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Your One Bullet Point Solution; Electrical Upgrade

Two points; I am well aware of many threads on topic of electrical service. I do not have time to read hundreds of posts, but wish to distill them down with your help. I will also post this on the Misc Forum to get wider response:

Doing service upgrade to 100A. I plan on adding a whole house surge protector, type 2, add on to panel after the service enters house. Panel to the HT/Music room is not under consideration, as it was all updated when the room was built. 

If anyone has important info/contradictory info on that plan, please inform. 

What I would like to know in shorthand form from the community from those who have Done upgrades:

1. Recommended Panel? Brand, any difference? 

2. I currently have sub-panel for HT/Audio room which I'm tempted to keep. I understand that this is a good move. 
Electrician can sum all into a larger panel, but I have reservations. Comments/recommendations? 

3. Particular wiring/breakers for panel/sub-panel for audio use? 

4. Particular surge protector recommend. 

As the topic has been covered much, notation form comments are welcome. Thanks for helping! 


douglas_schroeder
douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 
Yes, DOH, copper! I was thinking back to the military grade outlets I installed at one time to demo. Copper bus...

This is a U.S. residence

It’s beginning to look like the alternatives are limited; I’ planning at this point:

-Square D or equivalent with copper bus and better i.e. QO breakers
-200A service upgrade

Answers to questions:
-Currently both main panel and sub-panel are about 1 foot apart; sub-panel was added when HT was built. No change planned in regards to location
-Distance to room in terms of run to 20A outlets is perhaps 20-25 feet
-20A lines are from sub-panel

My only remaining decision seems to be whether to add sub-panel (or perhaps more accurately, to leave it in place) to the service upgrade’s new 200A panel - purely to enhance sound quality? I have been told that it is desirable to have sub-panel for dedicated room to cut down on possible noise, and I have the space and wiring in place for it.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
Keep the subpanel. I just upgraded the electric on my small rowhome (with advice from @jea48 ). New line from meter to inside house, upgrade panel to Square D 100A. The electrician kept my existing 60A subpanel which feeds my audio system.
8’ copper ground rod is tied to main panel, a 2nd ground rod is tied to the subpanel.



douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 
lowrider57, thanks for the input. I think it's a wise move to have an alternative configuration re: sub-panel. 
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
oldhvymec
The comment about not being able to get the 100 amps, that just isn’t the case..
The amperage is almost unlimited ...
Sorry, but you don’t know what you are talking about.

your right I should have said "can be, almost unlimited".

I don’t have issues like that here, That I notice anyway..

35 years ago PG&E installed new service from 8 - 20 kv in all
the residential clusters, brownouts are nonexistent anymore.
We lose power 2 times a year, usually scheduled.

Where I live the same standards apply, suppose to be 120, 220-240
but that varies, too from 115-125 on a single rail.

Nice to see you noticed... I’ve never heard the term "beast of burden",
I guess I should have paid more attention to the 7 electricians at the family  BBQs. I’ve heard of summation, loads. The total of all the breakers combined, exceeds the rating on the main, by X%. Here in the bay area it is by county, 20% I think.

But thanks I learn something new every day.. 1/10th of one amp will still get ya...no matter who makes it though.

Regards
douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 
Thank you, everyone! In planning with the electrician now. 
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