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new power to old house

2K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  Stubbie 
#1 ·
Hi people brand new on here and looking for a little help, I have a house built in the 60"s that has 100 amp service with screw in type fuses.I have over head power coming in to the house.I also have a shop in back yard with 110 power that is ran from one of the fuses in the house. I need to up date house and run 200 amp to shop. Here is what i would like to do if possible. The power mast that goes through the roof into the house is to small for 200 amp service.I would like to put new mast through roof in the carport which has a little storage shed on it. I would like to put new meter and 200 amp box in there and run new wire through the attic from there to fuse box in the house and replace fuse box there with new 200 amp breaker style box and remove old mast and meter. And then run wire from new box in carport out to shop with breaker panel out there, Does this sound possible?what am i missing?
 
#16 · (Edited)
Yes , I usually run a number 6 awg bare solid copper wire (GEC or grounding electrode conductor) from the ground bar in the panel to a ground rod clamp and fasten to the 8' round rod. Many jurisdictions allow a single ground rod since you are not earth grounding a residential service equipment panel but some may require 2 rods so it may vary. The NEC would want 2 rods if you can't prove 25 ohms or less ground resistance. The GES is for high voltage events like lightning or power surges.
 
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#2 ·
You can't put a 200a service to the shop on a 200a service to the house. If you need 200a at the shop (what the heck are you doing in there anyway?) it would be more feasable to have a 200a service on the house independent of a totally separate 200a service from the pole to the shop. Your utility or local codes may prohibit that arrangement, and may prohibit containing the house's service within a shed as well. They usually want meters and service entrances exposed and visable.
 
#5 ·
New 200 amp service to house - new drop from weather head, meter socket, 200 amp disconnect, 4 wire feed to old location , new 200 amp panel. 60 amp breaker in house panel feeding 4 wire circuit to shop panel. Done all the time.
 
#7 ·
Hey rjniles the 4 wire fed to old location and from breaker panel to shop is this the wire size needed and if so is this aluminum wire? I have talked to power company about new location they are fine with this because still faces the street. thanks for the info its helping me a lot,
 
#8 · (Edited)
I'd take a look at metering options that are approved by your power company. What I'm saying here is if you move your meter location to a new service entrance the old location which you are going to convert to a 200 amp breaker loadcenter from a fuse center will become a sub-panel not your service equipment. The sub panel will require a four wire feeder neutral and ground will be separated in the sub. The new location will not need a 200 amp panel with a bunch of breaker locations like the one your going to replace the fuse center with. It will need to be 200 amp rated as service equipment but you may just want a 200 amp main breaker and the ability for a sub feed breaker to be installed to protect the feeder to your shop.
What you chose will depend on what your power company approves .. (sometimes they don't care as long as it is UL approved)
There are meter mains combination enclosures that are mounted on the outside wall as an example that contain the meter socket and 200 amp main breaker with positions for a subfeed breaker and a few branch circuits.

As an example ... http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/f9/f9c66e5e-9f4b-43e2-90b2-439f2b3a3c9e.pdf

There is a lot to consider in a service location change and sub-panels and feeders and power to your shop. We have only discussed a small part of what you need to know.
 
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#9 ·
The reason i thought about moving the meter and mast is because it is for a 100 amp and the mast size is 1.5 inches and not 2. After talking to inspector a little more today he said i could get away with changing out meter head and the box that it fits into with 200 amp. And then run 3/0 3/0 1/0 copper down existing mast to meter and down to new 200 amp breaker panel . The reason to use 3/0 copper is because its smaller diameter to fit down mast Im guessing. Then I could put 60 amp breaker in the new 200 amp house panel and run out to new 100 amp shop panel with 2 2 2 aluminum wire. The shop is about 100 feet from house. Is any of this making any since? I hope so.
 
#10 ·
The reason i thought about moving the meter and mast is because it is for a 100 amp and the mast size is 1.5 inches and not 2. After talking to inspector a little more today he said i could get away with changing out meter head and the box that it fits into with 200 amp. And then run 3/0 3/0 1/0 copper down existing mast to meter and down to new 200 amp breaker panel . The reason to use 3/0 copper is because its smaller diameter to fit down mast Im guessing. Then I could put 60 amp breaker in the new 200 amp house panel and run out to new 100 amp shop panel with 2 2 2 aluminum wire. The shop is about 100 feet from house. Is any of this making any since? I hope so.

Yes it makes sense but .... Why 3/0 copper ? 2/0 copper is fine for a service entrance to 200 amp service equipment in a single family dwelling..

If he is allowing #2 al for the garage feeder that's fine if he approves but it is not the correct awg for the application.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Thank you stubbie, I will ask him about the 2/0 copper and what would you recommend for running to shop? What is the correct awg for a 100 foot run.
Sorry I was thinking a 100 amp feeder for your shop . I see your wanting 60 amps soooo I'd run #4 al with a #8 egc just to have very good voltage drop figures. Or #6 cu and #10 cu egc. You need to run a four wire feeder under current codes 2 hots , one neutral and one ground. The neutral and ground will not be bonded in the panel in the garage. You can ask the inspector and he might let you run 3 wire feeder with bonded neutral and ground which used to be allowed if certain criteria are met but I wouldn't count on it. I am assuming your wanting conductors in pvc conduit underground.
 
#14 · (Edited)
No .. the 100 amp breaker in the panel will serve as your required disconnect
for the detached shop, the 60 amp breaker in the house panel will provide short circuit and overcurrent protection.

You also need a grounding electrode system at the shop ... most common is ground rods.
 
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