How should I handle the wires coming out of the toroids when removing the adjoining subpanel from my main panel?
Asked by Russell Diaz 
2 months ago
Last Updated: October 29, 2024
I’m sorry for taking this photo from an electrician website, but it perfectly illustrates my situation. The main panel I have looks very similar to this one, except the wires coming in are much thicker. The wires labeled “B” in the photo are 240 volts, but each one has a toroid with two wires coming out that connect to an adjacent subpanel. I need to get rid of this subpanel, but I’m not sure what to do with the wires coming out of the toroids. Should I just put a wing nut on each one, or should I pull the main breaker outside and remove the toroids? Any other suggestions?
I’m not a professional electrician, and they would handle it live, so definitely avoid that. They are called sparkies for a reason. If it were me, I’d suggest contacting your electric company and requesting a disconnect/reconnect.
I would assume that being an electrician would necessitate a permit and inspection in almost every case or location
Nope, you might be surprised in some of these small towns
Seems to find it funny
It’s strange, some places demand permits even for simple tasks like changing outlets or fixtures, while others don’t. I’ve removed sub panels from garages, same situation – some towns require it, others don’t.
I understand maybe for minor issues, but requesting a reconnect… I can’t think of any reason to let that slide, it’s a whole different story. At the very least, you’d need an upgrade to a metered disconnect and neither homeowners nor your average electrician can mess with the line side of the meter. I definitely wouldn’t want to work in the kind of towns you’re referring to haha.
I’ve been a eneral Contractor for quite a while now, and let me tell you, there are plenty of places where you can get away without permits for certain things like that panel. But try digging a post hole near a body of water within 250ft and you’ll be in trouble. The rules vary so much, it’s really something. It can be a real challenge if you’re not familiar with the local inspectors or town offices.
Oh man, I bet it’s a hassle.
Your descendants will likely need to hire an electrician in the future.
Toroid?
Hey, I’ve been working as an electrician for a good ten years now, bouncing between New England and Florida, and I’ve never encountered one of those before. Just looked them up and gotta say, I’m intrigued haha.
Is the same guy? Could he be the current transformer for the meter?
Did you think I was the weird one? 😂 It’s pretty much what you mentioned. But I’m curious about those wires connected to the Toroid feeding the sub panel – were they tapped with burndy’s or split bolts or something like that?
I have no clue, man. It’s so funny to see electrical posts on these DIY pages, right? How are there not more fires, haha?
That’s exactly how we utilized them. We were working on an 18-story apartment building undergoing renovations, all made of concrete. Initially, the apartments did not have individual meters. So, we installed meters with serial numbers corresponding to apartment numbers. This allowed DTE to meter each apartment without having to redo the entire building’s service and reconnect each apartment to the new service. This saved us a significant amount of time and money, hundreds of thousands of dollars, to be exact.
Make sure to call an electrician for help. While switching out a light or a switch may seem simple, working on more complex electrical tasks like disconnecting power to your service can be dangerous if you’re not trained. Remember, if something goes wrong, your insurance may not cover the damages and there’s a risk of serious harm. It’s best to leave it to the professionals and call an electrician.
You hit the nail on the head with that one.
Haha, , that’s funny!
If you’re not comfortable turning off the main breaker, it’s best to ask for help. You can call to have the electricity turned off before working on the panel, and then call again to have it turned back on.
If it were up to me, I’d remove the meter, cut them off, and then reconnect the wires. Though I’m not an electrician, that’s the approach I’d take.
Oh man. It’s important to call an electrician before putting yourself in danger! Remember, DIY should not mean attempting things you don’t fully comprehend. What even is a toroid? Stop.
I’ve been involved in electrical work for about 15 years and I’ve never come across a toroid. It’s better to hire a professional electrician, buddy. Otherwise, there’s a risk of fire.
I think the toroid is basically a smaller transformer. Haven’t checked the voltages, but I assume it goes from 240 down to 120. There’s also another transformer and an electronic control board in the sub panel.
I’m not sure how the wires are connected from the main breaker to the sub panel in the picture you shared, . Is there a lug/tap or split bolt involved?
Why are you using a step-down transformer? Each line to neutral should be 120v.
Hey , it might be less stressful for you to hire someone to upgrade the panels based on how the current panel looks.
B is actually not 240. Each one is 120, just out of phase.
Ive your Electric Provider a call. If the 2 extra wires are connected to the subpanel from these lugs, they are 120V unfused on each Black Wire. The Meter will have to be pulled. No permit will be issued, as you are disconnecting the old service. I’ve done this many times during renovations.
When it comes to dealing with electricity, I leave it to the experts and call an electrician if it involves the panel. I only tinker with minor things like swapping out a capacitor in an AC unit. I learned my lesson after getting shocked once.
My husband works as an electrician, so I leave all the panel work to him. The only thing I might try is changing fuses. One wrong move could be a disaster. And sometimes you can’t even turn off the power. Our power company did it once, even though it’s probably not legal.