What is a Main Electrical Panel?
As you add electrical appliances and circuits, you increase the demand on your power panel. Depending on when your home was built and how much electricity you use, your power panel may need to be replaced or a sub-panel added to keep up with demand. All of the power for your home comes through this panel from the utility company, to the exit wires that split off and service different parts of the house. These exit wires are called branch circuits or branch wire circuits. Service wire lugs connect the power from the utility through the electric meter to the electrical panel, and are highly dangerous points that should never be touched. The main electrical panel is the central distribution point for all branch circuits of the house. Branch circuits are connected to the service panel via circuit breakers. The circuit breakers have no purpose other than safety, since they immediately cut off electricity to branch circuits in the event of overload. You can access these circuit breakers and
