Replacing panel

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New EE

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If a residential single family house has existing aluminum feeder wires and the meter and panel is being replaced, does the new combination meter/main bus have to be aluminum? Also does the panel have to have an aluminum bus as well if the branch circuit wiring is copper? If it's a 100 amp service I believe I can still use #2 aluminum for the feeder? Thanks.
 

Dennis Alwon

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The bus has nothing to do with it. All panels today have lugs or breakers that will accept aluminum or copper. So the alum. feeder and service cables are fine.

Now #2 alumin as a feeder that does not carry the load of the entire dwelling cannot use T. 310.15(B)(6) but rather must use T. 310.16. #2 aluminum in this case is only good for 90 amps-- so just use a DP 90 not a DP 100.
 

New EE

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Location
California
Sorry for my ignorance I'm fairly new to the industry so I'm still learning.. If I understand correctly is that I could have a new panel with a copper bus even though the feeder wires are aluminum? The way the existing setup is right now is there are #2 aluminum feeder wires going from the outside splice box directly to the meter. From the meter it goes into the panel. What I want to do is move and upgrade the whole service. The existing meter is located inside an enclosed patio therefore is not accessible to the utility company (unless someone is home). I was going to run a new feeder from the existing splice box and then run it to the new combination meter/main which will be located outside of the house. I want to replace the existing house panel and get it up to code being that it's approx. 40 years old. If the outside conduit would be run under the roof eave, does it have to be rigid conduit?
 

infinity

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The bus has nothing to do with it. All panels today have lugs or breakers that will accept aluminum or copper. So the alum. feeder and service cables are fine.

Now #2 alumin as a feeder that does not carry the load of the entire dwelling cannot use T. 310.15(B)(6) but rather must use T. 310.16. #2 aluminum in this case is only good for 90 amps-- so just use a DP 90 not a DP 100.

Can you have a 90 amp service disconnect on a SFD?
 

dana1028

Senior Member
I'll give this a stab.

Quote: "If I understand correctly is that I could have a new panel with a copper bus even though the feeder wires are aluminum?" Yes

Quote: "The way the existing setup is right now is there are #2 aluminum feeder wires going from the outside splice box directly to the meter. From the meter it goes into the panel. What I want to do is move and upgrade the whole service. The existing meter is located inside an enclosed patio therefore is not accessible to the utility company (unless someone is home). I was going to run a new feeder from the existing splice box and then run it to the new combination meter/main which will be located outside of the house. I want to replace the existing house panel and get it up to code being that it's approx. 40 years old." This 'feeder' you are talking about is just an extension of the service conductors....this is not a 'feeder', they are service entrance conductors.

Quote: " If the outside conduit would be run under the roof eave, does it have to be rigid conduit?" No - these service entrance conductors are 'outside the building', and as such many different types of raceways are permitted - I won't list them because these types of raceways are often limited by the serving utility or the local municipality...check with them [utility, local jurisdiction] to see what restrictions if any apply to this installation. See section 230.43 for a complete list of wiring methods allowed per the NEC.
 

Dennis Alwon

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I believe also, if the OP is using SE cable he has to use the 60 dg column. Would that not be correct?

Well if it is existing it would depend on the year it was installed. The nec 2011 allows 75C in certain situations. So correct an 80 amp breaker may be the best you can do with se cable.

The op never mentioned se cable so....
 

Little Bill

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Tennessee NEC:2017
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Well if it is existing it would depend on the year it was installed. The nec 2011 allows 75C in certain situations. So correct an 80 amp breaker may be the best you can do with se cable.

The op never mentioned se cable so....

He said he got some of the other terminology mixed up so I thought If he was using SE he would need to know that.
 
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