[nervous]

I am interested in updating my breaker panel to aquire more circuits.

My house was built in 73, i bought it in 02, there had been quite a bit of modifications. most seem to be safe and functioning. the house is a ranch on a full basement, unfinished. I wanted to add circuits in the basement, its pretty bare at the moment, but the panel is full.

the panel is a 150 amp murry. i was thinking about sticking in a square D 200 amp long panel with the extra breaker slots. this would allow me to redo some of the modifications that seem to have to much of a load on one circuit and give me room to put in circuits for a workshop in the basement.

I had an electrician come out to get a estimate. he talked alot about code, and that if he changed the panel out, he would have to meet todays code. the cost would be over 10k. to move the panel and the meter so the locations would meet georgia code. he gave me an alternate choice, where he would rework the panel and put in two circuits in the basement. i went with his option. this was a year ago. I now have the time to tinker in the workshop and find the electrical set up lacking. so i seem to be back to square one.

I would be grateful for any insight on a solution to my problem.

Thanks
nervous.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Your electrician sound like an honest guy and he knows your local codes. I'd call him back, tell him what you need and go with his recommendations.

 

[jbfan]

I think I may have to go up on my prices!!! I have a lady at work that was quoted $3K to just replace the panel. What part of GA and what updates was he talking about?

 

[nervous]

I think I may have to go up on my prices!!! I have a lady at work that was quoted $3K to just replace the panel. What part of GA and what updates was he talking about?

north west georgia in the kennesaw area, cobb county. would have been in the 2003 year.
what he said in reference to the panel changes boiled down to this. he would have to move the panel and or the meter so that the two were back to back with just the cinder block wall seperating them, that they had to be X distance from the ground.
both the panel and the meter are on the south wall, its cinder block, on the outside the grade is about 4 feet up from the floor level inside. inside the bottom of the panel is about even with the ground height. outside the meter is about 3 feet up from the ground.
so i guess the contention is that, if he swaps the panel. he has to meet 2003 code. which requires the meter to connect to the back of the panel. to move the panel over 8 feet and up 2 feet or the meter over 8 feet and down 2 feet would fix the back to back code but would then break ground height code. he didnt say how he would get around this if i wanted him to do it, only that it would be around 500 in parts, 10k in labor and take 2 days. ( i assumed he quoted 10k rather then saying he wasnt interested, but i did buy all the code issues )

 

[nervous]

I dont think there will be any overload, upstairs is 1500 sq ft with nothing special going on. ceiling fans with lights, 2 tvs and a std kitchen. downstairs has a compressor, table saw, and so on. but i cant imagine having it all on at once. so more circuits would be fine. I dont remember the reasoning he used but the electrician who was here ruled out a sub panel. perhaps i just need to find another electrician.

 

[jbfan]

I think you need to find another one. To bad you are so far from me, I would be glad to look at it. Of course if you want to pay me 10k I would be glad to take care of it for you

 

[nervous]

newan isnt that far ! the 10k want work though not if i want to sleep somewhere besides the couch.

im about 30 mins from welcome rd in newan.

 

[marxlaws]

newan isnt that far ! the 10k want work though not if i want to sleep somewhere besides the couch.

im about 30 mins from welcome rd in newan.

it seem you could move the panel outside and put it anywhere almost. i have a hard time anything he did should cost ten thousand dollars. get a second opinion. im editing this -- thats bull**** he was taking you. no way , that there wasnt another way to upgrade that service, its gonna cost 2500 in ga. check your prices 200 panel ,125 meter can ,50 riser/wh or ug stuff, 20 dollars ground rods 80 permit. and misc copper 50. thats it. where is the rest of your ten gs going? materials high end 650 with a good surge protector. that leaves 9350 + tax. right... :Thumbs: oh yeah i did a champs store last week -w/350s, took 3hrs to feed the disco and mount it and six more to upgrade the panel (remove replace). your house alot smaller its two guys, 6hrs job, tops. lol 10000+ he didnt have the guts to stop there 10000+