Hi,

I'm changing my service from 100 to 200 amp and I have a few questions
regarding wire size.

The service is overhead lines to the meter and then via 2 inch galv steel
conduit to the panel. The hydro company supplies the lines up to the mast
head and I'm responsible for the rest.

The local codes state the minimum size of conductor to be RW # 2/0 with a
bare # 3 for neutral.

I'm wondering if using RW # 3/0 is overkill? I'm not sure what size would be
good for the neutral. Would bare # 3 still work?

In article , "Iowna Uass" wrote:
Hi,

I'm changing my service from 100 to 200 amp and I have a few questions
regarding wire size.

The service is overhead lines to the meter and then via 2 inch galv steel
conduit to the panel. The hydro company supplies the lines up to the mast
head and I'm responsible for the rest.

The local codes state the minimum size of conductor to be RW # 2/0 with a
bare # 3 for neutral.

I'm wondering if using RW # 3/0 is overkill? I'm not sure what size would be
good for the neutral. Would bare # 3 still work?

Yes to all. Why would you want to make the wire larger than the Code requires?
Is it an unusually long run, where you need to be worried about voltage drop?
If not, there's really no point in oversizing -- it justs costs more, and it's
harder to work with.


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

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

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
.. .
In article , "Iowna Uass"
wrote:
Hi,

I'm changing my service from 100 to 200 amp and I have a few questions
regarding wire size.

The service is overhead lines to the meter and then via 2 inch galv steel
conduit to the panel. The hydro company supplies the lines up to the mast
head and I'm responsible for the rest.

The local codes state the minimum size of conductor to be RW # 2/0 with a
bare # 3 for neutral.

I'm wondering if using RW # 3/0 is overkill? I'm not sure what size would
be
good for the neutral. Would bare # 3 still work?

Yes to all. Why would you want to make the wire larger than the Code
requires?
Is it an unusually long run, where you need to be worried about voltage
drop?
If not, there's really no point in oversizing -- it justs costs more, and
it's
harder to work with.


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

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

Thanks Doug, I'm going to stick with the # 2/0 conductor size.

The neutral should be the same size AND insulated also and 2/0 is fine. 3/0
would be fine also, but yes, would be overkill.

--
Steve Barker




"Iowna Uass" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm changing my service from 100 to 200 amp and I have a few questions
regarding wire size.

The service is overhead lines to the meter and then via 2 inch galv steel
conduit to the panel. The hydro company supplies the lines up to the mast
head and I'm responsible for the rest.

The local codes state the minimum size of conductor to be RW # 2/0 with a
bare # 3 for neutral.

I'm wondering if using RW # 3/0 is overkill? I'm not sure what size would
be good for the neutral. Would bare # 3 still work?

What are you basing this on?



"Steve Barker" wrote in message
...
The neutral should be the same size AND insulated also and 2/0 is fine.
3/0 would be fine also, but yes, would be overkill.

--
Steve Barker




"Iowna Uass" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm changing my service from 100 to 200 amp and I have a few questions
regarding wire size.

The service is overhead lines to the meter and then via 2 inch galv steel
conduit to the panel. The hydro company supplies the lines up to the mast
head and I'm responsible for the rest.

The local codes state the minimum size of conductor to be RW # 2/0 with a
bare # 3 for neutral.

I'm wondering if using RW # 3/0 is overkill? I'm not sure what size would
be good for the neutral. Would bare # 3 still work?

In article , "Steve Barker" wrote:
The neutral should be the same size AND insulated also and 2/0 is fine. 3/0
would be fine also, but yes, would be overkill.

There's no requirement that the neutral be the same size as the ungrounded
conductors.

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

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

The fact that I spoke before thinking. I guess the neutral IS bare a lot of
times on SE. (and smaller.)

I was just thinking of the way I did mine.
--
Steve Barker




"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
What are you basing this on?

See my previous reply explaining my brain fart.

--
Steve Barker




"Doug Miller" wrote in message
. ..
In article , "Steve Barker"
wrote:
The neutral should be the same size AND insulated also and 2/0 is fine.
3/0
would be fine also, but yes, would be overkill.

There's no requirement that the neutral be the same size as the ungrounded
conductors.

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

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