Panel move & house re-wire questions

[farphle]

A little background:

My house was built in 1969 and is 95% aluminum wiring. No issues so far, but I want to re-wire with copper. In the process I want to ditch the original panel in my bedroom closet and install a new one in the garage (see attached diagram). I have experience running and terminating circuits, so I'm comfortable with that part of it.

My question is: Is it possible to install the new panel, have an electrician move the incoming service to it, and at the same time run a 100A feed back to the original panel temporarily while I re-run my branch circuits? Or can I run a 100A feed from the current panel to the new panel, effectively making it a sub-panel temporarily, while I move my branch circuits over slowly before moving the service over? I'm trying to eliminate the possibility of having sections of my house without power for extended periods of time.

If one of these options is ok, would it still work if my service is 200A? I think it is, but I'm not sure since my old panel doesn't have a single main disconnect.

If my idea is full of fail, please tell me the correct way to go about this!

 

[Orionrising]

yes to either, but big breakers aren't cheap so the convenience will cost yah.

 

[75gmck25]

Option 1 (install new panel and connect old as a sub) seems like the most sensible. However, most electricians install an upgraded panel as a "heavy up" and they want to finish the job and get paid. The electrician may not want to wait for final inspection of the new main panel until after you get all the work done moving circuits over from the temporary sub panel.

The old panel in a closet may not meet current code for accessibility, so you if you start working on it (making it a sub) you may not pass inspection until its removed or made compliant with the new code. It depends on how your local inspector interprets the grandfathering for the old panel and how close it is to complying with current code.

Bruce

 

[Thruxton]

Option 1 (install new panel and connect old as a sub) seems like the most sensible. However, most electricians install an upgraded panel as a "heavy up" and they want to finish the job and get paid. The electrician may not want to wait for final inspection of the new main panel until after you get all the work done moving circuits over from the temporary sub panel.

The old panel in a closet may not meet current code for accessibility, so you if you start working on it (making it a sub) you may not pass inspection until its removed or made compliant with the new code. It depends on how your local inspector interprets the grandfathering for the old panel and how close it is to complying with current code.

Bruce

Had the same question, and an electrician advised, and the county permitted, this solution. Fortunately the (new sub)panel was in an accessible location so I didn't have that part of the problem. And the electrician didn't do the install, just signed off, so he didn't mind waiting for the inspection.