400 amp service

Status
Not open for further replies.
iwire said:
Do you even read the posts you quote?:D

I said it may be fine

The problem to me is one of ethics, if the contract or verbal agreement says 400 amps a 360 amp service does not reach that. Think about it, if the butcher shorted your order but it still filled your belly would you be fine with the shortage?

On the other hand I would have no problem at all saying to a customer that we could reduce the price of a 400 service if they were fine with 360.

All I am saying is I feel the customer should be made aware of what they are getting, that does not require teaching them the NEC it just means asking if they want to pay for 360 amps of wire or 400 amps of wire. :)
Click to expand...
But if you tell them there is only 360 amps of wire you open the door for them not understanding things when they wonder why there is a 400 amp breaker there. You can explain why, but they likely forget in short amount of time and then may wonder about it again later. Most customers you are better off not to get into technical details of capacity. You can tell them if they are looking at adding a certain piece of equipment down the road that what you have installed will or will not handle it.
 
jap said:
Iagree,and let them sit and stare at you like this.... :huh:


JAP>
Click to expand...
Exactly. Even if you do explain and they act like they understand, they will forget in very short time. Most of the time all they want to know is can I run everything I have, and maybe can I add a certain item down the road without major upgrades.
 
kwired said:
Exactly. Even if you do explain and they act like they understand, they will forget in very short time. Most of the time all they want to know is can I run everything I have, and maybe can I add a certain item down the road without major upgrades.
Click to expand...

I've always been that 400 amp service with (2) 200 amp subpanels like the OP is describing but always felt that the single 400 amp subpanel with feed thru lugs if need be is a much better installation as far as being to handle the loads better. I'm getting tired of choking the services down to (2) 200's like I've done in the past.

Mostly it all boils down to Electrical stuff above 200 amps being too stinking pricy to do things like I'd actually like to do them.

JAP>
 
kwired said:
But if you tell them there is only 360 amps of wire you open the door for them not understanding things when they wonder why there is a 400 amp breaker there. You can explain why, but they likely forget in short amount of time and then may wonder about it again later. Most customers you are better off not to get into technical details of capacity. You can tell them if they are looking at adding a certain piece of equipment down the road that what you have installed will or will not handle it.
Click to expand...

OK got it, you are fine with misleading your customers.
 
jap said:
I've always been that 400 amp service with (2) 200 amp subpanels like the OP is describing but always felt that the single 400 amp subpanel with feed thru lugs if need be is a much better installation as far as being to handle the loads better. I'm getting tired of choking the services down to (2) 200's like I've done in the past.

Mostly it all boils down to Electrical stuff above 200 amps being too stinking pricy to do things like I'd actually like to do them.

JAP>
Click to expand...
Really depends on what the supplied loads are. If you have one single load that is say 125 amps or more then the single 400 amp supply is going to be better then two 200 amp supplies. But if the majority of loads are 15 or 20 amp 120 volt circuits with only a few 30 to 60 amp circuits scattered in there then the two 200's will cost less.

Two 100 amp entrances however is a little harder to justify then a single 200 amp entrance in most cases.
 
jap said:
I've always been that 400 amp service with (2) 200 amp subpanels like the OP is describing but always felt that the single 400 amp subpanel with feed thru lugs if need be is a much better installation as far as being to handle the loads better. I'm getting tired of choking the services down to (2) 200's like I've done in the past.
Click to expand...

For a commercial application like the OPs I tend to agree. For home services I think two - 200a is the best option.

Mostly it all boils down to Electrical stuff above 200 amps being too stinking pricey to do things like I'd actually like to do them.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
Jasonappignani said:
Scratch the #4 ground from the meter. I don't need that. I was thinking of the subpanels


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Correct you don't need the #4 from the meter the outside service rated disconnects. Your Grounding Electrodes go to your service disconnects. You will need the #4 to the panels. The inside panels can be main lug but it's probably cheaper to get the main breaker panel. I'm an AHJ


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
rudiseldb said:
Correct you don't need the #4 from the meter the outside service rated disconnects. Your Grounding Electrodes go to your service disconnects. You will need the #4 to the panels. The inside panels can be main lug but it's probably cheaper to get the main breaker panel. I'm an AHJ


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


We run a #2 copper from the water lines to the meter can rather than 2- #4 one from each panel
 
rudiseldb said:
Correct you don't need the #4 from the meter the outside service rated disconnects. Your Grounding Electrodes go to your service disconnects. You will need the #4 to the panels. The inside panels can be main lug but it's probably cheaper to get the main breaker panel. I'm an AHJ


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Why a #4 to the Panels ?

JAP>
 
jap said:
Sounded to me like he was talking about the EGC.


JAP>
Click to expand...


I think he corrected himself about the equipment grounding conductor saying he had a number 4 between the meter and the panel -- he then said to scratch the #4.....Since 200 amps would only need a #6 equipment grounding conductor I suspect he meant grounding electrode conductor.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I think he corrected himself about the equipment grounding conductor saying he had a number 4 between the meter and the panel -- he then said to scratch the #4.....Since 200 amps would only need a #6 equipment grounding conductor I suspect he meant grounding electrode conductor.
Click to expand...

Not worth arguing about but he put a period at the end of the first sentence talking about the GEC which would have ended that and then the 2nd sentence would only be left to talk about the EGC which is the only thing left since the GEC was taken care of at the service disconnect and not needed at the subpanels since you don't need that at both places.

QUOTE "Your Grounding Electrodes go to your service disconnects. You will need the #4 to the panels".

JAP>
 
My point being if he took care of the GEC at the service a #6 EGC was all that was needed between the service disconnects and the Subpanels not a #4.

JAP>
 
Plus, I've never bought a Main Breaker panel that was cheaper than a MLO Panel of the same configuration as was posted in Post #47.

JAP>
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I think he corrected himself about the equipment grounding conductor saying he had a number 4 between the meter and the panel -- he then said to scratch the #4.....Since 200 amps would only need a #6 equipment grounding conductor I suspect he meant grounding electrode conductor.
Click to expand...

I'm talking about post #47 not the OP.

JAP>
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top