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Installing Leviton Whole House Surge Protector
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Doc
Nov 29, 2012, 1:08:56 PM11/29/12
to
Looking to clarify some points re: installing a Leviton 51110 whole
house surge protector from Home Depot.
The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
1b. - If 2 more breakers need to be installed, the available spots are
below the already installed breakers. Shouldn't they be as close as
possible to the top of the stack of breakers so any surge hits the
protector before hitting the rest of the breakers or not necessarily?
2. The instructions specify the white line going to the neutral bus,
the green going to the ground bus. However, the schematic seems to
show the green and white going to a common ground.
On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
Thanks for all input.
- My breaker box:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//Breaker_Box.jpg
- Installation schematic:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//schematic.JPG
- Link to info on this protector at the Leviton site.
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=51110-1§ion=47235&minisite=10251
house surge protector from Home Depot.
The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
1b. - If 2 more breakers need to be installed, the available spots are
below the already installed breakers. Shouldn't they be as close as
possible to the top of the stack of breakers so any surge hits the
protector before hitting the rest of the breakers or not necessarily?
2. The instructions specify the white line going to the neutral bus,
the green going to the ground bus. However, the schematic seems to
show the green and white going to a common ground.
On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
Thanks for all input.
- My breaker box:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//Breaker_Box.jpg
- Installation schematic:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//schematic.JPG
- Link to info on this protector at the Leviton site.
http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=51110-1§ion=47235&minisite=10251
tra...@optonline.net
Nov 29, 2012, 1:15:54 PM11/29/12
to
On Nov 29, 1:08 pm, Doc <docsavag...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Looking to clarify some points re: installing a Leviton 51110 whole
> house surge protector from Home Depot.
>
> The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
>
> 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
It would be very unusal to have an extra breaker there,
> Looking to clarify some points re: installing a Leviton 51110 whole
> house surge protector from Home Depot.
>
> The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
>
> 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
waiting for someone to come along and need it.
>
> 1b. - If 2 more breakers need to be installed, the available spots are
> below the already installed breakers. Shouldn't they be as close as
> possible to the top of the stack of breakers so any surge hits the
> protector before hitting the rest of the breakers or not necessarily?
the panel it's connected
>
> 2. The instructions specify the white line going to the neutral bus,
> the green going to the ground bus. However, the schematic seems to
> show the green and white going to a common ground.
>
> On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
> wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
>
> Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
The principles and operation are the same
Doc
Nov 29, 2012, 1:25:14 PM11/29/12
to
On Nov 29, 1:15 pm, "trad...@optonline.net" <trad...@optonline.net>
wrote:
> > On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
> > wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
>
> How would we know without seeing it?
As per my original message -
Further info gathering indicates the bus with the square lug at the
top is the neutral.
> > Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
>
> No experience is required with that unit.
> The principles and operation are the same
Wondering if anyone has experience with this particular unit as far as
it doing what it's supposed to do.
wrote:
> > On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
> > wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
>
> How would we know without seeing it?
Further info gathering indicates the bus with the square lug at the
top is the neutral.
> > Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
>
> No experience is required with that unit.
> The principles and operation are the same
it doing what it's supposed to do.
Ralph Mowery
Nov 29, 2012, 1:53:55 PM11/29/12
to
"Doc" <docsa...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:126754f9-9985-4a17...@eo2g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...
> Looking to clarify some points re: installing a Leviton 51110 whole
> house surge protector from Home Depot.
>
> The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
>
> 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
>
> 1b. - If 2 more breakers need to be installed, the available spots are
> below the already installed breakers. Shouldn't they be as close as
> possible to the top of the stack of breakers so any surge hits the
> protector before hitting the rest of the breakers or not necessarily?
>
> 2. The instructions specify the white line going to the neutral bus,
> the green going to the ground bus. However, the schematic seems to
> show the green and white going to a common ground.
>
> On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
> wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
>
> Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
>
> Thanks for all input.
>
>
> - My breaker box:
>
> http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//Breaker_Box.jpg
>
> - Installation schematic:
>
> http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//schematic.JPG
>
You will need to install the new breakers. They do not have to be near the
> house surge protector from Home Depot.
