Electric Panels and Progress

Electric panels, like just about all other components of a home, have changed drastically over the past century. Also referred to as "electric service panels," these necessary boxes hold fuses or circuit breakers that carry the electrical currents to the various parts of your home. Often found in basements or garages, these units provide power for everything from major appliances to small gadgets. As homeowners have come to rely more heavily on electricity and utilize more and more electronics, the need for higher amounts of electricity has continued to rise.

Prior to the 1950s, the typical home was equipped with a 30-amp fuse box featuring a knife-blade-shaped switch used to disconnect power and two plug fuses used to protect branch circuits. In these designs, fuses could be found inside a ceramic fuse holder that was mounted inside a black metal container. Supplying 120 volts to a home, these older models no longer suffice for the needs of today's homes.

During the 1960s, a 60-amp model became the norm. Supplying 240 volts instead of the original 120, these service panels could be found inside gray metal cabinets with four plug fuse blocks and two cartridge fuse blocks. One cartridge fuse block held the main disconnect as well as 60-amp fuses, while the other fed appliances and a 30-amp fuse for items such as hair dryers and ovens. Each of the four plug fuse blocks were used for a branch circuit. These models were the first to include an index inside the door so that circuits could be labeled according to their feeds.

Later in the 1960s, the circuit breaker panel was invented, forming the basis for the electric panels used today. Providing 240-volt service as well as 100- and 200-amp services, this type of panel contains both a main breaker and two circuit breaker rows for branch circuits. A modern panel can have a variety of circuit breaker spaces, typically ranging from 12 to 24. Panel schedules are now standard. With the advent of the circuit breaker came the concept of resetting, instead of the constant need to change blown fuses.

According to FHA requirements for home sales, each home that goes on the market is required to have a circuit breaker panel with a 100-amp minimum. (Regulation or not, the typical homeowner uses much more power than the original 120-volt models provide, anyway.) As technology continues to develop and homeowners require more power, perhaps different types of units will become available or necessary. However, the Energy Star appliances that run more efficiently and use less power require less energy to run, so perhaps future generations will actually require less electricity, after all.

Electric panels have certainly come a long way in the past several decades, and they'll continue to develop in the years to come.