Electrical Service hookup

Mar 05, 2007 7 Replies
I

Hi,



I'm changing my service from 100 to 200 amp and I have a few questions regarding wire size.



The service is overhead lines to the meter and then via 2 inch galv steel conduit to the panel. The hydro company supplies the lines up to the mast head and I'm responsible for the rest.



The local codes state the minimum size of conductor to be RW # 2/0 with a bare # 3 for neutral.



I'm wondering if using RW # 3/0 is overkill? I'm not sure what size would be good for the neutral. Would bare # 3 still work?


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D

Yes to all. Why would you want to make the wire larger than the Code requires? Is it an unusually long run, where you need to be worried about voltage drop? If not, there's really no point in oversizing -- it justs costs more, and it's harder to work with.

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I

Thanks Doug, I'm going to stick with the # 2/0 conductor size.

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S

The neutral should be the same size AND insulated also and 2/0 is fine. 3/0 would be fine also, but yes, would be overkill.

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D

There's no requirement that the neutral be the same size as the ungrounded conductors.

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S

The fact that I spoke before thinking. I guess the neutral IS bare a lot of times on SE. (and smaller.)

I was just thinking of the way I did mine.

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S

See my previous reply explaining my brain fart.

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