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200 amp electrical service


Danl

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My son is looking at purchasing a home which only has 100 amp main service.  The electrical service is under ground.  What does it take to convert to 200 amp service?  Is this an easier or harder effort because the line to the house is underground?  Looking forward to reading your replies.  thanks

Danl

 

Ps.  If he purchases this house, there will most likely many more questions which will need to be answered.  The house is a fixer upper.

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 What is the reason for the upgrade?

If the underground is fed through pipe from the utility to the meter and the original installer oversized the pipe for 200amp wire then he won't have to dig a trench & install new pipe. If not, you will need a trench, new pipe and wire from the utility to a new 200 amp meter base & new wire from the meter to a new 200 amp panel. You will need new wire, meter base & new panel regardless. 

 Check with the local building inspection office they should be able to tell you exactly what is required for the upgrade. 

Edited by DuckSoup
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I agree with Bob, the only way to know is to ask the electrical supplier or inspection agency (if any). The electrical company will own everything up to the meter, which is likely on the side of the house. If he's lucky, it might be a 200 amp meter wired to a 100 amp panel ( I ran into this at my last house, the numbnutz previous owner was too cheap to install a a larger panel). If that's the case it's a matter of changing the feed and the panel. If the meter is out away from the house, then it could get a little more involved. But the best way to determine what's needed is to ask the ones in control of the change.

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When I upgraded ours from a 60 Amp fused main box to a 200 Amp circuit breaker main box all the electric company did was upgrade the gauge of the drop line. I had installed a new meter box, and mast. They used the same meter. When I asked why they didn't put in a new meter they replied it wasn't necessary due to the meters being sized to handle 200 Amps when they replaced them for the automatic reading equipment. I had installed one gauge larger than recommended feed lines. The only question they asked when they came to do the switch over was if any of the old wiring was tied into the new. I informed them that nothing was, and when they were done I would have to rewire the well etc. over to the new wiring.

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Rather than doing the 200 amp upgrade you may as well just invest in going with the full 240.  I knew I should have run 240 wire when I ran electrical through my shed but I didn't think about it at the time.  How ever by running 240 V wire that will solve many of the issues with higher amperage plugs and allow you to run most welding equipment at the same time.  As well as the higher amperage wood working tools that would require a 240 volt plug.  200 Amps is usually what runs though the home the highest amperage youll find is for the Dryer Oven and the Heater or Furnace what would be in the house.  I'm no electrician but that's what I generally know about it. 

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30 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

I have a 100 amp service and run a welder and an industrial air compressor in the metal shop with it.  Never blew the main breaker. 

 

If it is an all electric home then maybe you would need 200 amp.

My place is all electric, entire neighborhood is same way. All 200 amp service boxes.

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14 hours ago, Artie said:

Most people vastly overestimate what they need for their home electrical service.

 Exactly!

 

 In March I installed a 60amp panel in my shop & up until that point all I had was (2) 20 amp circuits. I upgraded to 60 because I installed a small dust collector and I need it to run on a separate circuit with the tools. I was also afforded the upgrade from a pancake compressor to a 30 gallon on a 20 amp circuit. Two circuits for tools & two for outlets & lights. I don't see a time when I would run my table saw and drill press or my router and sander at the same time.

 With the way things are manufactured for homes now they are more energy efficient. I don't know of anyone now that has to let their tv or radio warm up, for those that remember this.

There is no reason to run the furnace while the ac is running, it just doesn't happen.

 

15 hours ago, Artie said:

There was 2 ac compressors (separate central ac for upstairs and downstairs)

 This is more efficient than one unit. Heat rises and second floors tend to be warmer.

 

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42 minutes ago, DuckSoup said:

 Exactly!

 

 In March I installed a 60amp panel in my shop & up until that point all I had was (2) 20 amp circuits. I upgraded to 60 because I installed a small dust collector and I need it to run on a separate circuit with the tools. I was also afforded the upgrade from a pancake compressor to a 30 gallon on a 20 amp circuit. Two circuits for tools & two for outlets & lights. I don't see a time when I would run my table saw and drill press or my router and sander at the same time.

 With the way things are manufactured for homes now they are more energy efficient. I don't know of anyone now that has to let their tv or radio warm up, for those that remember this.

There is no reason to run the furnace while the ac is running, it just doesn't happen.

 

 This is more efficient than one unit. Heat rises and second floors tend to be warmer.

 

 

I also have 60 amp service in shop. Outlets and lights are on two breakers to main box. Heater, DC, larger tools and Compressor go to 60 amp box. Never overloaded it after 20 years.

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19 hours ago, Artie said:

  What is the reason for upgrading to 200 amps ? At My Mom’s house, they had a 100 amp service. There was 2 ac compressors (separate central ac for upstairs and downstairs) Electric range, electric clothes dryer,  never tripped the main breaker. Most people vastly overestimate what they need for their home electrical service. This is not to say that some people don’t need a 200 amp service. Electric heat, or a SERIOUS work shop. While a one man shop may have a large selection of machinery, if it’s a dust collector and just one machine at a time that’s running, it’s not a large draw.

The house is a small house with gas furnace, hot water heater, clothes dryer, and cook stove.  The electrical panel was installed in 2013.  The house was built in 1977.  My son was considering changing the cook stove and clothes dryer to electric.  The only current 220/240V is the A/C.  He is not thinking of having a serious work shop.  He does not own a hammer or saw of any kind.  It was his dad (me) that thought he may need 200 amp.  He is a more serious gamer.  Thank you all for the replies and advise.   Danl  

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If he's a serious Gamer..... Yes the 200 amp will be fine.  How ever the 100 may work.  The serious PC power actually comes from the PC itself.  I would know I have a serious gaming rig myself but I think my house is up to the current code.  How ever I would suggest that be the best bet depending on how heavy duty of a machine he has it can in some cases but not always take quite a bit of power but the majority of the power comes from the power supply which does a lot of the converting with the PC itself.  But it wouldn't hurt to have an upgrade in anycase it would probably worth while.  I've built a few computers my latest one with a 750 watt power supply I have hooked into a surge protector in a 110 volt plug.  It seems to hold out just fine.  But as I said it may be worth it in the long run to upgrage the electrical anyway.  As a BETTER SAFE than SORRY sort of thing better to spend the money on the needed upgrades in case the fact arises that tools do come into play as well.  I was a very very serious gamer for quite some time.  Id say definitely talk to your local electrician and I would upgrage.

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54 minutes ago, Danl said:

The house is a small house with gas furnace, hot water heater, clothes dryer, and cook stove.  The electrical panel was installed in 2013.  The house was built in 1977.  My son was considering changing the cook stove and clothes dryer to electric.  The only current 220/240V is the A/C.  He is not thinking of having a serious work shop.  He does not own a hammer or saw of any kind.  It was his dad (me) that thought he may need 200 amp.  He is a more serious gamer.  Thank you all for the replies and advise.   Danl  

Even with changing out the cook stove, and cloths dryer you'll more than likely never trip the 100 Amp main breaker. 

Our electric ovens are on a 40 Amp breaker, the washer/dryer a 20 Amp. Both are 220 Volt.

The limiting factor would be if the current box has room to add the additional circuit breakers.

Could be worked around if need be by adding a sub-panel.

Most PC power supplies are rated well below 15 Amp input current draw. 

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