eletrical help

[roadrunner]

I'm installing a series of outlets in my basement and I have a couple of questions. I have an older breaker box 1960 in the box there are two strips of breakers 10 or so on each side. On the right side there is a hot (black wire) on the left right side of the breaker is a neutral (white wire). On the right strip on beakers there are all hot wires going to them with the neutral wire running to the top of the box, why is that?
I thought the top was for ground wires? Should I run the ground when installing the out lets?

[HayZee518]

you kinda threw me. what make panelbox is it? I'm trying to figure out where the neutral strip is. the bare grounds all go to the neutral strip with the white wires.

[roadrunner]

its a pushmatic by bulldog electrics. I dont understand if the neutral and the ground go to the same place why are there seperate wires what does the nuetral actually do?
I think I found the answer to my other question and correct me if I'm worng but the left buss is for 220v (I have radiant heat) and most of the right buss is 110v.
Why does the 220 have both black and white wires going to the breaker, and the 110 just have a black wires?
Laslty what can I do if I want to run a set of 6-8 outlets and 2 flouresent lights but have no more breakers? 1 breaker only has a the washingmachine and sump pump could I double up on that?

[HayZee518]

OK. push matic breakers are Square D & Bulldog. a 220 line is two wires and an equipment ground. a 220 line requires a double pole breaker, that is why you have a white on one screw and a black on the other screw of the same two pole. what the electrician should have done is wrap a piece of black tape on the white to indicate it is being used for 220 volt usage. 2-wire 12 is cheaper than using 12/3 - that's why they used it. The neutral technically carries the imbalance of the load and is just a ground reference. the ac is changng polarity 120 times a second, that is going from positive to 180 degrees and from 180 degrees negatively to 360 degrees which is one cycle or a circle. to tend to your original problem of doubling up on curcuits you may need to run a sub panel to gain extra breaker spaces. you'll need to remove a two pole breaker, install a larger breaker to feed the sub panel, re-route the wires you took off to a sub panel double pole breaker. the feeder to the sub panel will depend on the amps of the feed breaker.

[roadrunner]

You said I may need to run a sub panel should I try running two lines on the same 110v 20amp breaker to see how it holds up?

Or could I just run one line to an open 220v breaker and leave the white as a nuetral, will this give me the 110v that I need?

If that wont work should I run a subpanel from the open 220v breaker? Where can I buy a sub panel and will I need a specific type to tie in to that breaker space, will the type I buy determine if its 110 single pole?

Down the road would you suggest upgrading the panel box or is what I have adequate?

[HayZee518]

new panel? old panel?

I have done some research and found out that pushmatic can be Square D or ITE. The following link to Connecticut Electric lists original pushmatic and the ITE replacement. The original type breakers are 10 bucks more than the replacement. I made up a diagram showing a sub panel attached to your main. The graphic representation of the existing panel may not even look close to yours but I tried. I'm figuring on a 40 amp feeder for the sub panel. You'll use #8-3 with ground romex. You can go to Home Depot or Lowes for the sub. Go with any manufacturer you are comfortable with. GE, Cutler-Hammer, Westinghouse, Challenger are all good brands. Get something you don't have to use mail order for breakers. Any questions write back.
Pushmatic Circuit Breakers Shipped Fast
Stock No for the interchangeable breaker is PUSH-240

[roadrunner]

your diagram is how the left half of my panel box looks, which is 220v. I only have an open 20amp breaker, I do have a 40amp that is being used by the water heater. Can I remove the water heater wires and run the subpanel from there, and then reroute the water heater to the subpanel?
Or should I buy a 220v 40amp to replace the 220 20amp and run the subpanel from that?

You did say no to my other questions as far as hooking up to one side of the 220v correct?

[HayZee518]

your existing panelbox has access to 220 and 120 volt. this is dependent on which breakers are installed. a single pole breaker is 120 volt, a double pole gives you 220. if you remove two single pole breakers and substitute a two pole you'll have 220 coming out of them. then, you'd re-route those circuits to the sub panel and use the new breakers. the sub panel allows you to increase your electrical needs to new circuits, as you said you'd like to have. as far as re-doing your main panel, this is your call but I'd have a licensed contractor do it for you. I'm assuming your existing is a 100 amp panel. for a 150 or 200 amp panel the downlead and meter would need to be changed to a larger wiregauge cable.

[roadrunner]

thanks again Hayzee, I'm understanding more and more, however like you said I would deffinetly hire an electrician if I upgrade my panel box.