Cutler Hammer Load Center

I needed to add a panel in order to have a sufficient number of circuit breakers. Each pair of 25-amp SSR’s in my solid state relay panel shares a 15 amp circuit breaker. 15-amp breakers are used even though the conductors between the breakers and the SSR’s are 12 gauge (20 amp) because some of the wiring to individual ceiling fixtures beyond the SSR’s is 14 gauge 15 amp).

A  Cutler-Hammer CH12L125BP load center is an inexpensive 12-breaker, conventional panel that has some additional virtues. The CH12L125BP panel is, as best I know, suitable for Cutler Hammer controllable Power Circuit Interrupters (not dimming  ~ $50 to $100) or C-H smart dimmer switch (~ $233.00 each!) so that may provide a very expensive fallback if you decide to embark on this installation and change your mind.

If you are having an electrician do some of the wiring, you can have him pull the wires to a panel and wire-nut them together with the understanding that you will eventually add automation/hard-wired lighting components to the panel.

Cutler Hammer also makes a energy control system, the Advanced Power System www.ch.cutler-hammer.com/apc/main.html. that interfaces with Savoy’s CyberHouse www.savoysoft.com and Home Automation Inc.’s Omni controllers http://www.homeauto.com/ (or so Cutler Hammer’s web site leads me to believe).

1.                  125 Amp, single phase 3-wire 120/220

2.                  12-position, 12-circuit

3.                  Cost for the CH12L125BP  at local Home Depot in June 2000 was $30

4.                  Measures about 14-3/8 x 16-7/8 x 4 ( fits in the space between 18”OC studs)

5.                   Uses CH or CHP circuit breakers and (as best I know) C-H “Power Circuit Interrupters”

6.                  The circuit breaker holder (the guts, so to speak) can be completely and cleanly removed to make room for the homebrew equipment by removing two screws. It could be just as easily re-installed.