[charles3526]

Hello all

Im asking this question with saving money in mind. I am a new home owner for two year now and im on 110 service i have a wanch house with a bsmt. The electrical box is small only has about 10 breakers inside. The wireing isnt hook3d up like where one breaker contrls a room its scattered but thats not the problem. I want to finish bsmt. I want to run lights and outlets to the box but no room. I dont want to piggyback anythi g i want them ran stright to the box. My question is would it be cheaper and wiser to just get a bigger panel box and has like 20 or more breakers or just do a home upgrade to 220? I got some prices and im like wow for the service upgrade. Any one have any ideas. Thanks in advance.

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[brric]

If you actually have only 120 volt service, which I question, then an upgrade would be my only recommendation.

 

[Speedy Petey]

So you are asking if upgrading from 100A to 200A is worth it?

Only you can answer this, but I will say most average homes will eventually benefit from the extra capacity of a 200A service, both amperage and breaker capacity wise. IMO it is not worth spending any money replacing a 100A panel, with the same amperage. I think it's better to spend that money towards a 200A upgrade.

 

[jimn]

Except that replacing a panel costs a couple of hundred dollars and the 200 amp upgrade considerably more . I have a 1600 sq ft house. Three window shaker AC units, all electric kitchen , oil fired heat and hot water, electric dryer etc. A 32 slot 100 AMP box suits me just fine. If I added Central Air I would consider upgrade. For this of without air crompressors, heavy duty bench tools and non electric heat, and no central air, in modest houses, 100 AMPs should be just fine .

 

[Speedy Petey]

Except that replacing a panel costs a couple of hundred dollars and the 200 amp upgrade considerably more . I have a 1600 sq ft house. Three window shaker AC units, all electric kitchen , oil fired heat and hot water, electric dryer etc. A 32 slot 100 AMP box suits me just fine. If I added Central Air I would consider upgrade. For this of without air crompressors, heavy duty bench tools and non electric heat, and no central air, in modest houses, 100 AMPs should be just fine .

Please go back and read what I wrote, and what the OP wrote.

He does not already have a 32 space panel like you, that's the point. Sure, a 100A service is most likely fine for a modest ranch house.
And sure, a 200A upgrade will run in the $2k range, but to spend even $300-400 replacing a 100A panel with a larger 100A panel does not make economic sense to me. In the long run a 200A upgrade will serve him better considering he just got the house. How long is it going to be until he does do central air? Or a hot tub? Or any of the other things people with homes do these days. Then the 200A upgrade he did now will not even be a worry.

 

[joed]

If the op facts are correct and he only has 120 volt service then the ONLY option is to upgrade a 240 volt service. With only 10 breakers I would not rule out that he has a 120 volt service.
The difference between a 100 amp and 200 amp complete service is small enough that I would do the 200 amp. It's cheaper now than upgrading later.

 

[IslandGuy]

I highly doubt the OP has a 110 volt service AND circuit breakers. The OP probably doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.

 

[joed]

I do not doubt him as I have seen them before especially on old cottages built in the 40s & 50s.
There is a separate main disconnect switch so it is easy to kill power and remove the old fuse box and put in breakers.