Installing new service panel
Bought a 100 year old colonial. Currently has a 100 amp push button breaker box and off that a 100 amp fuse panel in another room.
My intentions are to install a 40 space 200 amp panel. Now I want to install the new panel about 30′ (length of wire run) from the original panel and where the wiring enters the house. I have the NEC code book and have been going through it. And I know I need a cutoff switch if running service cable more than 6′ in the structure. My question is, can I use the same service cable for the inside run as the outside run? I have been told yes by a Borg associate. Also during this time I want to back feed from the new panel back to the old panel. That way will still have power to the rest of the house as I move circuits (rewiring the entire house). Since the back feed wire will be switched from a 100amp breaker in the new box I am guessing that is legal. And again can I use SER cable for the back feed to the old panel.
I will be doing the work mostly on my own, with some occasional help from my 2 uncles (1 electrician, other electrical systems designer). But want to get my ducks in a row and get the parts I need ordered. I am an aircraft mechainc so no slouch with electircal work, just different components.
My uncle says to not do the backfeed and just move the circuits from old to new. But I don’t think I want to do that. Trying to clean up the mess thats there, and don’t want to add more mess, while I am running the new stuff. I would rather pay the money for 30′ of cable and keep it as clean as possible. Completely removing all old wiring anyway.
Replies
your way sounds like ading more mess to me, but I can't see it.
To go up to a 200 amp service, your service entrance wire from the utility line in has to be upsized, so you need to plan this with the power company too
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Plan is to have the new stuff in and ready to go for when the power company shows up. Just install / run the stuff parallel on the outside of the house.
The current panel is in a bad spot and not installed propperly. Its in the far front corner of the basement. I want to install the new panel on a new wall I put up on the side of the basement stairs. So the run of new cable would be about 16' across the front and then 12' back to the center of the house. I may be putting in a stand by generator so want to have room for its panels if I do.
I think what you're proposing is reasonable, except that from the new main disconnect to the new panel (and then from the new panel back to the old panels) you'll need three conductors plus a ground, which the SER cable won't have. Those runs may be best done with individual conductors in conduit.
Another possibility is to install the new panel as planned, then gut out the old panels, use them as big junction boxes, and extend all the existing circuits to individual breakers in the new panel. However, as you said with an old house all the existing circuits run all over the place so you'll want to re-do them anyway. My house is in the same boat - there's a lot of knob and tube stuff still in place, and a single circuit may feed outlets in four different rooms on two different floors.
What your looking at doing is making the old box a temp. sub box. Getting rid of the outdoor cable feeding it and starting new with the 200amp box.
If you want to get fussy then you need black, red, white and ground to feed the old box.
Is this a quick project or over a few years?
The house is a 4 room main house with central stairs splitting it. And a wing off the one side for a kitchen and dining. I have plans to do the house in 3 stages. Main house in 2 parts and kitchen wing last. The kitchen wing has newer wiring and is insulated in the walls. So its remodel will be last. Want to do the main house in 2 parts so we can stay in it. Was going to do 2 rooms at a time (one over the other) so working from basement up to attic in 1/2 of the house. In total, basement 2 floors and finished tall attic.
Most likely will only get 1/2 done this summer. I am only home about 8 to 10 days a month. Family members in the trades may come up and help but not counting on them as its a 4-5 hour trip for them, so at least not that often anyway.
Walls are not insulated in the main part. And has some knob and tube wiring that feeds all rooms. All 4 rooms are on the same circuit on the knob and tube. But previous owners had added an outlet or two on different circuits using older romex but with no ground. I am paying extra on insurance due to the knob and tube. Company inspected the house and what they could see and said it had to be replaced.
As for the old box I was going to wire it as a sub panel off the new. The fuse box sub panel that runs off of it would have its service wire moved to the new panel as well. That way a sub panel is not feeding a sub panel. And would be convient as the new panel will be right under part of its run anway. Just have to cut it and run the wire down. Reason I am thinking this is I think it will take a couple days for me to move the circuits from old to new. I guess I could do the important ones first. Then the others if it take longer than a day. Also with airplanes sometimes just messing with old bundles will damage wiring and run into a mess of trouble. Wasn't too sure about old house wiring. If I start cutting and splicing it, if I am not just opening a can of worms.
Edited 3/29/2008 5:38 pm ET by benhasajeep
Edited 3/29/2008 5:43 pm ET by benhasajeep