Electrical – How to split a circuit

This seems to be relatively common especially with older homes.

If your basement is not finished then this might not be that large of a job. If the basement is finished it makes this a lot harder and you will definitely be making holes in walls/ceilings.

The first thing you need to figure out is what exactly you are going to split. Most locations requires dedicated 20amp circuits to each recepticle in the kitchen, so instead of trying to break up a number of other circuits, it'd probably be easiest just to run new dedicated circuits for the kitchen. You do need to be aware that it is not always permissible to have multiple circuits running in the same electrical box, so you could probably make it even easier by running brand new outlets instead of trying to change existing ones.

Installing a new breaker and outlet is not that difficult, but safety always comes to mind with electrical, so if you are not sure you could opt to have an electrician do the whole thing, or if you just want peice of mind, you could get them to inspect your work upon completion.

As always, make sure to turn the power off when working in your electrical panel. I know a lot of people will pop in breakers with the power on, but I prefer to have my hands nowhere near live electricity.

Good luck!

Mike Holt's forum, discussing what breakers will fit in that box.

doityourself.com, CasualJoe:

If you remove one and inspect the bus, you'll see the attachment portion of the bus for the THQP breakers is perpendicular to the main stabs that the type THQL breakers attach to. THQP breakers snap around the bus where the full sized THQL breakers fit tightly over the bus. This is obvious if you inspect the breakers and bus carefully. If you remove enough breakers, you'll see the difference in the bus in the areas that the full size THQL breakers MUST be used and won't accept the thin breakers. At this point, you'll have to use your head to determine which spaces will accept the thin breakers. The only other recommendation I could make would be to go to a supply house that stocks GE load-centers and ask them to explain it to you and show you the difference.

The breakers with the green labels look the newest, take one of these to the store with you and make sure it matches the mounting. I'd call it an 8 slot panel, using tandem breakers to make 12 branch circuits (otherwise there'd be only be 6) and one (2 pole) main. In your panel, it would have been borderline acceptable to take the cover off, say "ewww" and put it back on, having TOUCHED NOTHING. Now that you have went in there and played with stuff, I'd be concerned that you have loosened the connections of the wires and/or the buss-bar contact clips of the 50yo breakers. If you're going to continue onwards with that panel, consider getting those leads away from the neutral bar, shortening them while you're at it. At least check ALL of the connections. Upgrade that panel, please (or KEEP OUT). I don't want to see this in your next post: