Service Entrance cable and Sub-Panel questions
#1
07-24-14, 03:16 PM
Join Date: Jul 2014
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Service Entrance cable and Sub-Panel questions
Replacing an old (undersized) breaker panel inside house and have to run a new service entrance cable to the new 200 amp panel. The inside panel is really a sub-panel since there is a main disconnect panel right next to the power meter outside.
Here is a picture of the main disconnect located next to the power meter on the outside of the house. My plan is to run 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum SE cable to the new 200 Amp panel inside the house. Here are a few questions I was hoping someone could confirm for me:
1. Does the proposed wiring from the exterior disconnect look correct? The two hots connected to the lugs on the bottom of the disconnect and the ground and neutral ran from the ground/neutral bar in the disconnect panel?
2. Should the cable running from the exterior disconnect panel to where it enters the house be ran in conduit? If so, is 2" schedule 40 PVC okay?
3. There is a ground that runs from the exterior disconnect to the water pipe inside? Should I change this run and have it go from the new interior sub-panel to the water pipe instead? Or does it matter?
Thanks in advance for any insights you might have!!!
Here is a picture of the main disconnect located next to the power meter on the outside of the house. My plan is to run 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum SE cable to the new 200 Amp panel inside the house. Here are a few questions I was hoping someone could confirm for me:
1. Does the proposed wiring from the exterior disconnect look correct? The two hots connected to the lugs on the bottom of the disconnect and the ground and neutral ran from the ground/neutral bar in the disconnect panel?
2. Should the cable running from the exterior disconnect panel to where it enters the house be ran in conduit? If so, is 2" schedule 40 PVC okay?
3. There is a ground that runs from the exterior disconnect to the water pipe inside? Should I change this run and have it go from the new interior sub-panel to the water pipe instead? Or does it matter?
Thanks in advance for any insights you might have!!!
#2
07-24-14, 05:52 PM
Member
1. Does the proposed wiring from the exterior disconnect look correct? The two hots connected to the lugs on the bottom of the disconnect and the ground and neutral ran from the ground/neutral bar in the disconnect panel?
2. Should the cable running from the exterior disconnect panel to where it enters the house be ran in conduit? If so, is 2" schedule 40 PVC okay?
3. There is a ground that runs from the exterior disconnect to the water pipe inside? Should I change this run and have it go from the new interior sub-panel to the water pipe instead? Or does it matter?
#4
07-24-14, 07:18 PM
I am in the midst of a 200 amp service upgrade and have the exact same panel setup (main disconnect next to meter, sub-panel (former main panel) inside 25' away.)
I have 2" pvc conduit with 3 2/0 THHN and 2 #4 THHN copper (one #4 feeding ground bus from main disconnect to sub panel and one #4 going 90' alllll-the-waaaay to the opposite corner of my house to my water service inlet).
I'm not a fan of SER cable being exposed to the open air, but maybe you can hide it entirely and pop it through the back of the panel... But I'm guessing that the brick makes that more of a challenge
I'm just waiting on the folks from the power company to disconnect the service and bury it so I can replace the OH service mast and meter socket with my new socket and main disconnect... Oh, and there's an inspection in there somewhere too.
Forgot to ask, since you are apparently in the middle of your own upgrade, how are you currently feeding the inside panel?
I have 2" pvc conduit with 3 2/0 THHN and 2 #4 THHN copper (one #4 feeding ground bus from main disconnect to sub panel and one #4 going 90' alllll-the-waaaay to the opposite corner of my house to my water service inlet).
I'm not a fan of SER cable being exposed to the open air, but maybe you can hide it entirely and pop it through the back of the panel... But I'm guessing that the brick makes that more of a challenge
I'm just waiting on the folks from the power company to disconnect the service and bury it so I can replace the OH service mast and meter socket with my new socket and main disconnect... Oh, and there's an inspection in there somewhere too.
Forgot to ask, since you are apparently in the middle of your own upgrade, how are you currently feeding the inside panel?
#5
07-25-14, 07:59 AM
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: United States
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@CasualJoe - Thanks for reviewing and for the information!!
@mnmattmn - Yeah currently finishing a basement and the existing panel isn't going to cut it so we are going to redo all the wiring in the house. It hard to see in the picture but there is currently a 60 Amp double pole breaker in the exterior disconnect box feeding the existing panel. I could use that existing path but I am moving the location of the interior panel since the current panel is in the stairwell. I think it will be easier to run the new line in a new hole. Thanks for the input!
@mnmattmn - Yeah currently finishing a basement and the existing panel isn't going to cut it so we are going to redo all the wiring in the house. It hard to see in the picture but there is currently a 60 Amp double pole breaker in the exterior disconnect box feeding the existing panel. I could use that existing path but I am moving the location of the interior panel since the current panel is in the stairwell. I think it will be easier to run the new line in a new hole. Thanks for the input!
