Upgrade to 200AMP or keep 100AMP?
"millinghill" wrote in message ... Dear Readers, I'm getting contractors' quotes on replacing my existing main electrical panel (The subpanel for the house distribution is circuit breakers, but the main panel is old 100amp fuse block, not circuit breakers.). Some of them are saying that replacement of the line from the power company to my main box must be done with such a replacement, and that I should upgrade to 200AMP service while I'm at it. I've been just fine with 100AMP service. My house is 1500sqft. I ran calcs (following guidelines in an electrical load design book) that showed even if I "finished" my basement and had window air conditioners in most rooms, and the electric stove blaring, I would not exceed 100AMPS. I can't imagine I will ever install central air, and my property can't fit a pool. So, my opinion is I have no big electric loads in the foreseeable future. Question #1: to replace main panel, is it standard procedure to replace service line drop? Question #2: If #1 is NOT true, should I upgrade to 200AMP service now just because they're doing the work right there? Is there a realistic benefit other than looking good on a real estate listing when I sell in 20years? Thanks Theodore If you didn't have to touch it, I wouldn't even consider upgrading to 200 amp. In your situation you'll probably never need it, but since your having most of the service replaced anyway, the cost difference between 100 and 200 really is negligible. 150 amp services are just stupid in my opinion. |
Upgrade to 200AMP or keep 100AMP?
On 9/13/2010 9:05 PM, RBM wrote:
wrote in message ... Dear Readers, I'm getting contractors' quotes on replacing my existing main electrical panel (The subpanel for the house distribution is circuit breakers, but the main panel is old 100amp fuse block, not circuit breakers.). Some of them are saying that replacement of the line from the power company to my main box must be done with such a replacement, and that I should upgrade to 200AMP service while I'm at it. I've been just fine with 100AMP service. My house is 1500sqft. I ran calcs (following guidelines in an electrical load design book) that showed even if I "finished" my basement and had window air conditioners in most rooms, and the electric stove blaring, I would not exceed 100AMPS. I can't imagine I will ever install central air, and my property can't fit a pool. So, my opinion is I have no big electric loads in the foreseeable future. Question #1: to replace main panel, is it standard procedure to replace service line drop? Question #2: If #1 is NOT true, should I upgrade to 200AMP service now just because they're doing the work right there? Is there a realistic benefit other than looking good on a real estate listing when I sell in 20years? Thanks Theodore If you didn't have to touch it, I wouldn't even consider upgrading to 200 amp. In your situation you'll probably never need it, but since your having most of the service replaced anyway, the cost difference between 100 and 200 really is negligible. 150 amp services are just stupid in my opinion. Just to make it easier for your heirs to sell the place, go for the 200. Call your power company to discuss- if your drop is old anyway, they may cut you a price break on the upgrade. Cheap insurance for them- a lot easier to change on a sunny September morning, than at 0200 in a January blizzard. -- aem sends... |
Upgrade to 200AMP or keep 100AMP?
On Mon, 13 Sep 2010 21:58:13 -0400, aemeijers wrote:
On 9/13/2010 9:05 PM, RBM wrote: wrote in message ... Dear Readers, I'm getting contractors' quotes on replacing my existing main electrical panel (The subpanel for the house distribution is circuit breakers, but the main panel is old 100amp fuse block, not circuit breakers.). Some of them are saying that replacement of the line from the power company to my main box must be done with such a replacement, and that I should upgrade to 200AMP service while I'm at it. I've been just fine with 100AMP service. My house is 1500sqft. I ran calcs (following guidelines in an electrical load design book) that showed even if I "finished" my basement and had window air conditioners in most rooms, and the electric stove blaring, I would not exceed 100AMPS. I can't imagine I will ever install central air, and my property can't fit a pool. So, my opinion is I have no big electric loads in the foreseeable future. Question #1: to replace main panel, is it standard procedure to replace service line drop? Question #2: If #1 is NOT true, should I upgrade to 200AMP service now just because they're doing the work right there? Is there a realistic benefit other than looking good on a real estate listing when I sell in 20years? Thanks Theodore If you didn't have to touch it, I wouldn't even consider upgrading to 200 amp. In your situation you'll probably never need it, but since your having most of the service replaced anyway, the cost difference between 100 and 200 really is negligible. 150 amp services are just stupid in my opinion. Just to make it easier for your heirs to sell the place, go for the 200. Call your power company to discuss- if your drop is old anyway, they may cut you a price break on the upgrade. Cheap insurance for them- a lot easier to change on a sunny September morning, than at 0200 in a January blizzard. Some will do it free (the drop, not the panel), with the expectation of higher bills. |
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