How to Use Temporary Electric for Heavy Equipment in a Breaker Box

Turn off the power at the main breaker, upstream of the breaker box. Confirm the panel has no power by touching a non-contact voltage detector to the wire's insulation. Double-check that the power is off by making sure no devices attached to the panel have power.

Remove the screws that secure the cover on the electrical panel and set the cover aside. Locate an empty breaker slot in the panel that fits the electrical breaker for the equipment.

Open the breaker's switch so that it is in the "off" position. Tilt the breaker towards the center of the panel and insert it into the bus bar. Push down on the outside of the breaker to lock it into place.

Remove a knockout from the side of the panel with the breaker installed and push a plastic grommet into the hole to protect the wires from the metal edges.

Push the power wire from the equipment through this hole and pull in enough wire to make the connections. Secure the wire to the panel by tightening the compression mechanism.

Strip 3/8-inch of insulation off the equipment's electrical wires using wire strippers.

Run the green or bare ground wire to the ground bus bar (green or bare wires). Insert the ground wire into an empty terminal and tighten it down.

Run the white neutral wire to the neutral bus bar (white wires) and insert it into an empty terminal. Tighten the terminal down.

Run the red and black hot wires to the breaker. Insert each wire into a terminal on the breaker and tighten it down. If your equipment is 120 volts, there will only be one hot wire.

Install the cover back on the electrical panel and turn the breakers on.