There is a workshop, an office and an old house, three separate buildings
setting in a somewhat triangular orientation to each other. All three get
their electricity from a single pole with a 100 amp box.

We're building a new house right beside the old one. (the old one will be
torn down)

What I want to do is use the existing line (underground) from the 100 amp
box to the old house and connect it to a 200 amp box for the new house. Can
I do this without having to run a new line? I looked at the incoming line
from the electric company pole. It said AWG 4 but it looked very small. The
line going from the box to the old house is multi wire aluminum (about 160
feet) but I can't read anything to tell what it is. It is about the size of
a penny, circumference wise. Also, can I keep the 100 amp box to supply the
workshop and office and have a new 200 amp in the new house?

Thanks for your time.


--
J.C.

NewsProxy used here,
crossposters are blocked.

On Feb 6, 11:33?am, "J.C." wrote:
There is a workshop, an office and an old house, three separate buildings
setting in a somewhat triangular orientation to each other. All three get
their electricity from a single pole with a 100 amp box.

We're building a new house right beside the old one. (the old one will be
torn down)

What I want to do is use the existing line (underground) from the 100 amp
box to the old house and connect it to a 200 amp box for the new house. Can
I do this without having to run a new line? I looked at the incoming line
from the electric company pole. It said AWG 4 but it looked very small. The
line going from the box to the old house is multi wire aluminum (about 160
feet) but I can't read anything to tell what it is. It is about the size of
a penny, circumference wise. Also, can I keep the 100 amp box to supply the
workshop and office and have a new 200 amp in the new house?

Thanks for your time.

--
J.C.

NewsProxy used here,
crossposters are blocked.

you spending megabucks on a new home, congrats.

You will need a new 200 amp main service in the new home and feed the
old lines with a breaker sized to the wire to the other now sub
panels, and probably have to upgrade those sub panels too with proper
grounds and new panels.

once you begin changing things upgrading to current code is smart and
may be required by law for excellent safety reasons.

Most likely all the existing stuff is old, time for a overall upgrade
$ well spent!

In article , "J.C." wrote:
What I want to do is use the existing line (underground) from the 100 amp
box to the old house and connect it to a 200 amp box for the new house. Can
I do this without having to run a new line?

Probably not -- depends on what the existing line is, but it's doubtful that
any electrician would have installed wiring heavy enough for 200A when your
existing service is only 100A.

I looked at the incoming line
from the electric company pole. It said AWG 4 but it looked very small.

AWG 4 copper wire is fine for a 100A service entrance -- but can't be used for
anything over that. You need a minimum of 2/0 copper, or 4/0 aluminum, for
your new 200A service.

The
line going from the box to the old house is multi wire aluminum (about 160
feet) but I can't read anything to tell what it is.

Keep looking -- it's there. Probably molded into the insulation, though, not
painted or printed on it.

It is about the size of
a penny, circumference wise.

Meaningless. If you can accurately -- and safely -- measure the diameter of
the conductor (not the insulation), then you can figure out what gauge it is.

Also, can I keep the 100 amp box to supply the
workshop and office and have a new 200 amp in the new house?

Yes.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Also, can I keep the 100 amp box to supply the
workshop and office and have a new 200 amp in the new house?

Yes.

--
Regards,
* * * * Doug Miller

Note depending on your existing setup you MAY have to upgrade those
outbuildings, for codse compliance, but 100 AMP should serve them
fine.

If your building a REALLY NICE home you might want to put the main
service underground for appearance sake. Since the main service line
from the road will need replaced anyway for 200 amp service.

I suggest you call your power company and ask them to take a look

Thanks Doug, appreciate the help.

JC

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
et...
In article , "J.C."
wrote:
What I want to do is use the existing line (underground) from the 100 amp
box to the old house and connect it to a 200 amp box for the new house.
Can
I do this without having to run a new line?

Probably not -- depends on what the existing line is, but it's doubtful
that
any electrician would have installed wiring heavy enough for 200A when
your
existing service is only 100A.

I looked at the incoming line
from the electric company pole. It said AWG 4 but it looked very small.

AWG 4 copper wire is fine for a 100A service entrance -- but can't be used
for
anything over that. You need a minimum of 2/0 copper, or 4/0 aluminum, for
your new 200A service.

The
line going from the box to the old house is multi wire aluminum (about 160
feet) but I can't read anything to tell what it is.

Keep looking -- it's there. Probably molded into the insulation, though,
not
painted or printed on it.

