Upgrading from 200 to a 400 amp service panel-need opinions.

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Solanaceae

Solanaceae

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sangamon county, IL
.k. I'm staying at this place with friends while the haus is being built. A few things beforehand. There are two fridges and one chest freezer, two pools, a hot tub, various lighting and TV sets, power outlet demand excluding the former, a garage with power tools that see intermittent use, a pole barn with 20 amp max draw, two microwaves, a washer and dryer, AC units, and water heating and softening equipment, all squeezed onto a 200 amp circuit. There are sub panels for the hot tub room and the AC. Whenever something kicks on, the lights flicker, and the power even shut completely off for about five seconds. I'm not sure if the transformer is overloaded or what, but would a 400 amp panel upgrade be a viable solution?
 
The first step would be to run a load Calc.
Then decide to upsize for future if necessary.
There is a tool on MH.

Oh if you are having brown outs you need to diagnose that first.
 
I'll first need to find my voltmeter so I can see how low the voltage dips when I see the lights dim. I have also been told by a friend to see whether the device causing the power drain is on 120 or 240, and what phase.
 
Ok I am confused here.
You are building a new home?
You are having trouble at a friends place?

??????????:?
 
Solanaceae said:
we are living with them until it's completed and the owner was complaining about the power dipping.
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Still confused.

This is your friends home with the brown outs and the 200 amp panel and related loads?
If yes you first need to diagnose the brown outs, may not be a overloaded condition.

Are you really an Electrician I don't know of a code 2015 as per your profile?
 
Sierrasparky said:
Are you really an Electrician I don't know of a code 2015 as per your profile?
Click to expand...

His terminology seems a little off as well, but that might be for other reasons.

Assuming you are qualified to do so, the first thing you should do is see what the actual load is when these problems occur. It can be as simple as measuring what the actual current draw is before, during, and after a large load comes online.

Merely changing the panelboard out won't do you any good for any of these problems unless there is something actually wrong with the panelboard. Any electrician would know that.
 
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