[Johnny916]

Hi, I'm a newly trained electrical contractor in Sacramento, CA.
I have lots of questions so here's one:

What's the best way to go about hooking up a subpanel?
Does the utility company have to get involved in this?

Assume that a 50A subpanel is needed and a 100A panel exists with 2-3 breakers left.

 

[Teetorbilt]

The power company will be most interested in this as you only have a 100Ah meter. If there is a chance that you might consume more than this the meter could be damaged. Before doing anything you will need to call them and have a 200Ah meter installed.

 

[Glasshousebltr]

Yea! cause if you don't Johnney, you'll be one of Teetor's meter eaters.:cheesygri


Bob

 

[Speedy Petey]

The power company will be most interested in this as you only have a 100Ah meter. If there is a chance that you might consume more than this the meter could be damaged. Before doing anything you will need to call them and have a 200Ah meter installed.

It's really NOT that simple.

1) You can NOT "consume" more than 100 amps. There is a main breaker of 100 amps in the main panel into which the service conductors are attached. If you draw more than 100 amps, for the sake of argument, the breaker will trip.

2) The same meter is used for 100 and 200 amp services.

3)You don't just have the meter replaced by the POCO. You do a service upgrade from 100 to 200 amps.


Johnny, weren't sub-panels part of your "training"???

 

[Teetorbilt]

Speedy, check the guys posts. We were just sending him out for a board stretcher or left handed pipe wrench.
All in good fun for a 'newly trained electrical contractor' asking questions that he should have known the answers to.
The meter thing seemed amusing to me, I spent some time as a local grid engineer for Duke Power and I could hear the guy calling in saying that he needed a 200A meter. Is that a 'power' joke?
My next job was a service manager at Dixie Boat Works, a substantial raise and similar benefits, go figure.

 

[Speedy Petey]

You know, I should have known better. Actually I should have know you knew better.
I'm sure you saw I had to jump on the bandwagon with this guy. After reading all the other posts in the other threads I should have come back and edited.
Sorry.