DIYbanter - View Single Post - 200 amp main cabinet with 100 amp main breaker?

wrote:
Joe FPE panels have KNOWN BAD BREAKERS THAT OFTEN DONT TRIP

They are
a serious fire hazard!

So the benefit is not having his house burn down!

besides just swapping the panel is a DIY project for a couple
neighbors. they will do it safe.

mess with the drop other than pulling the meter will cause all sorts of
troubles.

besides many around here want a permanent standby generator that will
require a new panel anyway.

this is a interim step to prevent a fire and add more breaker slots,
his panel is jammed

With safer breakers and a generator interlock as the objective I would
suggest that you use a 200 amp main breaker panel with a generator
interlock kit installed.

You install a 100 ampere breaker as your generator breaker but use it as
you main breaker until you can afford to upgrade the service entry
conductors. If you already have a generator you can use the panels main
breaker to connect it to the service until you can upgrade. Since the
generator has built in over current protection the size of the breaker
used to connect it through the interlock kit need only be larger than
the generators built in breakers. Since the 100 ampere breaker will
protect your existing service entry conductors from overload there is
nothing dangerous about this technique.

If you connect the existing service entry conductors to the 200 ampere
main breaker there will be a serious risk of overload and a burn down of
your service entry conductors until the fault burns clear of ground, the
supply transformer's cutout opens of the structure takes fire from the
heat of the arcing service entry conductors.
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison