New electrical panel question

buickanddeere · Feb 28, 2016

200 amp square D with the built in generator transfer switch. Cost very little extra when changing out the panel anyways. Plus a proper safe simple connection to a generator when the power fails. No fun when the basement floods, the pipes freeze and the meat thaws.
Home Hardware - 80 Circuit 200 Amp Combination Generator Panel Box with 36 Circuit Back Up

ultrarunner · Feb 28, 2016

^^^ Learn something everyday... thanks for the link!

dickfoster · Feb 28, 2016

erda said:
So, completely renovating and adding on to a 1940s farm house.

My question is, what size of service should I go for? 100amp or 200 amp? I've had two different electricians tell me two different things...

Thanks.

200. It's a lot cheaper to do it now than do it later. The labor is a wash for either so you're only looking at the a little up charge for the parts which is insignificant when compared to adding capacity later on. Even if you don't need all the capacity now, you likely will later on. One thing is for sure, you won't be using any less later on.

ultrarunner · Feb 28, 2016

I was thinking just the opposite... we do use significantly less now... than 5 years ago or 25 years ago.

The utilities are complaining because usage is down overall... maybe it is all the LED and more efficient appliances?

2ndhalf · Feb 28, 2016

teejk said:
Maybe a different meter socket and bigger wire into the house too I think. When I sold my first house the home inspector actually measured the wire gauge and determined it was undersized for my 200a service. Some inspectors do, some don't.

It sort of goes without saying you have to upgrade everything including wire to the house when upgrading to 200 amp. and that is why the price is most likely quite different between the two quotes. No licensed electrician would put a 200 amp box on a 100 Amp wire to the house. Not even a good unlicensed handyman would do that. Only a complete hack that doesn't know about electricity would do that. OP do not allow a hack to put a 200 amp box in your house without also sizing the feed to the house for 200 amp.

dickfoster · Feb 28, 2016

ultrarunner said:
I was thinking just the opposite... we do use significantly less now... than 5 years ago or 25 years ago.

The utilities are complaining because usage is down overall... maybe it is all the LED and more efficient appliances?

While we may use less power for lighting and such we tend to need more circuits than we did years ago i.e. more circuit breakers in the panel. The number of breakers in the panel is tied to the overall amp rating of that panel. A 100 amp panel will have space for fewer breakers than a 200 amp panel will. The buss bars etc. will be smaller too. Like tractors, more tractor is usually better than less tractor.

powerscol · Feb 28, 2016

200 amp and maybe more if you plan to run power to a barn and use a welder or other power tools. Question though is what size wire is feeding your existing panel. Will it handle 200 amp?

I did my own upgrade on my house form 100 to 200 (Allowed in Colorado with permit) I left the existing panel in place and mounted the new one beside it and fed through a 100 amp breaker in the new one. I also recommend the Square D withthe transfer switch built in (they did not have that when I did my install) as you can get breakers almost anywhere.

teejk · Feb 28, 2016

2ndhalf said:
It sort of goes without saying you have to upgrade everything including wire to the house when upgrading to 200 amp. and that is why the price is most likely quite different between the two quotes. No licensed electrician would put a 200 amp box on a 100 Amp wire to the house. Not even a good unlicensed handyman would do that. Only a complete hack that doesn't know about electricity would do that. OP do not allow a hack to put a 200 amp box in your house without also sizing the feed to the house for 200 amp.

Complete hack or a total cheapskate looking to save a few pennies with salvaged equipment, wire and other parts (describes my first house). Back to the OP though I think the difference in opinion was in whether to opt for 200a vs. staying with 100a. Utilities around here will now inspect the service entrance for code before they plug the meter back in. Perhaps there are some "sparkies" out there that would attempt a panel change with live wires...not for me...

2ndhalf · Feb 28, 2016

powerscol said:
200 amp and maybe more if you plan to run power to a barn and use a welder or other power tools. Question though is what size wire is feeding your existing panel. Will it handle 200 amp?

I did my own upgrade on my house form 100 to 200 (Allowed in Colorado with permit) I left the existing panel in place and mounted the new one beside it and fed through a 100 amp breaker in the new one. I also recommend the Square D withthe transfer switch built in (they did not have that when I did my install) as you can get breakers almost anywhere.

This is actually not a bad option for the OP if they don't have the money to upgrade the feed coming into the house. It would be safe and allow them to upgrade the line later to the new panel with 200amp feed.

aczlan · Feb 28, 2016

2ndhalf said:
It sort of goes without saying you have to upgrade everything including wire to the house when upgrading to 200 amp. and that is why the price is most likely quite different between the two quotes. No licensed electrician would put a 200 amp box on a 100 Amp wire to the house. Not even a good unlicensed handyman would do that. Only a complete hack that doesn't know about electricity would do that. OP do not allow a hack to put a 200 amp box in your house without also sizing the feed to the house for 200 amp.

Also, if you need a new panel, you will probbaly also need new service entrance cable (due to age and possible cracked insulation)

On the transfer switch, Square D makes an interlock kit that they sell separately, (but it switches over your whole panel, not just part of it).

Aaron Z