service entrances.

i am remodeling and building a 2500 sq ft addition on to a allready good sized house.This house has a existing 200 amp breaker panel that is allready filled but so we plan to remove it completely and switch over to 400 amp however with the extra 200 amp panel i am stumped makeing the new connections.Does this new panel have to be wired as a sub panel or does it need some kind of connection box at the new meter base any thoughts on this will be appericated....

 

I'm not sure I understand. Are you are removing the old panel and replacing it with a new 400-amp panel in the same location? If so, you only have one panel and there would be no subpanel.

If not, what did you mean by "remove it completely"?

 

the existing 200 amp panel will come out completely and in the new addition i was told we'll have to place two 200 amp panels side by side for the 400 amp i am jus not sure of the wire hookups through both these panels to the meter base.

 

Below is a link for wiring a service. You will have to upgrade you riser conductors to be able to carry both 200 amp panels in parallel. The ampacity of those conductors going up that riser will have to be 400 amp rated not 200 amp rated as the are now. If you have an underground service then the pictures will match what you will be doing. Either way you will find that installing two 200 amp panels in paralles cheaper than buying one 400 amp panel by far and still do the same job.

Try the following link, jump down to the part that says for services larger than 200 amp. Look for mini picuture links that you can click and you should see how the wires between the two panels and the new 400 amp meter base is to be connected.

http://www.homewiringandmore.com/hom...ter/meter.html

Let us know if this helps and if you have further questions.

Wg

 

Maybe I missed something here but, why are you removing a 200A panel and replacing it with 2 200A panels? Why can't you just add a second 200A panel with its own feed from the meter? I have done this for customers with no problem. You can get a higher rated meter socket.

200A equipment is cheaper and you can't get more circuit spaces in the 400A than the 200A.

 

I didn't know they even made a 400 amp residential panel. I believe you would have to go to a comericial grade bolt on and you are talking about some money. Leave the 200 amp panel there and install another 200 amp panel next to it. You will have to change the meter can to a 400amp. It will be much bigger with two lugs on it for two panels. Call your utility co. and schedule it with them. hope this helps

 

Yes,,, thats the way I did mine,,, 400 A meter base, then 2 sets of 3/0 copper out the bottom thru a 3 inch nipple into a 6 by 6 trough then out 2 2 inch thru the wall into 2 200 panels.

 

Available is an out-door enclosure rated a 400 amps, 220volts, equipped with meter-socket and two 2-pole 200 amp breakers.This enclosure was designed for residential services in order to eliminate a 400 amp Service Dis-connect and 400 amp current-transformers and is the simplest method for a 200-400 amp service re-placement because you can leave the existing 200 amp panel intact. This enclosure must be approved by the local utility co. because of the metering arrangement.----Good Luck!!!

 

Thanks for all the replies you have all been very helpful.Question answer...A special thank you to you wgoodrich a good inforative site you got there.Jus to answer some of the questions why the existing 200 amp panel comes out is weel if you could only see the mess of spagetti in there that plus the bad overload status of it you would understand...Take my word its a mess that plus it will be about 80 feet from the new service entrance.Anyway thatk you again Dennis.