idea. Just remember that you will need to upgrade the service entrance cable and meter base as well. Select a panel that is readily available in your area so you don't have issues later on getting addtional breakers. Of course all of your equipment should be UL Canada approved. I'm certainly not familiar with your area but here in PA, you need to get a meter base location sticker from the power company and an inspection by an independent inspector after installation of the panel. Only then will the power comnpany make the permanent connection. In theory knob and tube wiring was very safe for it's time. The problem is that the materials used at the time are less than what is considered to be safe today. The insulation was often natural rubber and paper coated with asphalt. All of which break down or become brittle with age. One of the hassles you can expect to encounter is that many knob and tube systems ran a common nuetral for 2 or 3 circuits, making it hard to isolate the neutral if you want to replace one circuit at a time. Sometimes the neutral wasn't even run close to the hot wire that it was paired with, so be prepared to do a lot of wire tracing. If you must leave some K&T in place, I would suggest that you connect it to romex in a junction box, then run the romex into your new panel. Leave the K&T and junction box exposed so that anyone working on the circuit later can see it.I would also tape the insulation on the K&T or slip some heat shrink tubing over it where it enters the box. I would not have old K&T conductors floating inside the new panel and chances are they won't be long enough anyway.

Thank you for the information. But what is romex?

Romex was the trade name for sheathed cable that is commonly used today to run electrical circuits. Today Romex has become a generic name for plastic sheathed cable that includes 2-3 insulated conductors and a bare ground conductor in the same sheath. 12-2 romex will have a conductor with black insulation, a conductor with white insulation and a bare conductor for grounding, all enclosed in a protective sheath. 12-3 will also include a red insulated conductor, the "12" being the wire gauge. The 2 or 3 being the number of included INSULATED conductors. Romex is available in a number of gauge sizes, normally 10, 12, 14 for residential circuits, but larger sizes are available. The smaller the gauge number, the larger the conductor. Hope that helps.

Romex is platic covered wire. Not allowed in some areas of the US, not sure about its use in other countries. Areas that do not allow this reqire BX wire. Which is wire covered with a metal flex material. You find this a lot in cities where rodents are found or in many commercial locations as well. It helps prevent them from chewing the wires. It does not fair well however in damp areas as the metal cover rusts fairly fast.

Yes it does. Thank you

quote:

Originally posted by Maintenance 6:
Romex was the trade name for sheathed cable that is commonly used today to run electrical circuits. Today Romex has become a generic name for plastic sheathed cable that includes 2-3 insulated conductors and a bare ground conductor in the same sheath. 12-2 romex will have a conductor with black insulation, a conductor with white insulation and a bare conductor for grounding, all enclosed in a protective sheath. 12-3 will also include a red insulated conductor, the "12" being the wire gauge. The 2 or 3 being the number of included INSULATED conductors. Romex is available in a number of gauge sizes, normally 10, 12, 14 for residential circuits, but larger sizes are available. The smaller the gauge number, the larger the conductor. Hope that helps.