Advice needed on updating to 200 service

[homebuilt burner]

I currently have a 60 amp box with a 40 amp box next to it. I would like to replace both with a 200 amp box but place it about 10 feet away. What is the accepted practice for extending the wiring for the circuits in the house? I plan on running new 2/0 cable to the meter and head for the elc.company to hook to.

My original plan was to gut our house and rewire the whole thing but that does not seem to be in the cards right now. I would like to get the electrical up to speed in the next month or so and install central air before it gets hot here.

 

[CNGsaves]

Too little information . . . .

. . . . Assume those power "boxes" just for your house ??
What distances from original PoCo power into building ??
Aerial or buried service from PoCo ?? Pictures ??
What loads for house ??
Any potential for detached garage that will need power ?? Loads ??

GJ Sparky's will give you best advice with MORE info and pictures.

Post up PIC's of those electrical panels with . . . Cover ON . . and . . Cover OFF.

Also, if these are subpanels, post up PIC's of the main panel with Cover On/Off, especially if you have hybrid meter box/main shutoff outdoors. Good luck.

 

[gregtwojeeps]

That 10 ft. move is going to cost you a lot of labor and parts. Sure you cannot put your new 200 amp breaker box right back where it is now ?

 

[aandpdan]

Install the new 200 amp panel - where you want it.
Keep the current panels - configure them as a subpanel.
Put your new/updated circuits on the new panel - including the a/c and gradually phase out the 2 subpanels.

 

[hh76]

Install the new 200 amp panel - where you want it.
Keep the current panels - configure them as a subpanel.
Put your new/updated circuits on the new panel - including the a/c and gradually phase out the 2 subpanels.

Good idea, that way you can have the new service pedestal set and ready to be energized by the utility. The switch over will be a lot smoother this way.

 

[Cmreschke]

So far the major problem I see is your choice of cable. Are you going with copper or aluminum?

 

[brewchief]

If the existing panels are something newer with breakers available and in a suitable location then converting them to subs can work, however if you are wanting to move them I bet there is a reason. Might have to separate grounds and neutrals to convert to a sub as well.

Is this in a basement or a main floor?

I've seen some guys convert an existing panel into a large junction box, in some cases this works out good but it always seem to be a rats nest of wires inside.

I prefer to use multiple smaller junction boxes, pretty easy to mount new panel and run circuits out to a box(s) that the old wire will reach, you can then power up the new panel and then just swap the wires over. In some cases it may be better to simply pull new wire for some circuits, you may need to update range and dryer circuits to 4 wire anyways.

How many circuits in the old panels? Will any of those reach the new location or will all need to be extended?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Which one is your main service panel?

Can u take pics and post them

 

[Cmreschke]

^^^^^^^What he said!

 

[homebuilt burner]

I'm not ignoring you guys. I just haven't had time to take some pictures. I should be able to get back to you this week end.

I like the idea of wiring around the old boxes and into the new then connecting the old work as a sub panel until the rest of the house is updated.

 

[Falcon67]

I wish I had pictures of the old house before we updated it with a 150A panel - it had 5 small (6~10 circuit) FP boxes on the outside, all glommed off one meter base with a overhead. Did the same thing excpet this was for a house - set a new panel, pulled new runs into the attic, then worked in the attic to cut over circuits one at a time to new pulls, gradually phasing out all but one of the weird panels. Later went back with a new weatherhead and meter base, had the poco (AEP) come out and actually pull back the house drop and give me 4 hours to replace the old weather head and remove the rotted pole that held the drop.