Phase 1 of my Electrical Upgrade is DONE!!!

[kmc123]

The Electrician just left and Phase 1 of my 200 Amp to 400 Amp upgrade is done! The only thing left to do for "Phase 2" is to run some conduit, and put in the actual outlets...

I have pictures of the progress on my site if anyone is interested...

[wbuehler]

Nice

Bill

[jeffathompson]

The Electrician just left and Phase 1 of my 200 Amp to 400 Amp upgrade is done! The only thing left to do for "Phase 2" is to run some conduit, and put in the actual outlets...

I have pictures of the progress on my site if anyone is interested...

So now can you run 400 amps of 120 off the dedicated side? and 400 amps off the house side?

[ben]

thats amazing! Jsut curious, how much did that cost you? From phone call to him driving away?

Ben

[kmc123]

So now can you run 400 amps of 120 off the dedicated side? and 400 amps off the house side?

:p
Yes - BUT - 400 Amps outside is plenty FOR NOW ;)

I've got a pretty wired home, and it was pushing it last year with my existing 200 Amp service.

I had an additional 200 Amp service added to the outside for Blinky Flashy, and you are correct, it's 200 Amps at 240v, and 400 Amps at 120v.

So...
I'm covered. :p

[rlilly]

You're now set to run 13000+ strings of LEDs!

[deplanche]

Phase 3, install wind turbine to provide power for lights?

[jeffathompson]

Phase 3, install wind turbine to provide power for lights?

Nuclear Power Plant.

Hey Kevin, I'll send you the plans for mine. I'm working on the PCB right now!

[Macrosill]

Nuclear Power Plant.

Hey Kevin, I'll send you the plans for mine. I'm working on the PCB right now!

I can use one of those too! Add me to the list please. :D

[jeffathompson]

What's that Noise? Anybody else here it when you log onto this thread?

Oh wait, that's Kevin's electric meter spinning!

[ben]

What's that Noise? Anybody else here it when you log onto this thread?

Oh wait, that's Kevin's electric meter spinning!

Its that low tone buzz from all that power going through the lines :lol:

Ben

[WWNF911]

Thanks for the update Kevin. I'll check out you website as this project is one I have yet to do. Soon....

[Jeff Millard]

Nuclear Power Plant.

Hey Kevin, I'll send you the plans for mine. I'm working on the PCB right now!



I can use one of those too! Add me to the list please. :D

I worked at one for five years... you don't want the regulation... go with the wind turbine, or sell solar to the grid during the day to make up for what you use from the grid at night...:grin:

Jeff

[Photovor]

You got some serious power now. Do you know how many houses you share the transformer on the pole with?

[kmc123]

I'm not sure - We have all underground utilities, so I can't just look at the transformer on a pole, but judging on the number of transformer "Pods" in our neighborhood, I'd GUESS that there are around 5-8 homes per "Pod"...

[Photovor]

We share 1 transformer with 8-9 houses, judging by following the triplexes coming from the other houses. In the winter and some times during the summer we experience minor power fluctuations due to large equipment turning on and off at the same times in all the houses. It's barely noticeable, but you can catch the light fluctuations out of the corner of your eye. I'd just love to hog about 400 amp of that and switch 200A on and off like crazy for some good payback.

[kmc123]

Well - I'll "Stick it to the man" for you this year :)
To top it all off, I'm thinking of going to LED's sooner than later, so I might not use as much as I was thinking...

[Trepidati0n]

Well - I'll "Stick it to the man" for you this year :)
To top it all off, I'm thinking of going to LED's sooner than later, so I might not use as much as I was thinking...

You don't have a choice it may seem. Rumor is after 2009 Christmas light production season in China...they are ALL going LED. That means our beloved incandescent minis are going buh-bye. Your 400 Amp service might be overkill in a fews years. :)

[kmc123]

Well, I actually had no choice...

My current breaker box was maxed out already, in fact - It was past that! It was filled to the limit, and 3 or 4 of the breakers were the "2 breakers in one slot" type.

