Ditching service disconnect

[cityhick]

Hi, my house was added on to by the previous owner and the meter had been moved. When they did this they put a disconect on the inside wall where the meter is located on the outside wall. This disconect then feeds my main panel which covers the house and the garage is fed with a 20 amp breaker that connects to a 60 amp four spot fuse panel. I know your full of envy..... My friend says I should just ditch the disconect for a 100 amp panel with a main shutoff and then use that panel with a 100 amp breaker to feed the house main panel which would now be a sub panel and use a 60 amp breaker to feed another sub panel in the garage with 2-2-2-4 aluminum service wire. Sounds good to me.....Any thoughts or concerns that we over looked.............Thanks.....Mike

 

[ishiboo]

Hi, my house was added on to by the previous owner and the meter had been moved. When they did this they put a disconect on the inside wall where the meter is located on the outside wall. This disconect then feeds my main panel which covers the house and the garage is fed with a 20 amp breaker that connects to a 60 amp four spot fuse panel. I know your full of envy..... My friend says I should just ditch the disconect for a 100 amp panel with a main shutoff and then use that panel with a 100 amp breaker to feed the house main panel which would now be a sub panel and use a 60 amp breaker to feed another sub panel in the garage with 2-2-2-4 aluminum service wire. Sounds good to me.....Any thoughts or concerns that we over looked.............Thanks.....Mike

The disconnect is probably fused, and would be required due to the unprotected wire run you would have otherwise.

Everything sounds like a good plan, however if the disconnect is in good shape I would leave it and feed the new 100A panel from it. I had to install one due to the long wire run, and it's great being able to shut off all the house power outside to do any work on the main panel

Also, you may want to evaluate your needs and see if upgrading to 125 or 200 amp main panel would be smart for future needs, though without electric heat and a normal-sized house, I think 100A is plenty for most.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Not enough info to go on. What is the size of your existing service disconnect, and what is the capacity of the meter, meter can, service entrance cable?

Is the garage detached? or attached?

Charles

 

[cityhick]

Current service is 100 coming in 100 amp meter 100 amp disconect and the garage is detached...It will require a 75 foot run from house to garage. The disconect is not fused and the new panel will have a main breaker so that I can shut down everything with one throw.