>
> The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
>
> 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
>
> 1b. - If 2 more breakers need to be installed, the available spots are
> below the already installed breakers. Shouldn't they be as close as
> possible to the top of the stack of breakers so any surge hits the
> protector before hitting the rest of the breakers or not necessarily?
>
> 2. The instructions specify the white line going to the neutral bus,
> the green going to the ground bus. However, the schematic seems to
> show the green and white going to a common ground.
>
> On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
> wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
>
> Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
>
> Thanks for all input.
>
>
> - My breaker box:
>
> http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//Breaker_Box.jpg
>
> - Installation schematic:
>
> http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//schematic.JPG
>
top as the bus for the hot wires are thick enough not to make any
differance.
Breakers usually alternate from the left hot wire to the right hot wire as
you come down the line. That is why you should install two breakers next to
each other. The one on the top right looks to be two single breakers that
are connected by a connector so that if one trips, both sides will
disconnect. There are some single breakers that take up two slots and only
one switch. While this is a single breaker each screw is hooked to the
seperate incomming black hot wires. This is for running the 240 volt
devices.
The neutral and ground wires should be connected together in the breaker
box so it does not really make any differance as to where you connect the
white and green wires from the surge protector as far as to neutral and
ground. It just looks beter if the white is connected to neutral and green
to ground. May need to be that way just to satify the electrical code.
The one labled A is the neutral and your white wire should go there. the one
with the bare wires , your B , is the ground and the green wire should go
there.
Bill
Nov 29, 2012, 1:56:46 PM11/29/12
to
In article <126754f9-9985-4a17-b39a-
56a2ef...@eo2g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>, docsa...@yahoo.com
says...
A surge protector works by "shorting" the two hots, shorting each hot to
neutral, and each of those to ground. It does this in a split second.
Anyway you have two hots coming in at the top of the panel. Note there
is NO MAIN CUT OFF SWITCH! Power will ALWAYS BE LIVE to this panel!!!!
It appears to be a "subpanel" and there should be another panel
elsewhere where you can cut off the power to that panel.
If you can't do that and do not understand this, then call an
electrician!
Other than that, the two breakers on the upper right are adjacent
breakers (each goes to a separate hot). Those are "regular size
breakers". The smaller breakers are "space saving breakers". The breaker
on the lower left is a regular size breaker. (Space saving... 2 go to
one hot, then the next two go to the other hot.)
You can NOT place two wires in one breaker connection, so you need to
buy a new "full size" double breaker for that specific brand/model
panel. And that double breaker will need to be a certain amperage - like
20 amps or 50 amps or whatever. If this is not specified in the surge
protector instructions, call the manufacturer and ask what size breaker.
That new double breaker can be located anywhere in the panel.
Then connect one black wire to each connection on the double breaker,
white to the neutral bar, and green to the ground bar.
If you do not fully understand how your electric panel works, what the
two hots are above, how those connect to various breakers, why it is
always live, and why you can't connect two wires to one breaker, call an
electrician!
56a2ef...@eo2g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>, docsa...@yahoo.com
says...
neutral, and each of those to ground. It does this in a split second.
Anyway you have two hots coming in at the top of the panel. Note there
is NO MAIN CUT OFF SWITCH! Power will ALWAYS BE LIVE to this panel!!!!
It appears to be a "subpanel" and there should be another panel
elsewhere where you can cut off the power to that panel.
If you can't do that and do not understand this, then call an
electrician!
Other than that, the two breakers on the upper right are adjacent
breakers (each goes to a separate hot). Those are "regular size
breakers". The smaller breakers are "space saving breakers". The breaker
on the lower left is a regular size breaker. (Space saving... 2 go to
one hot, then the next two go to the other hot.)
You can NOT place two wires in one breaker connection, so you need to
buy a new "full size" double breaker for that specific brand/model
panel. And that double breaker will need to be a certain amperage - like
20 amps or 50 amps or whatever. If this is not specified in the surge
protector instructions, call the manufacturer and ask what size breaker.
That new double breaker can be located anywhere in the panel.
Then connect one black wire to each connection on the double breaker,
white to the neutral bar, and green to the ground bar.
