# Do I need 200 amp service?



## sirsparksalot (Oct 16, 2010)

http://www.bestinspectors.net/NACHI-products-reports.htm

Scroll down to the Residential Single Family Electrical Service Calculator. It's a free download.


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## Techy (Mar 16, 2011)

with all gas appliances 100 amps is usually plenty


but if you're redoing your panel/service anyway, going to 200A is usually not that much more money


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

Thanks. Fully loaded I'm getting 71 amps. I guess we don't need it. :\

I would only redo the panel if we were heavying up. I think adding a subpanel for the new circuits we might need for the renovation is more cost effective. Are there reasons to upgrade the panel if it is fully functional and in good working order?


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## Techy (Mar 16, 2011)

Only if it's a Federal Pacific, or Zinsco(Sylvania) Panel.


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## kbsparky (Sep 11, 2008)

You don't have to upgrade the "service" even if you want to replace the "load center" --->

If a house has most of its heavy heating done by gas, a 100 Amp service is usually adequate, as you have discovered.


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

i'm saving up for 400.


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## electures (Dec 22, 2009)

Unless your house is all electric, you probably don't need it. Sounds like an upsell to me.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

If planning on putting in a workshop out in the garage, would be the only reason I can see going with 200 amp. My house was built in/around 1937, and we have 100 amp service. With CFL's, and today's more energy efficient appliances, a home that before needed 200 amp, may be able to get by nowdays with a 100 or 150 amp service. Look at current needs, and then look at future, depending on how much longer you plan on being there. To give you an idea, our panel only has one slot left in a Square D 20 slot, and I have had to use 4 tandem breakers to fit our needs. Yes the panel needs a sub, but currently still in the process of a long drawn out update on this place, but stuck in the middle of a Kitchen remodel.


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## electures (Dec 22, 2009)

You really need to do a service calculation. If all you need is more circuits then install one of the new 60 circuit panels. It will depend on the load.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

electures said:


> You really need to do a service calculation. If all you need is more circuits then install one of the new 60 circuit panels. It will depend on the load.


For the OP, since it is a 2000 sq ft home, and they plan on doing a Home Theater, really a 200 amp service would be sufficient, so why do a service calc, when they know what they are going to have in there. 100 amp or even 150 amp would be doing a disservice for the size of the home, and the planned use in the home. For example, my home is only 821 sq ft, with 2 bedrooms. 100 amp is sufficient. If I added a electric range or electric water heater, or even a server farm, I would have to look at going with 150 amp or if I added a workshop in my garage, 200 amp. Everyone's needs are different, but in this case with their needs, 200 amp would probably be the best route for current and future needs.


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## Ironlight (Apr 13, 2011)

I don't think a few of you later posters have read my posts. I said we HAVE a home theater, are conservation minded, and have been fine in terms of the performance of our electrical service thus far. I don't have any immediate plans to increase our load. The issue is that contractors just seemed to assume that we were going to heavy up as part of our renovation.

I did the calculation, as you can see above, and I appear to be comfortably within what 100 amp service can provide


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

Ironlight, regardless what the calculator stated, for your size of home, min. by today's standards would be 150 amp, 200 amp for future needs. Do not under estimate what may happen in the future in lets say 20 or so years when the next buyer moves in, or in your case, your needs increase.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

If you are adding to finished living space such as finishing a basement, or adding a subpanel to make your garage into a workshop, or add a large built in electric appliance (heaven forbid, a water heater) where none was before, you have to do a new load calculation and this in turn may force you to upgrade to a bigger (150? 200?) amp service.

Load calculation includes among other things a wattage requirement (3 watts) per squre foot.

You should do a load claculation when just upgrading to code e.g. the 2 small applaince 20 amp circuits to the kitchen but here you may get away with not upgrading the serice if you fall short of amps.


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