It is about the size of
a penny, circumference wise.

Meaningless. If you can accurately -- and safely -- measure the diameter
of
the conductor (not the insulation), then you can figure out what gauge it
is.

Also, can I keep the 100 amp box to supply the
workshop and office and have a new 200 amp in the new house?

Yes.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

Just to add to what Doug has already said: While the service conductors that
you own, must meet NEC standards, it's common for utility company owned
conductors to be much smaller, so it's not unusual to see thing like 1/0
aluminum connected to a 400 amp residential service



"J.C." wrote in message
.. .
There is a workshop, an office and an old house, three separate buildings
setting in a somewhat triangular orientation to each other. All three get
their electricity from a single pole with a 100 amp box.

We're building a new house right beside the old one. (the old one will be
torn down)

What I want to do is use the existing line (underground) from the 100 amp
box to the old house and connect it to a 200 amp box for the new house.
Can I do this without having to run a new line? I looked at the incoming
line from the electric company pole. It said AWG 4 but it looked very
small. The line going from the box to the old house is multi wire aluminum
(about 160 feet) but I can't read anything to tell what it is. It is about
the size of a penny, circumference wise. Also, can I keep the 100 amp box
to supply the workshop and office and have a new 200 amp in the new house?

Thanks for your time.


--
J.C.

NewsProxy used here,
crossposters are blocked.

"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
Just to add to what Doug has already said: While the service conductors
that you own, must meet NEC standards, it's common for utility company
owned conductors to be much smaller, so it's not unusual to see thing like
1/0 aluminum connected to a 400 amp residential service


I guess I'm confused. I thought the lower the number 1/0 versus 4/0 was the
bigger wire.

JC

J.C. wrote:
"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...

Just to add to what Doug has already said: While the service conductors
that you own, must meet NEC standards, it's common for utility company
owned conductors to be much smaller, so it's not unusual to see thing like
1/0 aluminum connected to a 400 amp residential service



I guess I'm confused. I thought the lower the number 1/0 versus 4/0 was the
bigger wire.

JC

getting larger:
4
3
2
1
0 = 1/0
00 = 2/0
000 = 3/0

--
bud--

Utility companies, at least in NY do not use NEC standards, period



wrote in message
...
On Tue, 6 Feb 2007 17:42:07 -0500, "RBM" rbm2(remove
wrote:

Just to add to what Doug has already said: While the service conductors
that
you own, must meet NEC standards, it's common for utility company owned
conductors to be much smaller, so it's not unusual to see thing like 1/0
aluminum connected to a 400 amp residential service


This always happens in overhead service since they use the free air
rule in the NESC but underground service laterals are usually going to
follow 310.15(B)(6).

Got ya, I'm not familiar with their rules. Con Edison of NY has their
engineers decide if the size of a lateral is adequate for a service upgrade,
unless of course when the customer owns the lateral, then it has to meet
NEC, but once I connected a 200 amp service to #2 copper and once to #6,
which was in a wooden duct from the street to the house



wrote in message
...
On Wed, 7 Feb 2007 14:18:00 -0500, "RBM" rbm2(remove
wrote:

Utility companies, at least in NY do not use NEC standards, period



"NESC" was not a typo. It is the code utilities use.
Different than NEC



wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 6 Feb 2007 17:42:07 -0500, "RBM" rbm2(remove
wrote:

Just to add to what Doug has already said: While the service conductors
that
you own, must meet NEC standards, it's common for utility company owned
conductors to be much smaller, so it's not unusual to see thing like 1/0
aluminum connected to a 400 amp residential service


This always happens in overhead service since they use the free air
rule in the NESC but underground service laterals are usually going to
follow 310.15(B)(6).

RBM wrote:
Utility companies, at least in NY do not use NEC standards, period



wrote in message
...
On Tue, 6 Feb 2007 17:42:07 -0500, "RBM" rbm2(remove
wrote:

Just to add to what Doug has already said: While the service conductors
that
you own, must meet NEC standards, it's common for utility company owned
conductors to be much smaller, so it's not unusual to see thing like 1/0
aluminum connected to a 400 amp residential service

This always happens in overhead service since they use the free air
rule in the NESC but underground service laterals are usually going to
follow 310.15(B)(6).



You need to read more carefully. The poster was referring to the
National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) which is the standard that the
nations utility regulatory bodies use in evaluating the safety of public
electrical utility installations.
--
Tom Horne

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