If you do not fully understand how your electric panel works, what the
two hots are above, how those connect to various breakers, why it is
always live, and why you can't connect two wires to one breaker, call an
electrician!
Doc
Nov 29, 2012, 2:07:11 PM11/29/12
to
On Nov 29, 1:56 pm, Bill <Nomailors...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Anyway you have two hots coming in at the top of the panel. Note there
> is NO MAIN CUT OFF SWITCH! Power will ALWAYS BE LIVE to this panel!!!!
There's a main breaker outside the house. I could install one of these
> Anyway you have two hots coming in at the top of the panel. Note there
> is NO MAIN CUT OFF SWITCH! Power will ALWAYS BE LIVE to this panel!!!!
little square box protector units on that but if I put one on the
inside panel in the garage I'll be walking by it all the time and can
more readily observe the status lights.
> You can NOT place two wires in one breaker connection, so you need to
> buy a new "full size" double breaker for that specific brand/model
> panel.
Bill
Nov 29, 2012, 4:15:45 PM11/29/12
to
In article <edff550d-e663-4db0-bf2d-5a2fe7cb5621
@n8g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>, docsa...@yahoo.com says...
Just be sure to turn off the main power before doing any work! OK to
install it on the inside subpanel.
Then double breakers are usually used for a 240 volt appliance. They
have what is called an "internal common trip". Those would be for things
like a range, electric hot water heater, etc. And in that case, if one
"hot" was overloaded, you would want both to trip as is what happens.
But I would not think that would matter with this surge protector. It
would be important for safety to have a tie-bar between the two breakers
though (handle connecting both breakers). That would be to service it.
You would have to turn off both breakers. So safer.
I would just get a double breaker, as a retail store might not sell the
tie bar part. An "electricians supply" would.
@n8g2000vbb.googlegroups.com>, docsa...@yahoo.com says...
install it on the inside subpanel.
Then double breakers are usually used for a 240 volt appliance. They
have what is called an "internal common trip". Those would be for things
like a range, electric hot water heater, etc. And in that case, if one
"hot" was overloaded, you would want both to trip as is what happens.
But I would not think that would matter with this surge protector. It
would be important for safety to have a tie-bar between the two breakers
though (handle connecting both breakers). That would be to service it.
You would have to turn off both breakers. So safer.
I would just get a double breaker, as a retail store might not sell the
tie bar part. An "electricians supply" would.
John Grabowski
Nov 29, 2012, 4:29:50 PM11/29/12
to
wire goes on the left side, the green ground wire goes on the right side.
Make sure that your grounding electrode conductor connections at the water
pipe and ground rods are clean and tight.
Doc
Nov 29, 2012, 4:50:54 PM11/29/12
to
On Nov 29, 4:15 pm, Bill <Nomailors...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Then double breakers are usually used for a 240 volt appliance. They
> have what is called an "internal common trip". Those would be for things
> like a range, electric hot water heater, etc. And in that case, if one
> "hot" was overloaded, you would want both to trip as is what happens.
>
> But I would not think that would matter with this surge protector.
I see the install instructions actually specify that independent
> Then double breakers are usually used for a 240 volt appliance. They
> have what is called an "internal common trip". Those would be for things
> like a range, electric hot water heater, etc. And in that case, if one
> "hot" was overloaded, you would want both to trip as is what happens.
>
> But I would not think that would matter with this surge protector.
single pole breakers are preferred.
tra...@optonline.net
Nov 29, 2012, 6:06:39 PM11/29/12
to
and don't know of any other surge protector manufacturer with
that recomendation. I'd also note that with a 4,000 amp rating,
this isn't what I would use when for the same or less money
you can get one that is rated at 20,000 or 40,000 amps.
I guess since it has protection for phone and cable also,
that's worth something, but seperate protectors for phone
and cable are available for $10.
bud--
Nov 30, 2012, 10:17:17 AM11/30/12
to
On 11/29/2012 12:08 PM, Doc wrote:
> Looking to clarify some points re: installing a Leviton 51110 whole
> house surge protector from Home Depot.
>
> The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
>
> 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
The instructions recommend 30A breakers.
> Looking to clarify some points re: installing a Leviton 51110 whole
> house surge protector from Home Depot.
