Electrical Help Needed: Can I upgrade this panel?

These photos wouldn't fit on the first post.

Wow, you've got a real mess going there.

Looking at your pictures, are you sure that main disconnect switch even works? The wiring looks like the switch has been bypassed. In fact, I don't see a switch at all in that box. Just a handle on the outside that isn't connected to anything inside. Unless there is another breaker or fuses feeding the Square D panel, you have another problem. You have no main current limit device. It looks like your main wiring coming into the disconnect switch (or former disconnect switch) was rated at 60 amps. But with no main breaker in the Square D box, there is nothing to keep you from overloading this wiring. You need a main circuit breaker or fuses somewhere in that circuit.

If you are going to replace the breaker panel, I'd just rip out the entire mess (including the antique 60A main disconnect) and redo everything. Put in a new box with a 60 amp main breaker. But if you just want to add a separate circuit for the garage or shed, Square D makes what they call a single space tandem breaker that is actually two breakers in one. It's the same size as a the single breakers you have now. Just pop out one of your old breakers and put in a new tandem and you have two new circuits. In fact, it looks like your box has two tandems in it already. They're just older style than the one's they make now. Just make sure you're not overloading that main wiring. Most home centers carry tandem breakers.

They come in various amperage ratings but I would NOT suggest running 30 amp 120 volt circuits. Go with 20A max but make sure your wiring and receptacles can handle 20 amps. It has to be 12 gauge wire and 20 amp receptacles for 20 and at least 14 gauge for 15 amps. You need 10 gauge wire special 30 amp receptacles, that are not compatible with normal plugs, if your put in a 30 amp, 120 volt circuit.

Greg made a very good catch. that switch has been gutted and the wires spliced through. that means your simplest fix is to shut down the breaker feeding THAT system (hopefully it is not directly off the meter) and replace the whole thing with a 20 circuit main lug panel. feed the panel through a 60 amp breaker as the main breaker, and as greg recommends, use 20 amp breakers for the general power circuits. do consider your local permit rules before committing to the upgrade - in some places in the US you can do your own work without a permit, in others you must pull a permit, and in others you must have an electrician's license.

better would be to pull a higher amperage feeder from your source and upgrade to an 80 amp system (which would use #4 copper feeders)

I'd also check with your home insurer to make sure that whatever you decide to do will be accepted by them (and if/when they say yes make sure you get that in writing from them). The last thing you want is for them to refuse to pay out at some point in the future because the work done on the electrical system wasn't up to their standards.

You never know, they *might* even be able and willing to give you a list of people who can help you out and advise you better.

Here, at least, there is no charge for pulling the meter, and that is all that should be necessary. actually, there is usually no charge for ANY electrician requested disconnect. It is only if they disconnect you for nonpayment that there is a reconnect charge.

It might depend on why you need to have the power shut off. If it is to deal with a potentially dangerous problem then they might not be allowed to charge you - worth looking into and another reason to bring in an expert to check the electrics.

If it does turn out that an electrician considers the wiring to be dangerous or not up to the local codes, it might be work checking to see if anyone from the electrical supplier has serviced or inspected the wiring in the last few years. If they did you may be able to convince the company that it is in their best interests not to charge you - meaning that at the very least they will avoid bad PR if not a law suite from everyone in the area they serve who had an electrical fire in the last decade.

Some one from a non electrical background asks for advice, I don't like giving advice. I've worked in the electrical industry since 1971, what you call "rough" I call something less polite. I am not saying he should get his house rewired, just to get a safety audit. Its your area of expertise, you are the local professional perhaps he should defer to your recommendations.

My advice would be to get a safety audit, not saying that plumbers can't fix pipes, but I never heard of anyone drowning because a pipe burst. Hot joints, improper wiring joins have been known to cause house fires. Not that it is likely but I have known of wiring being done with speaker wire and no Earths.

Actually, these are the types of answers I was looking for. To be able to hear from experts & others who have been through the process is enlightening. At the end of the day, it probably would be best to have an expert at least involved in preliminary stages of the project. So, at this point, I might put this on the back burner as we're considering a large addition to the house that will require upgrading the electrical (adding an entire second floor living area) in the next 3-5 years. I've survived running extension cords from the garage to the shed up to this point, I could definitely last a few more years.