How Many Amp Service Do You Have

[DesertDweller]

Originally Posted by TheProfessor

Good in theory.

But realistically, any kid can walk up and turn all electricity off. In the dead of winter.

Yep. When we finished our basement my contractor made the exact same observation. He called his guy that did the electrical work to make sure it was set up right and he confirmed that is code in Moultonborough. Pretty sure the reason is that the fire department can shut the power off without having to enter the house. Our house was built in 2005/2006 and it is set up that way. Not sure about the code in other towns.

[winni83]

We too have the main breaker at the outside meter location. House is in Moultonborough and was built in 2013. However, I have a lock which secures the cover over the main breaker, so I am not sure about the fire department issue, although the fire department could easily cut or break the lock. We do have a Supra key box at the house for the fire/police department to access in order to gain entry into the house without breaking windows or doors.

[SAB1]

I just finished building a house this spring in Tuftonboro. Yes the outside disconnect is for the fire dept and its code. I built a garage a couple years ago and have 200 Amp in it underground. I ripped down the old camp last fall and rebuilt and connected the house to the garage. We went with 100Amp off the garage into the house. I have propane for cooking, dryer, hot water and heat. That combined with all the LED lighting the Electrician said no need for 200 amp in the house.

[Orion]

No need for an external cut off switch. The Fire Dept can shut off the whole house power simply by removing the meter.

[SAB1]

I think you missed the point on the disconnect........it's required.- at least in tuftonboro

[winni83]

If the primary purpose is to enable the fire department to disconnect, then at least at my house when the main breaker is turned off, the whole house generator automatically comes on, so power is back on. There is a pretty simple locking mechanism for the generator which can probably be opened with a standard key or keys or simply forced open and generator then turned off.

[brk-lnt]

Our condo in South Down was 100Amp.
Our house in NH is 200Amp, house in FL is 400Amp.

[ursa minor]

I could be wrong on this but I think the meter disconnect rule is an NHEC requirement. We built in 2000 and I seem to recall that this rule came along a year or two after that. (Remember discussing the "vandalism" concerns mentioned above.) It wasn't required by either NH or National electric codes in 2000. We installed a 200 A service as we have all electric appliances (dryer, range), the hot water heater, water pumps and some electric heat.

[meredith weekender]

The disconnect at the meter is a NHEC rule. We upgraded in 2005 from 100 amp to 200 amp service and the disconnect was required. 100amp service would typically be fine at a camp but when you add in a sewage pump, electric dryer, a/c, electric stove, hot tub, etc the need to upgrade becomes real.

[SAMIAM]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

Our condo in South Down was 100Amp.
Our house in NH is 200Amp, house in FL is 400Amp.

Wow...that must be some house.400Amp will run a restaurant

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Wow...that must be some house.400Amp will run a restaurant

It's probably slightly overkill, but since everything is electric it kinds of makes sense. Kitchen cooktop and oven, electric dryer, couple of A/C units, elevator, pool equipment. Not everything would likely be in use at the same time, but the house was built with a bit of an overkill factor (not by me, we're the 2nd owners).

[SIKSUKR]

Generally speaking, the size of the conductors coming from the pole to your house are sized for the service size.(60,100,200) At least the old drops were. I would think that if you were upgrading from a 60 to 100 of higher then your wire drops from the pole need to be upsized accordingly.

[Kamper]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

... wire drops from the pole need to be upsized accordingly.

And probably I'd need a mast and external cut-off. I really hate that hot-tub!

Thanks!

[Hivolt]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Generally speaking, the size of the conductors coming from the pole to your house are sized for the service size.(60,100,200) At least the old drops were. I would think that if you were upgrading from a 60 to 100 of higher then your wire drops from the pole need to be upsized accordingly.

Doubtful, In my years at the electric company down here in MA and from what I've seen working out of town, a utility generally won't change anything unless it burns up on their end. We used to use #4 aluminum and our standard now for residential is #2 aluminum or 1/0 for high draw customers. but if you have an existing #4 or #2 service they likely won't change it no matter how big a service you put in. Utilities get away with it because of open air rules for conductors and their ability to dissipate heat more easily.

[wifi]

Originally Posted by Hivolt

..... it no matter how big a service you put in. Utilities get away with it because of open air rules for conductors and their ability to dissipate heat more easily.

As I understand it from a number of lineman, from a wide area of the country, the local power companies sets the standards on what they do, and are immune from the NEC on their wiring. This is why you see lots of different standards in the country.

[Hivolt]

Originally Posted by wifi

As I understand it from a number of lineman, from a wide area of the country, the local power companies sets the standards on what they do, and are immune from the NEC on their wiring. This is why you see lots of different standards in the country.

The only code I am aware of that all utilities are held to is the National Electric Safety Code. I honestly have never read one line of it but I know our EOP's (electric operating procedures) reference it.

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by Hivolt

Doubtful, In my years at the electric company down here in MA and from what I've seen working out of town, a utility generally won't change anything unless it burns up on their end. We used to use #4 aluminum and our standard now for residential is #2 aluminum or 1/0 for high draw customers. but if you have an existing #4 or #2 service they likely won't change it no matter how big a service you put in. Utilities get away with it because of open air rules for conductors and their ability to dissipate heat more easily.

I upgraded my 60 amp service in my first house to 100 and absolutely had to have new drops put in. This service was original from about 1950. PSNH did not charge me for that either.

[Orion]

Everything is getting more efficient as years go by so the need to upgrade services is mitigated somewhat. We have all LED lighting, efficient electric appliances, electric kitchen, Mitsubishi Split AC, electric hot water.....all working just fine with no brownouts or circuit breaker trips on 100A service.

[Hivolt]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

I upgraded my 60 amp service in my first house to 100 and absolutely had to have new drops put in. This service was original from about 1950. PSNH did not charge me for that either.

Again I can't speak for everyone. There a million reasons why a service drop would be replaced and every company is different. If I rolled up to your house for a reconnect and found an 1950 service drop I'd replace the whole thing too.

[DickR]

Originally Posted by winni83

I......There is a pretty simple locking mechanism for the generator which can probably be opened with a standard key or keys or simply forced open and generator then turned off.

A home standby generator that comes on automatically almost certainly will be fueled by natural gas or propane, with a gas shutoff valve at the generator. Turn that off and the generator shutoff is nearly instantaneous. Then there is the shutoff valve at the propane tank. Even so, there seems to be some uncertainty in the wording in the NEC as to whether an external disconnect for the generator is required if there is another readily accessible means to turn off the generator nearby. A definitive ruling on this would be nice.

[winni83]

That is true about the propane shut off at the generator. Turning that valve off will shut down the generator quickly. My generator is located near the meter box so that solution would be obvious to the fire department.

[RUGMAN]

pulling the meter is dangerous, most FD's won't do that