>
> The surge protector has four leads - two black, one green, one white.
>
> 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
>
> 1b. - If 2 more breakers need to be installed, the available spots are
> below the already installed breakers. Shouldn't they be as close as
> possible to the top of the stack of breakers so any surge hits the
> protector before hitting the rest of the breakers or not necessarily?
panel. But you want to minimize the length of wire from the protector to
the hot, neutral and ground connections. (And you don't want sharp bends
in the wires.) In your panel my preference would be to connect the
protector to the panel on the right toward the bottom of the busbars.
The neutral connection goes to the bar on the left side under the
busbars. Minimum length to the ground bar. I would put the breaker(s)
for the surge protector in the bottom right position (moving the breaker
that is there now).
>
> 2. The instructions specify the white line going to the neutral bus,
> the green going to the ground bus. However, the schematic seems to
> show the green and white going to a common ground.
may be at this panel, or probably at the service disconnect.
I would prefer to install the surge protection where the earthing
electrodes connect to the system. The earthing electrodes appear to
connect to the ground bus in the picture.
>
> On my box, I've id'd "A" as the neutral bus - the one with the white
> wires going to it, "B" as the ground bus. Is this correct?
>
> Anyone have experience with this particular unit?
>
> Thanks for all input.
>
>
> - My breaker box:
>
> http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//Breaker_Box.jpg
>
> - Installation schematic:
>
> http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/3/11/1809238//schematic.JPG
>
> - Link to info on this protector at the Leviton site.
>
> http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ProductDetail.jsp?partnumber=51110-1§ion=47235&minisite=10251
bud--
Nov 30, 2012, 10:28:56 AM11/30/12
to
On 11/29/2012 5:06 PM, tra...@optonline.net wrote:
> On Nov 29, 4:50 pm, Doc<docsavag...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On Nov 29, 4:15 pm, Bill<Nomailors...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Then double breakers are usually used for a 240 volt appliance. They
>>> have what is called an "internal common trip". Those would be for things
>>> like a range, electric hot water heater, etc. And in that case, if one
>>> "hot" was overloaded, you would want both to trip as is what happens.
>>
>>> But I would not think that would matter with this surge protector.
>>
>> I see the install instructions actually specify that independent
>> single pole breakers are preferred.
>
> Which is very strange indeed. I don't see any reason for that
> and don't know of any other surge protector manufacturer with
> that recomendation.
I don't know either.
> On Nov 29, 4:50 pm, Doc<docsavag...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> On Nov 29, 4:15 pm, Bill<Nomailors...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Then double breakers are usually used for a 240 volt appliance. They
>>> have what is called an "internal common trip". Those would be for things
>>> like a range, electric hot water heater, etc. And in that case, if one
>>> "hot" was overloaded, you would want both to trip as is what happens.
>>
>>> But I would not think that would matter with this surge protector.
>>
>> I see the install instructions actually specify that independent
>> single pole breakers are preferred.
>
> Which is very strange indeed. I don't see any reason for that
> and don't know of any other surge protector manufacturer with
> that recomendation.
> I'd also note that with a 4,000 amp rating,
> this isn't what I would use when for the same or less money
> you can get one that is rated at 20,000 or 40,000 amps.
"Nominal Discharge Current Rating: 3kA". I have no idea what that is.
> I guess since it has protection for phone and cable also,
> that's worth something, but seperate protectors for phone
> and cable are available for $10.
protectors. 5110-1 does not have phone & cable protection. 5110-SRG
does. Looks like he has SRG and copied a sheet that came with it.
Doc
Nov 30, 2012, 6:51:48 PM11/30/12
to
On Nov 30, 10:17 am, bud-- <remove.budn...@isp.com> wrote:
> > 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> > breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> > adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
>
> The instructions recommend 30A breakers.
Apparently the online version of the instructions indicate 30A as was
> > 1. From what I understand the blacks need to go to adjacent 20 amp
> > breakers, doesn't matter which goes to which. There aren't two
> > adjacent 20's on my board so I gather 2 more need to be installed?
>
> The instructions recommend 30A breakers.
pointed out in another forum, the instructions in the box definitely
say 20A.
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