What is the difference between Main Panel and Sub Panel?
I don't really know the difference of main panel and sub panel. Are they both service panels? Are there any difference between the applications?
Comments
As a general rule of thumb a service panel is directly connected to utility service and has a service disconnect switch that covers the service panel and all of its sub-panels. In most cases, this is where the meter is located and the service panel is also called the main panel. The main panel can have circuit breakers that control sub-panels an/or branch circuits.
A sub-panel is connected to the main panel by a feeder circuit which usually has a breaker (disconnect) at both ends. Sub-panels can also have their own sub-panels, but generally, they only control branch circuits, which end in an appliance or load.
A PV inverter can connect to sub or main panels by back-feeding a circuit breaker.
Comments
As a general rule of thumb a service panel is directly connected to utility service and has a service disconnect switch that covers the service panel and all of its sub-panels. In most cases, this is where the meter is located and the service panel is also called the main panel. The main panel can have circuit breakers that control sub-panels an/or branch circuits.
A sub-panel is connected to the main panel by a feeder circuit which usually has a breaker (disconnect) at both ends. Sub-panels can also have their own sub-panels, but generally, they only control branch circuits, which end in an appliance or load.
A PV inverter can connect to sub or main panels by back-feeding a circuit breaker.