1st 200 amp overhead service

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pmoney44

Member
Location
MASSACHUSETTS
im a hazardous location electrician and am doing my first servcie upgrade from 100 to 200 on a residential home...im looking for some advice with service conductors if need to be in conduit and which to use... the size, the grounding conductor size...solid or stranded...ive had a lot of advice but all advice has not been the same so im kind of lost...im in massachusetts..thank you in advance for all the help....
 
Service up-grade

Service up-grade

NEC allows for your conductors on a 200 amp service to be either 2 ot copper or 4 ot alum. you ground is left up to the provider for the electrode but usually its a #4 bare most of which will be
 
Service up-grade

Service up-grade

Also unless you are covered with structure like wall or crawl space you will need to be in conduit i.e. if you are running a disconnected service, or you can use a s.e.r. cable like a 4ot/4ot/4ot/1ot al. if your service is back to back and you are within the 24' required you will need to use a conuit or if you choose to use separate conductors
 

mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Simple upgrade would be 4/0 alum or 2/0 copper (take your pick) SEU cable from a weatherhead to top of 200 amp meter socket. Go through the back of the meter socket and hit your new 200 amp panel MCB. Run #6 stranded to two ground rods at least six feet apart. Run #4 stranded to the water service entrance and also jump to other side of meter.

That doesn't cover everything you need but it's a good start. Make a list of materials and give it to a couple of suppliers for pricing and ask them what you have left out. Just explain you don't do much residential. They will understand and most likely will be helpfull.

Go to the POCO website and find their Information and Requirements for Electric Service. This will give you meter socket height and some other info. You need a work order number from them and the on-line book will tell you how to get it.

Meet the town or city inspector in his office and show him a sketch of what you plan to do. Get his feedback before you start.

I was in the trade for over 30 years before I did a resi service change. I know how you feel.
 

220/221

Senior Member
Location
AZ
I was in the trade for over 30 years before I did a resi service change.

I was in for about 3 months (30 years ago).

I worked out of my Pinto :cool: I remember using a 1/4" star drill for the plastic anchor holes and cutting the 2/0 or 3/0 copper with a hacksaw.:roll:

I wonder if it is still in service?
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
I was in for about 3 months (30 years ago).

I worked out of my Pinto :cool: I remember using a 1/4" star drill for the plastic anchor holes and cutting the 2/0 or 3/0 copper with a hacksaw.:roll:

I wonder if it is still in service?

The pinto?, star drill? or the hacksaw?:D
 

1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
I was in for about 3 months (30 years ago).

I think I had been in the Trade for about a week 30 years ago and worked on my first. We disconnected and reconnected "hot" with no PPE at that time.

At one point I got between the "neutral" at the pole with the meter plugged in. Man did that hurt.
 

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
I think I had been in the Trade for about a week 30 years ago and worked on my first. We disconnected and reconnected "hot" with no PPE at that time.

At one point I got between the "neutral" at the pole with the meter plugged in. Man did that hurt.

You terminated in the wrong sequence.
 

Power Tech

Senior Member
Simple upgrade would be 4/0 alum or 2/0 copper (take your pick) SEU cable from a weatherhead to top of 200 amp meter socket. Go through the back of the meter socket and hit your new 200 amp panel MCB. Run #6 stranded to two ground rods at least six feet apart. Run #4 stranded to the water service entrance and also jump to other side of meter.

That doesn't cover everything you need but it's a good start. Make a list of materials and give it to a couple of suppliers for pricing and ask them what you have left out. Just explain you don't do much residential. They will understand and most likely will be helpfull.

Go to the POCO website and find their Information and Requirements for Electric Service. This will give you meter socket height and some other info. You need a work order number from them and the on-line book will tell you how to get it.

Meet the town or city inspector in his office and show him a sketch of what you plan to do. Get his feedback before you start.

I was in the trade for over 30 years before I did a resi service change. I know how you feel.

MCB has to be on the outside of the house here, CA. Check with your local POCO.

You can also get an all in one OH feed with the MCB.
 
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