Not if you are looking to reduce your electric bill. It doesn't matter if you have a 400A, a 200A, or a 100A panel. Your bill is based on the power that you consume. If you want to lower your bill you'll have to look at ways to reduce the power you use.
OK, let's try this. Say you are using 1000 gallons of water a day and the water flows into your home just fine through your 1 inch water pipe.
Now you want to reduce your water bill. You find ways to use LESS water. Say you reduce your water usage to 500 gallons a day. You have cut your water usage in half. You could probably get by with a 1/2 inch water pipe now!
Same thing with ELECTRICITY. If you use less electricity, you don't need a larger "pipe". 400 amps is a larger "pipe"!
Is there any chance that there is a lower cost for putting in a larger service? I remember living on farm in the 70s, and the power company gave us a better rate when we put in new electrical service. This included having to do electric heat, electric appliances, and having a automatic yard light.
-john-
If you don't need it, no - in fact it's a waste of money, time and materials. There are houses that need 400A service, just very, very few of them.
If you want to reduce your electric bill, take the advice you've been given to analyze your electricity consumption and take it from there.
R
You got a better rate per KWH, but you gave more money to the utility.
That's classical dope pusher behavior - get them started at low cost, then when they're hooked they'll more than make-up for any short term losses.
R
I have 150 amp service, 2.5 ton airconditioner, two refridgerators and my last electric bill was $47 just to make you feel bad. Running my airconditioner does no seem to make major change in my bill, and I turn it down to 70-71 degrees at night.
greg
LOL! I have a different name for the newsreader in each computer i use. The DLT is the dell laptop.
s
To cut cost? No.
The ONLY reason is if you use so much electricity that you use more than 200A.
No, because he already has service. It is unlikely the cost of upgrade could be recovered even if he did get some kind of rate change.
Not quite...
First, the 1/2" pipe would only have half the area of the 1" pipe. You'd really need a 3/4" pipe to give half the flow rate at the same pressure.
Second, if you already have a 1" pipe installed, there is no reason to change to a smaller one. Just use the big pipe with the lower flow rate.
Don't think so! area = pi r squared. The half inch pipe has a quarter the capacity of an incher.
Art
That's what I meant to say! :-)
$47..... Now that hurts....
Well, if we're going to have a pity party...
My last electric bill was about $240, and it's pretty much that much year round.
Outdoor hot tub. Asthmatic husband who wheezes when it's hot and humid, so the thermostat is set to 70 and the air conditioner runs almost every day that the furnace is not on.
Obviously, if I was motivated to reduce consumption I'd insist that he get rid of the hot tub.
Cindy Hamilton
If your house requires more than 200A but less than or equal to 400A, then a 400A service is much better than 200A service! :-)
Matt
Close: "Pie are round, cornbread is square"
Well, at least you didn't say you'd get rid of him!
We run about $190 in the summer (no A/C) and twice that in the winter (mostly electrical heat).
Certainly. If 200A isn't enough 400A might be called for. If this=20 is a residential service, reducing consumption would be a better=20 place to start. ...unless you make global warming films.
--=20 Keith
I can think of one reason to go to that high a service, if you have a large shop out back, lots of wood working tools, machine tools, ect, would be a good reason to get that much juice
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