[zootjeff]

Is there any way to tell what kind of service (100amp, 150 amp, etc) installed by looking at the gauge of wire coming in, the meter, etc?

-Jeff

 

[Plumber101]

Please post in the electrical posting area..Lot of sparky's there

 

[frenchelectrican]

Is there any way to tell what kind of service (100amp, 150 amp, etc) installed by looking at the gauge of wire coming in, the meter, etc?

-Jeff

Jeff.,

My answer will be yes and no due few factors ,.

• Main breaker size
• Main service entrance conductor size

Is this in the conduit { pipe }

Is this is a SE cable { look like monster sized NM cable }

•Typically 200 amp service will use 4/0 AL or 2/0 CU { 120mm² or 70mm²}

•Typically 150 amp service will use 2/0 AL or 1/0 CU { 70mm² or 55mm²}

•Typically 100 amp service will use #1/0 AL or #2 CU { 55mm² or 35mm²}


Those conductor size will depending on size and distance { some case it will increase due distance }

Merci,Marc

 

[zootjeff]

I think my panel is a 100 amp panel.

It doesn't have a main breaker, just a sub panel.

The Aluminum lines come in and go to a 40 amp 220v breaker to the Dryer, a 40 amp 220v breaker to the range, a 60amp breaker to the "sub section" and room for another 40 amp 220v or two 20 amp 110v breakers.

The sub section has a bunch of half height 15 and 20 amp breakers.

Pretty sure I only have a 100amp service.

I currently don't use the Range hookup because I have gas. Can I just put in an AC unit in place of the range?

What do the codes say about not upgrading the wiring from the meter (16 feet) but putting in panel rated for 150 amps (more locations). I'll probably never actually use more than 100 amps, but I'm curious what my options are..

 

[frenchelectrican]

Any chance you have main breaker outside below the meter socket ?

If so then that is your main breaker.,

If not then you have split buss load center this get little tricky to deal with it due there is NO main breaker in there the top 4 two pole breaker is your " main breaker " if that is correct for 100 amp load centre so you have three two pole breaker for any 240 volt load plus one two pole breaker to handle the lower section of split buss panel { that some of us call lighting breaker that useally a 50 or 60 amp breaker }

Yeah you can use the two pole breaker for 240 v A/C however make sure you get the correct size breaker for your A/C unit

For myself I will really suggest that you replace the old style split buss load centre I know it was legit in old codes due the 6 throw on main disconnection which it mean it will take up to 6 flips to complely kill the power soruce.

Plus what more with more modern load center some of them have many as 30 space on 100 amp verison load centre.

before you do any thing more with load center you should do the load demand caluation that is the only legit way to see if your service size need to upgrading or not.

There are few verison of load demand calucations online so some are easy to use and some are not.

Plus what more if your exsting overhead SE conductors is more than 30 plus years it will be good time to replace it { espceally if get brittle and some materals fall off that will be a issue if not pay attetion }

Merci,Marc

 

[zootjeff]

I don't think I have breaker outside under the meter. If I pull the meter, there might be something in the box holding the meter, but it is a really small box.

The wires to the house are buried. When they use buried wire, do they make it easy to snake new wire to the transformer?