How To Tell What Amp Service Is In Your House

  Рет қаралды 93,755

Conquerall Electrical

Conquerall Electrical

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 60
@mikeypooh1
@mikeypooh1 2 жыл бұрын
Loved how you explained everything, very well explained and demonstrated. Thanks!
@Sparky-ww5re
@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын
Here in the U.S.A we have a fairly standard practice for determining service size. We typically start by looking at the meter base, since the old round bases were typically 60 to 100 amps max. Square or rectangle bases are used with 100 amp or larger. We try to verify the size of the service wires going to the first disconnect. Then we look at the panel rating, and the rating of the main disconnect. Out of these 4, the lowest rating determines the ampacity. On an overhead service, we like to count the number of wires connected to the service drop. 3 wires is present in almost all cases, indicating 120/240V service. 2 wires connected, sometimes with the 3rd wire folded back, indicates a 120 volt service sometimes found in smaller pre-WWII era homes that have the original service, typically 30 amps, sometimes 60. 4 wires connected indicates a 3 phase service, either 120/208V or 120/240V with a high leg. This may be found on a very large luxury home with extreme electrical demands; some utility companies require a service larger than a certain size, typically 600 amps, to be a three phase service. Some older homes may have remnants of a 3 phase service if the home had a 5 ton central air conditioner in the 1950s or '60s, as some of the condensers hitting the market at the time were unavailable in single phase.
@lucasj.lomonaco5667
@lucasj.lomonaco5667 11 ай бұрын
I’m a solar guy starting to close and this really helped me thank you so much
@annegirlinger
@annegirlinger Жыл бұрын
Thank you for the info. 👍 I feel a little bit smarter. 😊
@Big0veralls
@Big0veralls Жыл бұрын
Is conduit really a good way to decide if it’s 100 amp or 200 amp panel. An installer could have a bunch of 2” and that’s just what he runs for everything. Which is what I have. My panel has no main breaker. What would I look at in that situation to see what it is. The feed from the transformer to the meter can is #4 copper now but at one point was like 1/o aluminum l, I believe on a 75’ pull length. Any ideas.
@nelblaze7656
@nelblaze7656 Жыл бұрын
Exactly what I said
@The_Ronin1
@The_Ronin1 Ай бұрын
Great video. Interesting stuff
@stranger21ny
@stranger21ny Жыл бұрын
My panel has 2 - 100 cuff off switchs but the panel is very old. Does it mean i have a 200amp pa el?
@HorrorKidd88
@HorrorKidd88 2 жыл бұрын
nice explanation, thanks for posting!
@stevehaluza6992
@stevehaluza6992 6 ай бұрын
Clear and concise, thank you!
@ricodinero4926
@ricodinero4926 8 ай бұрын
great vid., thank you for taking the time!
@CodeCharmer
@CodeCharmer Жыл бұрын
QUESTION: So my meter base is about 2X what you show there. The Power Company METER says CL320 on it. I watched the video really close to see, but the face of the meter was never shown with enough detail to see. CL200 would be a maximum "continuous" service of 200 Amp. A CL320 is rated for "continuous" 320 Amp. Off the back of my meter base are TWO (appears to be 2" conduits) which feed TWO independent 100 AMP circuit breaker boxes. Everything I have seen and read says there should be a PRIMARY circuit breaker box and then other boxes can come off that. So I asked an electrician about my setup and he agreed it is different and told me the next step up would be 320 but the socket for the meter (apparently I have to pay for that) is really expensive to start with. Since then I've discovered I already have that. My house is all electrical, two electric furnaces, hot water heater, stoves, washer dryer - everything is electric - no other fuel source. So what I was asking him, can I add a third 100Amp panel? I would want that dedicated to the garage for electric car and welder power. So is half my problem solved, I already should have 320 or 300Amp service?
@jimsjmobbs196
@jimsjmobbs196 Жыл бұрын
Well done ! Thanks
@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369
@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369 9 ай бұрын
THANKS COOP ...
@youngryu6824
@youngryu6824 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the useful video! Too easy!
@ABeans07
@ABeans07 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice, thank you, - I have a 100Amp breaker in my house. - Is it feasible to run a second breaker off the meter/main feed into the garage?
@ABeans07
@ABeans07 2 жыл бұрын
Got my own answer, yes, parallel service is plausible.
@bskarpa
@bskarpa 3 ай бұрын
What if you don’t have a pipe. I have a meter on the side but then nothing. It goes straight from the meter into the house into a breaker box. I don’t even have a main breaker either. I just have a bunch of small ones that have 2 switches with 30 on them. Then I have a double with 30 and a double with 40.
@macjusss
@macjusss 2 жыл бұрын
What if the main has two 125amp breakers?
@yepetoesca
@yepetoesca Жыл бұрын
Thx bud. Very helpful!!!!
@morokeiboethia6749
@morokeiboethia6749 Жыл бұрын
i went outside to look at mine and i have a power line coming in above then conduit down to meter. There is a small breaker box on the bottom of the meter but no main shut off that i see. There is nothing (conduit) that i see coming off the meter/breaker box. Do they sometimes go straight into the house from the meter box?
