100 or 200 amp service

Too bad you didn't spot this earlier. You could have defined the panel as "crap", done an escrow account to replace it, and rolled all the cost into your mortgage.

I wouldn't bother with the replacement 100 amp panel. The cost difference between 100amp and 200amp is trivial.

Taunt wrote:

Reply to
RoyJ
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Good idea, that may change her mind :)

They left the dryer and, it may be 20 years old... there's alot of rust on the outside.

Even the re-conditioned breakers are very expensive. I'm going to replace the Zinsco panel first and start saving for the service upgrade. For the cost of the breakers for the Zinsco, I can replace the panel and all the breakers.

The garage is attached and I'm planning on a 100 amp sub when the 200 amp upgrade is done.

Thanks again, Jack

Reply to
Taunt

I saw the shop/garage and got all excited for my future machine tools and forgot to check things as closly as I should have. My BAD!

I could cancel my machine purchase and do the 200 amp service upgrade first and then start saving for the machines again.

*** OR ***

Go ahead with the machine purchase and start saving for the service upgrade. While I'm saving for the upgrade I can start dis-assembling the machines for the reverse engineering of a cnc retrofit.

If I buy a 100 amp panel now, will I have to buy a 200 amp panel for the

200 amp service or can I just buy a 200 amp breaker for it.

Thanks, Jack

Reply to
Taunt

If it runs, use it. You can beat on them with a hammer all day and they'll still run, especially the old GE's.

Do a bit of PM first - take an hour and open it up, vacuum out 20 years of escaped lint, change the drum drive belt, oil the motor bearings, spray silicone lube on the drum slides, check the felt sliding seals between the drum and chassis. 90% of the time when they fail it's a simple broken belt.

If you're really feeling generous, sand and paint the rusty spots on the cabinet. The only place rusty metal is bad is if the porcelain enamel inside the drum is chipped off or plain worn through - then SWMBO ends up with rusty clothes, and she will not be a happy camper.

If the house has an "All-In-One" service outside (Meter socket, main and branch breakers in one big box), or the utility insists that you redo it that way, wait and do it all at once.

But first things first, you need to talk to both your city or county building inspection "authority having jurisdiction" and the power utility "Service Planner" for your area before doing /anything/, to avoid doing things twice. Or taking something that is done apart just to let the inspector look inside. If the house has only the meter socket outside, and the Main Breaker is in the panel inside, or it has a 100A fusible disconnect switch or cased breaker in between, you can install a full-size 200A 42-space panel now (and only do the work once) - but you need to be running through a 100A main breaker, because that's all the meter socket and supply conductors are rated for.

When you get the funds, you can change out the meter socket and riser wires, pull the permit, get it inspected, and swap out the main breaker to shift it up to a full 200A feed.

You have time - go get a good Crouse-Hinds/Murray/Siemens, Cutler- Hammer/Challenger (Eaton) or GE panel. And if you don't want to do it again for many years insist on a panel with Copper main busses. They are made, but unless you ask you get the cheap ones.

Stay with the standard 1" wide 'Industrial Interchange' breaker designs. I would stay away from anything proprietary like Cutler- Hammer "CH" series, SquareD QO or Homeline. You can end up in the same boat with the Zinsco, ITE Pushmatic, and FPE Stab-Lok folks.

Even though the SquareD Homeline series LOOKS like the others, the buss stabs are *just* different enough they aren't interchangeable - and once you cut notches in the tinned aluminum buss to make other brand breakers fit in a Homeline panel, that's the kiss of death for the buss because now the oxidation has an easy path in...

You can do the 100 Amp sub and feeders right now - just don't try running too much at once before the main service gets bumped up. Or have lots of spare 100A fuses ready...

De Nada. ;-) -->--

Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

How about a 200 amp service panel installed with a 100 amp main disconnect now, and update to full 200 amp service when you have the money? Would not be the first one to do it that way - likely not the last either. 100 amp fused main disconnects should be easy to find used/surplus.100 amp breaker disconnects may be harder to find.

Reply to
nospam.clare.nce

This is an all gas house and may be on a special discount rate from your gas company. I know I am.

Just something else to check on. changing to the electric dryer may change the gas rate.

Howard

Reply to
Howard Garner

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