New House panel advice

[erda]

So, completely renovating and adding on to a 1940s farm house.

My question is, what size of service should I go for? 100amp or 200 amp? I've had two different electricians tell me two different things...

Thanks.

 

[930dreamer]

If I had the option I'd go with the 200amp, this way if you need to run a sub panel in the future you could.

 

[stikman56]

Myself, I wouldn't even consider 100 amp. We just built home and shop and I opted for 400 amp service. Won't be any issues was my thought on it, no matter what we are doing at any given time.

 

[reader2580]

200 amp unless you can't do it due to high costs from the power company to upgrade the service. A 1940s house probably had 60 amp or less service when it was built or electrified.

 

[east_tn_emc]

Depending on where you are...and reliability of the power company.....I would consider a disconnect/ generator interconnect so you can feed the entire panel. Now would be the easiest and cheapest time! ( don't have to buy the genny now, just make provisions for it feeding the panel and disconnecting panel from the grid)

 

[theoldwizard1]

So, completely renovating and adding on to a 1940s farm house.

• How many bedrooms ?
• How many bathrooms ?
• How many square feet ?
• What type of fuel for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying ?
• Will you have a large garage and/or workshop ?

Until you answer these questions your question can not be answered accurately.

 

[Beemer533]

• How many bedrooms ?
• How many bathrooms ?
• How many square feet ?
• What type of fuel for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying ?
• Will you have a large garage and/or workshop ?

Until you answer these questions your question can not be answered accurately.

Exactly, 200A is completely unnecessary for a lot of people, especially with all gas appliances..

I've got a 100A service and I get along just fine; my house is 1800sqft and I have a home theater (several power amps), a 60A panel in my garage and a small shop in the basement. I have a gas furnace, but electric range and dryer..

I did put in a 200A panel for the breaker space (and also for a future upgrade if needed).

 

[CNGsaves]

Any detached buildings (garage, barn, animal shed, etc.) that will need electrical power ??
How much . . . will you have welder, compressor, heat, A/C, etc.

Personally, I would go with 200A unless it was too expensive from PoCo as you certainly will want a subpanel somewhere.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

• How many bedrooms ?
• How many bathrooms ?
• How many square feet ?
• What type of fuel for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying ?
• Will you have a large garage and/or workshop ?

Until you answer these questions your question can not be answered accurately.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

• How many bedrooms ?
• How many bathrooms ?
• How many square feet ?
• What type of fuel for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying ?
• Will you have a large garage and/or workshop ?

Until you answer these questions your question can not be answered accurately.

Exactly! Need to know the loads first!

 

[grizz_660]

The electrical contractor should be able to do a load calculation based on bedrooms / sq ft / bathrooms / appliances / heating source.

Having said that, if you are going so far as to upgrade the service, just go 200A and be done with it. 200A is more than most people need anyway, even in a big house.

My father in law still has a 60A service, and at one time he had 6 people living in the house, painted cars in his garage, etc. And he never had problems.

 

[jdsac]

Put in a 200 amp. The extra cost will be forgotten at some point, but if you do a 100 & have to upgrade later you won't be happy.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Put in a 200 amp. The extra cost will be forgotten at some point, but if you do a 100 & have to upgrade later you won't be happy.

Yeah when in doubt If a 100 wont cut it I go right to a 200,Its only a few bucks more than a 125-150 service and panel material wise.
I dont do 125-150 panels.

 

[kwschumm]

We have a 200 amp service in our 300sf 4BR/4BA house. The shop we are building requires we upgrade to a 400 amp panel. The circuit and load capacity just isn't there. So it might be best to size your panel to allow for expansion capability.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

We have a 200 amp service in our 300sf 4BR/4BA house. The shop we are building requires we upgrade to a 400 amp panel. The circuit and load capacity just isn't there. So it might be best to size your panel to allow for expansion capability.

Those must be some really small rooms,I think you meant 3000 sf.
Your 200 amp panel is fine,Its the service feeding it that would be bumped up to 400a to feed the extra panel for the garage.

 

[kwschumm]

Those must be some really small rooms,I think you meant 3000 sf.
Your 200 amp panel is fine,Its the service feeding it that would be bumped up to 400a to feed the extra panel for the garage.

D'oh, yes, 3000sf! Thanks for the info.

 

[Dagny]

Will the power co. run wire right up to the house or put a pedestal out by the road and your house is 500 feet away this is what gets expensive.