Service Changeout

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Mike410is

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Location
Florida
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Residential electrician
Hello everyone,
I just looked at a job where the home owner wants to upgrade their service. They currently have a 150AMP for a 1600 sq foot house. They are adding an addition which will increase the square footage of the house to 2000. I was going to upgrade to a 200AMP, but the home owner said that in the next year or so they will be building a detached mother-in-law suite that will be 800 sq ft and they want the capability to install an EV charger as well.
I just wanted to know if anyone had any advice on what I should do? I have never installed a panel over 200AMP. I haven't done a load calculation yet either.
 
You need to read your utility spec book. Some areas go ct can for a 400 amp some alow the old school 320 continuous 400 amp meters which are the same thought process as a 200 and lower service. Detached building may be best to do its own meter if it's allowed.
 
I would, first get the power company out and see if underground is a possibility. It looks like the service mast has an offset. Unless you have the tools and no how I wouldn't mess with it.

I would also see if it is possible to put the service on that adjacent wall just to the left.

I envision a 400 amp service with a meter and one panel to the left of the meter on that adjacent wall and another panel set where the existing meter is located to pick up the wires to the interior panel.
 
I still favor the 2 meters one per structure method honestly. That's what I would be allowed to do here. I've done a couple 400 amp overheads on houses but that was before the 2020 required separate disconnect enclosure rule was enforced. Only just in the last month have compliant 320/400 metermains with 2 200 amp breakers become available. Just a side note that little alcove is probably smaller than those are you may have a hard time finding a way to fit a 400 amp anything at that location others have mentioned other locations but talk to poco and look at their spec book.
 
letgomywago said:
I still favor the 2 meters one per structure method honestly. That's what I would be allowed to do here. I've done a couple 400 amp overheads on houses but that was before the 2020 required separate disconnect enclosure rule was enforced. Only just in the last month have compliant 320/400 metermains with 2 200 amp breakers become available. Just a side note that little alcove is probably smaller than those are you may have a hard time finding a way to fit a 400 amp anything at that location others have mentioned other locations but talk to poco and look at their spec book.
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Yeah I just talked with our inspector, and I’m setting up a time to talk with the utility.
 
Mike410is said:
Hello everyone,
I just looked at a job where the home owner wants to upgrade their service. They currently have a 150AMP for a 1600 sq foot house. They are adding an addition which will increase the square footage of the house to 2000. I was going to upgrade to a 200AMP, but the home owner said that in the next year or so they will be building a detached mother-in-law suite that will be 800 sq ft and they want the capability to install an EV charger as well.
I just wanted to know if anyone had any advice on what I should do? I have never installed a panel over 200AMP. I haven't done a load calculation yet either.
Click to expand...
I was in your shoes a few months ago. I had to wire two houses to code before ever doing this before. I worked as an apprentice part time for nine months so I got to learn how to put in receptacles and some romex layout but putting a panel in and calculating feeder size and ground conductor size for grounding rod electrode, not to mention mast and flash was new to me. I read the NEC book under section covering branch circuits and dwelling load calculations and those things that were ambiguous on the book I found many professors on YouTube to assist areas I had confusion.

Terminology such as feeders, service cables, service disconnect, line and load side bonding jumpers, service disconnect, equipment working space (horizontal 30” measurement) etc can be confusing until you do research to start to understand the differences
 
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