Hi,

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

(When I was remodeling the bathroom, before I knew anything about all
this, I had several electricians come in. Most of them said I don't
have enough current coming in and that I should upgrade to 150 or 200
amps. Only one said "I have no idea what they are talking about, you
have plenty of amps coming in." So now I'm intrigued if the rest were
blantantly deceiving me or just a little bit, since the bathroom has
been finished and I'm not having any problems with A/C running and a
house full of guests.)

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

On Jun 3, 3:40�am, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

(When I was remodeling the bathroom, before I knew anything about all
this, I had several electricians come in. Most of them said I don't
have enough current coming in and that I should upgrade to 150 or 200
amps. Only one said "I have no idea what they are talking about, you
have plenty of amps coming in." So now I'm intrigued if the rest were
blantantly deceiving me or just a little bit, since the bathroom has
been finished and I'm not having any problems with A/C running and a
house full of guests.)

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

yeah you do have 200 amps total, but a upgraded 200 amp service gets
you a total of 400 amps.

we have never tripped our old 100 amp main but ran out of spaces for
breakers.... so upgraded.

remodel issue probably involved space capacity as much as amp capacity

Shortage of breaker space can be solved with a branch panel, get one that
uses the same breakers as your main panel so that they can be moved as
needed. A lot cheaper than upgrading your service entrance equipment.

wrote in message
...
On Jun 3, 3:40�am, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

(When I was remodeling the bathroom, before I knew anything about all
this, I had several electricians come in. Most of them said I don't
have enough current coming in and that I should upgrade to 150 or 200
amps. Only one said "I have no idea what they are talking about, you
have plenty of amps coming in." So now I'm intrigued if the rest were
blantantly deceiving me or just a little bit, since the bathroom has
been finished and I'm not having any problems with A/C running and a
house full of guests.)

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

yeah you do have 200 amps total, but a upgraded 200 amp service gets
you a total of 400 amps.

we have never tripped our old 100 amp main but ran out of spaces for
breakers.... so upgraded.

remodel issue probably involved space capacity as much as amp capacity

Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

Depends on how they're arranged and supplied. Assuming they're each fed
from the service feed, then there would be 200A combined load.

How and why that would be in a given panel is a wonder as there should
be only a single-point disconnect afaik.

--

wrote in message
...
On Jun 3, 3:40?am, Aaron Fude wrote:
Hi,

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

(When I was remodeling the bathroom, before I knew anything about all
this, I had several electricians come in. Most of them said I don't
have enough current coming in and that I should upgrade to 150 or 200
amps. Only one said "I have no idea what they are talking about, you
have plenty of amps coming in." So now I'm intrigued if the rest were
blantantly deceiving me or just a little bit, since the bathroom has
been finished and I'm not having any problems with A/C running and a
house full of guests.)

Many thanks in advance,

Aaron

yeah you do have 200 amps total, but a upgraded 200 amp service gets
you a total of 400 amps.

we have never tripped our old 100 amp main but ran out of spaces for
breakers.... so upgraded.

remodel issue probably involved space capacity as much as amp capacity

The method of determining your service size has little to do with adding up
the amperage of multiple main breakers, if that is what you're doing. It is
determined by the service entrance conductor size. a 200 amp 120/240 volt
service will be at least 4/0 aluminum or 2/0 copper, and a 100 amp 120/240
volt service will be at least #2 aluminum or #4 copper

On 6/3/2008 6:33 AM dpb spake thus:

Aaron Fude wrote:

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

Depends on how they're arranged and supplied. Assuming they're each fed
from the service feed, then there would be 200A combined load.

How and why that would be in a given panel is a wonder as there should
be only a single-point disconnect afaik.

Huh? Far as I know, all main disconnects (at least in North America,
220-volt service divided 110-110*) require two switches, as there are
two legs. How would you have a "single-point disconnect?"


* Or 240-volts divided 120-120, for the nitpickers ...


--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute
conversation with the average voter.

- Attributed to Winston Churchill

In article , David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 6/3/2008 6:33 AM dpb spake thus:

Aaron Fude wrote:

If my master breaker consists of two 100amp switches, does that mean I
have 200amps to play with.

200A at 120V, or 100A at 240V, or any combination totalling 24KVA. That's an
oversimplification, but it's close enough for purposes of this question, I
think.


Depends on how they're arranged and supplied. Assuming they're each fed
from the service feed, then there would be 200A combined load.

Such a configuration is normally referred to as 100A service, since it's
supplied at 240V.

How and why that would be in a given panel is a wonder as there should
be only a single-point disconnect afaik.

Huh? Far as I know, all main disconnects (at least in North America,
220-volt service divided 110-110*) require two switches, as there are
two legs. How would you have a "single-point disconnect?"

One handle connecting the two sides of that duplex breaker.

On Jun 4, 6:54 pm, "Joseph Meehan" wrote:
"David Nebenzahl" wrote in message

.com...

On 6/3/2008 6:33 AM dpb spake thus:

...
Huh? Far as I know, all main disconnects (at least in North America,
220-volt service divided 110-110*) require two switches, as there are two
legs. How would you have a "single-point disconnect?"

Those two switches should always be connected in such a way that the
both go off and on at the same time. Other wise you can get some very
undesirable results.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

I have one 100A 2-pole breaker(on my panel). (3 phase would use a 3-
pole breaker)