Upgrade to 200 amp panel with 100 amp service

[afjes_2016]

Yes, everything past the tri-plex going down the house to the meter is the owner's responsibility (unless underground lateral).

Yes, the utility company will cut the lines at the house or out on the pole. They may not want to drive their truck over someone's nice lawn etc.

I have cut the lines myself and reattached them with bare hands. Just have to know what to touch and what not to touch and when. "Kiddies, don't try this at home!!!!" Honestly, not to be done by someone not trained correctly. :down:

 

[nealtw]

Everything after the weatherhead, in this case, is the property owners responsibility, everything before is the utilities, when the service is overhead.

Unless the service mast needs to changed, the disconnect is at the weatherhead connection.

My point was they pulled the meter so the weatherhead is still live.

 

[Snoonyb]

As is the meter socket which should have been blanked and the meter pull date noted.

 

[aNYCdb]

On a related note I'm in the process of getting bids, but what's the ballpark price range I should be expecting to upgrade the service?

 

[slownsteady]

On a related note I'm in the process of getting bids, but what's the ballpark price range I should be expecting to upgrade the service?

Varies by region, and sometimes even by neighborhood. Best bet is to get several bids.

 

[afjes_2016]

Varies by region, and sometimes even by neighborhood. Best bet is to get several bids.

:agree: it could be the difference of $600 to $1,200 depending on where you live and even more. The difference in the cost of the electrical permit and electrical inspection can make the difference in some areas.

In my area of N East PA it would run about $1,800-$2,200. It is not so much of a difference for the cost of the materials in the price range as it is the labor factor. How high the service entrance is on the house, how far from where the meter box is from the point of entry to the house, clearance in the basement/crawlspace from disconnect to breaker panel, do I need an assistant to help me that day. All the crap and stuff I have to climb over to get to everything, how many holes I have to drill in the floor joists, how many circuits in the existing panel and a few more factors. Take this same job to Greenwich Conn and it can be as high as $3,000-$3,600

A real shocker though; I had someone ask me to quote them for this exact type of project. Upgrade the service entrance, install a main disconnect for 200 amp service where it enters the house/basement and then run an SER to the present panel location and upgrade the present panel to a 200amp panel and reconnect all the circuits. I quoted her $2,300; she almost had a heart attack. She thought it would be about $275-$500 :rofl: . Some people have no clue. Needless to say I passed on that job. :down:

 

[aNYCdb]

:agree: it could be the difference of $600 to $1,200 depending on where you live and even more. The difference in the cost of the electrical permit and electrical inspection can make the difference in some areas.

In my area of N East PA it would run about $1,800-$2,200. It is not so much of a difference for the cost of the materials in the price range as it is the labor factor. How high the service entrance is on the house, how far from where the meter box is from the point of entry to the house, clearance in the basement/crawlspace from disconnect to breaker panel, do I need an assistant to help me that day. All the crap and stuff I have to climb over to get to everything, how many holes I have to drill in the floor joists, how many circuits in the existing panel and a few more factors. Take this same job to Greenwich Conn and it can be as high as $3,000-$3,600

A real shocker though; I had someone ask me to quote them for this exact type of project. Upgrade the service entrance, install a main disconnect for 200 amp service where it enters the house/basement and then run an SER to the present panel location and upgrade the present panel to a 200amp panel and reconnect all the circuits. I quoted her $2,300; she almost had a heart attack. She thought it would be about $275-$500 :rofl: . Some people have no clue. Needless to say I passed on that job. :down:

Got a couple of bids and as it happened the lowest bid ($2200) happened to also be the quote I felt most confidence in (he asked questions). Had one contractor bid $3k and not ask me a single thing about the house. Anyway I wound up doing a 200amp service disconnect/panel at the meter with a 150amp sub panel in the existing location, so if I ever build a garage or add a mini-split I can have them wired off the main panel. Just waiting for the power company to reconnect and I'm all set.

 

[frodo]

mine was easy...the 100 amb box was direct behind the meter.
we pulled the meter and weather head. replaced with new head, flashing
new 200 amp meter/breaker box. and wired the old panel into a new 100 amp breaker

cost,, less than $200.00 on labor.

 

[afjes_2016]

Got a couple of bids and as it happened the lowest bid ($2200) happened to also be the quote I felt most confidence in (he asked questions). Had one contractor bid $3k and not ask me a single thing about the house. Anyway I wound up doing a 200amp service disconnect/panel at the meter with a 150amp sub panel in the existing location, so if I ever build a garage or add a mini-split I can have them wired off the main panel. Just waiting for the power company to reconnect and I'm all set.

Glad you were able to get this completed.

I would have suggested to you though with your thought of electrical additions in the future as you mentioned to go from the main disconnect to a sub panel (which you did) but have a 200amp sub panel and just run everything off of that instead. Reasoning again, any work you have to perform electrically would only have to be performed in the sub panel thus the ability to shut off all power to it using the main disconnect.

Is the main disconnect he installed capable of adding additional circuits or is it strictly just a main disconnect? Most main disconnects only allow for one feed to a sub panel or other panel; trying to split the main going to two seperate sub panels may be difficult depending on which type was installed.

Just my two cents.

 

[aNYCdb]

Glad you were able to get this completed.

I would have suggested to you though with your thought of electrical additions in the future as you mentioned to go from the main disconnect to a sub panel (which you did) but have a 200amp sub panel and just run everything off of that instead. Reasoning again, any work you have to perform electrically would only have to be performed in the sub panel thus the ability to shut off all power to it using the main disconnect.

Is the main disconnect he installed capable of adding additional circuits or is it strictly just a main disconnect? Most main disconnects only allow for one feed to a sub panel or other panel; trying to split the main going to two seperate sub panels may be difficult depending on which type was installed.

Just my two cents.

Sorry I should have clarified the main disconnect (outdoor) is a 200amp panel in itself with 8 breaker slots. The idea being that when I need to add power outside of the house I wire it directly to the outdoor panel rather than the 150amp in the basement (and then back out of the house).

 

[afjes_2016]

Sorry I should have clarified the main disconnect (outdoor) is a 200amp panel in itself with 8 breaker slots. The idea being that when I need to add power outside of the house I wire it directly to the outdoor panel rather than the 150amp in the basement (and then back out of the house).

I see. However, still adding anything to the main disconnect outside will require you to work on the panel while it is live. You may be able to shut off the main breaker in the disconnect but the panel will still have live conductors in it. The same thing would have held true if you had decided not to go for the disconnect and your now (sub panel in the house) would have been you main panel and again would always have live conductors in it.

But what you decided on was personal choice (which was not a bad one at all) and maybe in your particular set up it may be easier in the future to run a line from the exterior main disconnect to another building rather than from the sub panel in the house. I thought you main objective was to be able to work on a panel and not worry that any portions of it were live.