Feeders question

[gutierrjg]

Have you guys ever seen an undergroung service with 1/0 awg aluminum supplying a 200 amps panel with 2/0 awg aluminum.Is that correct?:roll:

 

[charlie]

Have you guys ever seen an underground service with 1/0 AWG aluminum supplying a 200 amps panel with 2/0 AWG aluminum?

Since you say it is service, I assume you are talking about a service lateral that is owned by the serving electric utility. The serving electric utility is permitted to use whatever they believe will work. If they guess wrong (they seldom do), they will replace the undersized service lateral with the appropriate conductors.

I am also assuming you are installing a 200 ampere service and feeding it with 2/0 Al. The problem with that is that the minimum you are permitted to use is 4/0 Al. if it is a residential service.

 

[gutierrjg]

Yes, is service lateral.and I was looking the posibility to upgrade the panel to 225 amp.

 

[charlie]

Yes, is service lateral.and I was looking the possibility to upgrade the panel to 225 amp.

You must talk to the serving electric utility. They will have their own rules for how they size their service laterals and if they will let you upgrade to a 225 ampere service without replacing the service lateral or if the service lateral will need to be replaced. If the service lateral has to be replaced, you will probably be required to furnish the trench and any required conduit. Depending on their policies, they may or may not do the rest of the replacement. You will then be required to repair the landscape. If you lived on the IPL service territory, you would have 4/0 Al. and we would let you go as high as a 400 ampere residential service before requiring its replacement.