Is 200 amps enough, nowadays?

200 amps is what the home centers are stocking, not many choices over 200 amps.

So...... for 1500 sq ft of home, what would be considered excessive power? 300 amps? 400 amps?

(Answers only, if you have a variation of the question, start your own thread )

 

You have not supplied enough information.

It would help to know what electrical loads are anticipated in this house.

Will there be an electric water heater? An electric dryer? An electric range? Electric heat? What about a water pump, or is the house on public water? Will a home workshop be installed, and/or will certain power hungry tools be used?

If you have none of the above power hungry devices, then 200 amps is more than enough, and would be considered overkill by some. However, if you have most or all of the devices mentioned above, then perhaps 200 amps is not enough.

 

Answers only, if you have a variation of the question, start your own thread )

Steve,
Why the "attitude"??? We're all here to help each other

200 amps is adequate for almost any home. Unless you have electric heat, electric water heater, hot tub, etc., 200 amps is more than you actually would need. My house is roughly the same size, and I get by easily with 100 amp service.
Andy

 

Yep, you have to realize that not all of your electrical devices will run at the same time (example: A/C and Heat). 200 Amps should be more than adequate, in my opinion, unless you have some extenuating circumstances. If that is the case, please provide this information.

 

in reality for the home size most area 200 amp service is plenty big ,,,,,,, but most electrican will be happy to give you the load demand formila to determied the load you have in the house and garage if included the figures ..


few very large home use 400 amp service . some case use the three phase service also . bear in the mind it depend on sq footage and load demeand is .

majorty of new home useally run 200 amp nowdays and that is plenty big for average size home .

if have some doubt can check with electrican to help you to get the right size


merci marc

 

I've never met the 1500 Sq. Ft. house that needed more than 200Amps. I've seen many larger homes that had 400Amp services. But most of them were using well less than 200. The 400 was installed for the extra panel capacity (84 circuits in two panels, instead of 42 in one.)

 

100amp or 60amp could be sufficient in reality, provided that the load is not large: ie: no large elec appliances, gas/oil hot water heater, furnace, a/c, stove; no window a/c, etc. Afterall, some escue the use of any electricity in houses [eg: Mennionites].

 

It is possible to have several 200 amp circuits in your home if needed. However your breaker box and having it installed will be very expensive. In 90% of homes, a 200 amp service is plenty.
I doubt your electric company would approve a larger service for a home.

 

In my experience, most POCO's will gladly set you up with 400 Amps on the service. (Actually, it's 360 Amps) That is the largest in line meter that is made. Go bigger than that and you have to use a CT meter. I've seen that as well (several 600's and a couple of 800's believe it or not), but not all utilities will allow it.

 

'Load diversity' is a wonderfull thing. You never run everything at once. This is also the reason that the branch breakers can add up to more than the main. Over 200 amps can be needed in large houses with multiple heat pumps units (or just A/C units), electric pool heaters, electric water heaters, etc. A 1500 SF house would be really hard pressed to need even 200 amps.
CSelectric mentioned the other reason for multiple large panels, and that is the 42 overcrrent device limit in a general use panel (not including the mains). This can be taken care of with a subpanel, but the 'more is better' mindset probably starts to take over.

 

A 20 amp service would do for my house (2 20A 120V circuits)
I have are NO 240V applainces !!
200A is PLENTY unless you have a huge house

 

I'm sure that the "more is better" philosophy had some effect on the 400A phenomena. These days, it's become pretty much standard issue for custom homes in the Chicago market. The local POCO is real good about providing 360 services without a heavy upcharge, and the equipment suppliers are selling enough volume on those parts to make it attractive. Anymore, it's just as cheap, if not cheaper to install a 400A meter trough and a pair of 42 circuit "dueces" as it is to set up a 200 and a sub panel. That all comes down to demand based pricing. in other area of the country it doesn't work out to be so cheap.

Plus, and this is purely a matter of more is better, the concept of upgrade comes into play. The buyers in the high end custom market are infatuated with the concept of upgraded equipment. In some area of the country, 200A is an upgrade over the typical 100A install. In the Chicago market, where 200A is the minimum the POCO will install, 400A becomes the upgrade. Is that overkill? Usually, but it sells well in the "give 'em what they think they want" school of sales.