@Sparky-ww5re
@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын
Yes, that is pretty common in homes in the southern parts of the USA like around Arizona, Texas, and Florida, particularly in older homes. In the northern states they would typically run the service drop down the side of the house, go to the top of the meter base, (or below, in conduit if it's a buried service, much more common in newer homes) and the main breaker box would be directly behind the meter base, although there is a main breaker directly below or beside the meter if the inside panel is more than a few feet away, depending on the local codes. Beginning in the 2020 NEC there must be an emergency disconnect outside, for first responders to cut all power in an emergency prior to entering the house, so brand new homes are not allowed to have the first point of disconnect inside. Existing dwellings are not required to meet this new requirement unless the service is being replaced.
@BigmoRivera
@BigmoRivera Жыл бұрын
Thank You For Your Knowledge Great Info😉👍🏽⚡️
@tommaxwell429
@tommaxwell429 Жыл бұрын
My service has zero writing ANYWHERE, not even a visible model number on the breaker box. My house, in the US/Texas, was built in the late 70's/early 80's. It does have a square box under the meter and the input conduit is 2.25" OD. It goes into the breaker box next to it that has no main breaker/cut off. It has 6- 208 breakers in the top which provide power to Electrical Heat, A/C, Water Heater, Clothes Dryer, Range, and 1 60 amp breaker that feeds a second row of breakers in the bottom of box for 120V service to the house. I would like to put a 100 AMP subpanel in my garage to run a couple of 208V woodworking machines. The clothes dryer and water heater are in the garage area which is about a 60 foot run from the main panel. I was thinking about pulling back the wiring for the water heater and Clothes dryer and put those 30 breakers in the subpanel and that would free up space in the main panel to put a 100 amp breaker to feed my subpanel. In theory it will work but I heard people talk about tab current capacity. How can I tell if the tabs in the main panel will be OK with the 100 amp service to the subpanel? Second what size wire would I run to the subpanel do I need #2 copper and #4 for ground? Finally, I know I don't need another main breaker in the subpanel, but I assume it is OK to install a disconnect, perhaps something like the one on the outside of the house by the AC unit. If you can give me a warm fuzzy that I am headed in the right direction, I'll be very appreciative. I also assume I need to run conduit all the way from the main panel to the subpanel - in a very cramped attic! Sigh! Finally, what are the ramifications of asking the power company to pull the meter. Since there is no main cutoff in the panel and the main feed lugs are wide open, I'm a bit nervous of trying to pull #2 wires in a hot box. Comments? Thanks for the video.
@WorkSmarterLiveBetter
@WorkSmarterLiveBetter Жыл бұрын
What if you have 2 pipes coming out? Mine looks like the last one with a 1 1/14 pipe and a 2 inch pipe. I also have 2 electrical panels because it was upgraded to install a central air conditioner
@tadmarshall2739
@tadmarshall2739 6 ай бұрын
What would explain a house with NO master cutoff switch or breaker, just utility current flowing to individual breakers? Was this "up to code" in some earlier era?
@conquerallelectrical
@conquerallelectrical 6 ай бұрын
I've never seen that one before unless it was metered at the pole. Some large services have a separate current transformer and loop out back to a meter from a CT cabinet, however that is usually before the branch circuit breakers.
@check8367
@check8367 Жыл бұрын
great video thank you
@thinkdunson
@thinkdunson Жыл бұрын
thanks boss. good explanation.
@onlyme8870
@onlyme8870 Жыл бұрын
This may not be the right place to ask if so redirect if needed. My moms place runs with a boiler to heat home and water. But is never adequate for running a bath or the jacuzzi so nobody uses these. I have a ecosmart 36kw unit and breakers electric tankless that could be used to support the hotwater needs for the tub and jacuzzi. The home is built 1904 has that 2in conduit input. 4 bedroom home 2 bath. This unit i read something about 300 amp service and its a 150 amp tankless could it run on the 200 or unsafe. Even if its only used maybe 2x a week?
@paulphet7792
@paulphet7792 10 ай бұрын
¹ss3ss3s1wexr
@laurmartin341
@laurmartin341 2 жыл бұрын
Hi, What can you tell about this, please ? New home, 200 Amp rated Meter but 2 SEU cables going inside to 2 X 200 Amps panels. Thanks a lot !
@billytucker342
@billytucker342 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you. Answered my question .
@leggoego
@leggoego Жыл бұрын
I have a 2" pipe coming out of my meter base but the main breaker in my home is 60 amp. does that mean I have a 60 amp service?
