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What is a subpanel?

A subpanel is an additional electrical distribution panel fed from a breaker in the main panel. InterNACHI describes a typical 4-wire feeder with two hot conductors, a neutral and a ground. Its neutral and ground stay separate, so the installation scope needs to address their separate connections.

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By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Updated

What this means for your home project

  1. Read the circuit labels without removing the panel cover; list unidentified circuits for the electrician to label. Source: City of Palo Alto, read 2026-11-05.
  2. Request a written feeder specification naming the conductor size and the corresponding overcurrent protection device. Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, read 2026-11-05.
  3. Gather permit records for any existing underground conduit; ask the installer whether the scope includes exposing it for inspection. Source: Los Angeles County Public Works, read 2026-11-05.
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Is the neutral bus isolated from the panel enclosure?

Use InterNACHI (read 2026-11-05) to compare the electrician’s proposed subpanel connections with the connections at the main disconnect. “In this subpanel, the neutral conductor is the insulated neutral wire on the right, and it is connected to the neutral busbar, which must be isolated from the enclosure cabinet.” (source) “A subpanel must be equipped with separate ground and neutral bars, but only the ground bar should be bonded to the panel enclosure.” (source) “They should not be connected to the same busbar the way they are at the main disconnect.” (source)

What size subpanel do you recommend?

Use Los Angeles County’s ADU guidance (read 2026-11-05), CEC Section 310.12, to request a feeder specification supported by calculations. “Feeder conductors between structures and panels shall be properly sized to the corresponding overcurrent protection device.” (source) Las Vegas’s residential form (read 2026-11-05) separately states: “If there is a subpanel, a separate Electrical Load Calculation is required.” (source)

What are the guidelines for clearance around a subpanel?

Palo Alto’s 2018 inspection guide (read 2026-11-05), under its 2016 codes, gives a local example for assessing the proposed location. “Provide the following working clearances: 36” in depth, 30” in width, and 6’-6” in height.” (source) Los Angeles County’s ADU guide (read 2026-11-05) adds: “The equipment doors are additionally required to open at least 90 degrees.” (source)

What additional costs might come up during installation?

Los Angeles County’s ADU guide (read 2026-11-05) identifies an inspection-access issue to clarify before agreeing to underground feeder work. “Existing underground conduit without valid permit records may need to be exposed entirely for inspection.” (source)

Does a detached garage need its own ground rod?

Los Angeles County’s ADU guidance (read 2026-11-05), CEC Article 250, makes the grounding question depend on the building’s circuit arrangement. “Buildings with more than one multi-wire branch circuit (i.e., more than 2 branch circuits) require a complete grounding electrode system.” (source) “If the supplemental electrode is a ground rod, then there should be two ground rods spaced at least 6 feet apart.” (source) “A grounding electrode system may need to be installed at both the building with the electrical service and at the detached structure with a subpanel.” (source)

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