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Upgrading to 200A Service - Do I have to upgrade panel base?

Upgrading to 200A Service - Do I have to upgrade panel base?


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Old 10-05-18, 06:52 AM
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Upgrading to 200A Service - Do I have to upgrade panel base?

Hi there. I bought a fixer upper and am planning to upgrade to a 200A service. I am not positive what I have now, but believe it to be either 60 or 100. Permits are not required in my area (rural midwest). I am working alongside an electrician friend who will do most of the heavy lifting.

My question is in regards to the meter/meter base: if upgrading to a new panel, do I also need to upgrade to a new 200A meter socket? Is this my concern or the electric company's? Any tips?

Thanks!
 
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Old 10-05-18, 07:32 AM
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You have to upgrade the socket if your current one is rated less than 200A. Sometimes there will be a 200A socket even if you have a 100A panel, but that's not typically the case so I think you should plan on replacement.

In my area the power company supplies the socket for free, but it is the homeowner's responsibility to install and wire it to code. They have a booklet that lists required heights, clearances, how to fasten it, etc. Your power company probably has something similar, and even if they don't supply the socket they will almost certainly have an "approved list" of sockets you have to choose from.
 
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Old 10-05-18, 08:05 AM
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It's probably your utility's policy to also charge for upgrading the gauge of the cabling from the pole to your meter so that it will carry the higher amperage.

Seldom will an old 60 Amp service be supplied by cable heavy enough to carry 200 Amp.
 
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Old 10-05-18, 08:30 AM
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Thanks for the advice so far guys. I got in contact with a POCO engineer and they gave me a recommended model number, which is about $300.

They cover the cable from the line to the weatherhead, I cover the rest. Would it be okay to use aluminum service cable to go from the meter to my panel? It would save me a few hundred dollars.
 
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Old 10-05-18, 05:12 PM
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Aluminum service and feeder conductors are used safely every day. Save the money.
 
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Old 10-05-18, 06:02 PM
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I got in contact with a POCO engineer and they gave me a recommended model number, which is about $300.
$300 for a meter socket is crazy expensive! A 200 amp meter socket with a bypass handle is about $125 at the big box,
 
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Old 10-09-18, 11:00 AM
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I got in contact with a POCO engineer and they gave me a recommended model number, which is about $300.

What power company?


I agree $300 is crazy expensive, where did you get that price? If you are an Ameren customer the socket would be around $185 at Lowes or $199 at Home Depot from what I recall.
 
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Old 10-15-18, 04:38 AM
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Yes @CasualJoe I am an Ameren customer. I think the main reason for the price is that it also has to be a disconnect box? The product I have to get is a 200A socket with a bypass handle and built-in disconnect.
 
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Old 10-15-18, 07:35 AM
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Check the Ameren website and you'll find an extensive listing of metering equipment of all types and manufacturers approved by Ameren for use on their systems for both Ameren Illinois and Ameren Missouri. You may be able to find something approved that could be a little less expensive. I would recommend looking at the Milbank products.


https://www.ameren.com/-/media/Corpo...ection1100.pdf
 
 

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