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Electrical Wiring

40 amp manual A-B switch

13 years ago

I currently have 2 200 amp service panels; Panel A runs all lighting, outlets and equipment in the house. Panel B is an interruptible service and runs the geothermal heating & cooling, and hot water. What I would like to do is this: I want to connect the stove top & oven to the interruptible panel (panel B) I'm looking for a manual way to be able to leave the oven and cook top connected to panel A, but also have access to powering it through panel B. There is room physical for additional breakers in the Panel B, but amp wise it is maxed out (that is why I want an A/B switch). I need a switch that will handle 40 amps. IÂm looking for a manufacturer &/or part number that I can order.

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Comments (5)

Ron Natalie
13 years ago
Lets hold on a second here. What do you mean "ampwise" it's maxed out. Have you done a real load calculation or are you just summing up the breakers in that panel?

Even if you were "maxed out" what good would this "switch" do?

Large double throw switches are availble, but the price will probably be scary to you. The cutoff is about 30A for the kind that mounts in a regular box versus the ones that come in their own NEMA enclosure (and the accompanying price jump).

If you're really determined, your cheapest answer would be a 40A DPDT Intermatic timer (whether you chose to use the "timer" part of it or not).
cuffs054
13 years ago
Why would you want to do this?
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brickeyee
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"There is room physical for additional breakers in the Panel B, but amp wise it is maxed out"

Based on what?

The sum of the breaker ratings in the panel?

Only an actual load calculation can determine if the panel is "maxed out," not adding up ratings of breakers.
penoir
Original Author
13 years ago
the max load calculation is 180 amps in panel B, however after I have turned off one of the hot water heaters (only my wife & I) and because we have both a geothermal boiler for in floor radiant heat and a forced air geothermal unit I disconnect one of the units using the manual breaker mounted on the wall next to the geothermal units. The main reason I want to do this is cost conservation. interuptable power is much less expensive, but on the rare occasion we have a full house I'd want be able to put the stove top and oven back onto panel A.
joed
13 years ago
A transfer switch like used for generator installtions sould do the job for you.

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