@Sparky-ww5re
@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын
Yes, you have a 60 amp service. There are 3 key elements that determine the service size, they are the service conductors coming from the meter, the panel rating, and the rating of the main breaker. Out of these 3, the lowest rating is your service size. If you really want to go the extra mile, you might also want to count the number of wires connected to the service entrance cable running to the meter. For residential applications this will almost always be 3, indicating your typical 120/240 single phase. 2 wires, or 3 with one tied back and not connected would indicate a 120 volt service, sometimes found in small homes built before WWII that have the original service and never been upgraded. 4 wires indicates a 3 phase service, either 120/208 wye or 120/240V 4 wire delta. This would be extremely rare in a single family dwelling, unless it was a very large custom luxury home with extreme electrical demands; some utility companies have a limit on single phase sizes and if you need more than a certain amount, say around 600 amps they will require it to be a 3 phase system.
@matrixebiz101
@matrixebiz101 Жыл бұрын
The service to my house is 125 Amp but the main breaker in my panel is 100 Amp, how can I tell if the wire from the meter to my panel is 125 amp plus how can I tell if I can just change the main breaker in my panel from 100 to 125? Thanks
@andrewmorris1180
@andrewmorris1180 2 жыл бұрын
Good job ...great explanation. Thank you sir
@xiyangcao4573
@xiyangcao4573 Жыл бұрын
Thank you .
@matthewblankowski2265
@matthewblankowski2265 2 жыл бұрын
How do you tell if you have a service lateral going into a split bus panel with no main breaker?
@BigmoRivera
@BigmoRivera Жыл бұрын
What If Is Their Is A Double Breaker And Each One Show 100amp Is That A 200amp Breacker. TIA
@amandawatts3346
@amandawatts3346 2 ай бұрын
I want to know this too! I don't have a *big* main switch. Our home, built in. '64, has a double 100 as the first breaker on the panel where all the other breakers live. It's not bigger than any other breaker, just two normal size ones labeled 100 connected together.
@zocalo1990
@zocalo1990 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much!
@vince6829
@vince6829 2 жыл бұрын
Very helpful. Thank you!! Question: Does the conduit size method of determining the size of the service (100 vs 200 amp service) apply in the U.S.; or is this something specific to Canada?
@conquerallelectrical
@conquerallelectrical 2 жыл бұрын
Although I am sure they are similar, we are in Canada and use the CEC. Always check with your local electrician if you are in the US and using the NEC. Hope this helps a little. Thanks
@vkmicrov
@vkmicrov 2 жыл бұрын
thanks a lot! this helped.
@macjusss
@macjusss 2 жыл бұрын
Very helpful, what if the main panel has 2 125amp circuit breakers?
@conquerallelectrical
@conquerallelectrical 2 жыл бұрын
2- 100s
@macjusss
@macjusss 2 жыл бұрын
@@conquerallelectrical Thanks! not 2 - 125amp? any reason/purpose to this? its a single unit property. In this case, should the sub be 100 or 125amp?
@conquerallelectrical
@conquerallelectrical Жыл бұрын
This would be main 200 and 2 separated 100s from that.
@pompusgoat9691
@pompusgoat9691 2 жыл бұрын
I have been looking for this video, for so long. A lot of panels in Fl do not have a main breaker to refer to. Thanks.
@Sparky-ww5re
@Sparky-ww5re Жыл бұрын
Yes, some older panels do not have a main breaker. This type is a split buss panel, and were fairly common in the 1950s until the 1970s, before being banned by the 1981 NEC. These older panels have two sets of bus bars, the upper buss was allowed to house up to 5 two pole breakers, plus the breaker feeding the lower buss, usually marked MAIN or SUB-MAIN, and required up to six breakers to be thrown to disconnect all the power. Beginning in 1978, the last code cycle that allowed these panels, single pole breakers were allowed on the upper buss, as long as the total number of handle throws to disconnect all power didn't exceed six. And that was one of the major problems with these old panels because they were originally used when homes were smaller than the average home today, and didn't require as many circuits in a given size home as we do in the 21st century.
@robertk2176
@robertk2176 2 жыл бұрын
My house is 100 amps I need a new meter sockets can I buy a for 200 amps one and run 100 amps ?? Sure I'll upgrade some time down the line
@nelblaze7656
@nelblaze7656 Жыл бұрын
The pipe size has nothing to do with the size of your service.. it should..but don’t ..who know what kind of hack did the work ..you can’t rely on pipe size…a volt meter and wire size …
@lucascenedese8072
@lucascenedese8072 2 жыл бұрын
What if there are 2 - 100 amp switches on the main service panel?
@conquerallelectrical
@conquerallelectrical 2 жыл бұрын
This usually means that it is 200 amp and splits into 2- 100s.This is common on older homes or same dwelling. However if it is 2 dwellings this means it is only 100 amps per side. With one meter, we have seen this in the past. thanks
@lucascenedese8072
@lucascenedese8072 2 жыл бұрын
@@conquerallelectrical what do you mean by 2 dwellings sorry?
@conquerallelectrical
@conquerallelectrical 2 жыл бұрын
@@lucascenedese8072 Two separate units like a duplex house
@Eastbaypisces
@Eastbaypisces Жыл бұрын
@@conquerallelectrical so if we got round meter old house, when I get panel upgraded do we have to go back to the utility pole/ telephone pole?
@msjowitka
@msjowitka Жыл бұрын
Why is this important? What consequences does this have for a homeowner on the bill?
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