So even if I went 100% LED, I still needed a major upgrade to simply get more circuits / outlets added to the yard...

[prof]

400 + Amps of LEDS, now that would be crazy. Should just about be visible from space. (Or half way across the state at least).

[kmc123]

Update:
Phase 2 started today - I put pictures of the progress up on:
http://www.c3inet.com/ElectricalUpgrade/index.htm
It is SUPPOSED to be finished on Monday the 6th - We'll see :)
I REALLY want this one DONE to scratch it off the list!!!

[Penfold]

Hey kevin, I would electrical tape the wire nuts to make it a little more safe. Either that, or are you going to put a face plate on that junction box?

[joneslights]

Or put a note on that metal box that reads. "Power constantly on this box, touch and see"

[kmc123]

:)
Yes - I'm going to cover the junction box. I'll post the final look and feel pictures on Monday. (Or whenever it's done...)

[joneslights]

:)
Yes - I'm going to cover the junction box. I'll post the final look and feel pictures on Monday. (Or whenever it's done...)

Aww, that takes all the fun out of it.

[sjwilson122]

You could always leave off the cover plate and wire nuts, that way you could have blinky falshy during the holiday season and arcy sparky the rest of the year.:p

[5childrensleep]

You could always leave off the cover plate and wire nuts, that way you could have blinky falshy during the holiday season and arcy sparky the rest of the year.:p

Arcy sparky aye? Hmmmm...(Zach thinks for a moment) I think that's gonna be easier than sequencing. Off to the high electrical demands appliance store!

[DManG]

Kevin,
Love your website!!! one question did the electic company have to upgrade anything? were the wires in the ground upgraded?
I'm looking at doing the same thing and after reading other non blinky flashy sites they talk about having the city(electic)/contractor upgrade the service from the city.

[kmc123]

Thanks!
No - They did not have to upgrade anything on the power company side...
I had to do some BIG upgrades on my side :)

[SeaHoCaptain]

...I have pictures of the progress on my site if anyone is interested...

Interested?!?!?! I LOVE you site :)

David

[kmc123]

Thanks David!
Maybe this year I'll get it cleaned up a bit :)

[PacMang]

Can you give any more information on how to get 400 Amps from a 200 amp service?

What is different about this vs a normal 200 amp panel?

thanks

[kmc123]

Sure!
I actually have 2 200 amp panels - I originally had 1, and added another.

[omzig]

Can you give any more information on how to get 400 Amps from a 200 amp service?

What is different about this vs a normal 200 amp panel?

thanksI don't know the specifics of Kevin's installation, but typically a residential 400A service consists of a class-320 meter and base (actually rated at 320A continuous) and two 200A service panels. Each panel has its own set service entrance wires from the meter base. It is necessary to have two panels because there is a limit of 42 breakers in any one panel, which would hardly be enough for a 400A service.

[kychristmas]

I was just informed by an electrician that I would not be able to get a permit to upgrade my service above 200A. My house was built in 1899. Apparently, the local code will not permit more than 200A service on my old house. The inside wiring has been upgraded from Knob and Tube to modern Romax (sp?) througout and the existing panel is new. That's not enough. I can probably ask for an exception, but I would imagine that's going to take a while.

So, I'm either going to have to do it without permit or make sure I don't need it. I think the latter will limit me too much. Giving up a couple of 30 AMP 220V circuits in my shop during the holidays could yield me 60 AMPS or would that actually be 120A of 110? Either way, is that enough?

Thanks,
Kelly

[RichF]

Why not install a Separate 200 amp service to the work shop. This would solve your problem of not enough power

[Wayne J]

I was just informed by an electrician that I would not be able to get a permit to upgrade my service above 200A. My house was built in 1899. Apparently, the local code will not permit more than 200A service on my old house. The inside wiring has been upgraded from Knob and Tube to modern Romax (sp?) througout and the existing panel is new. That's not enough. I can probably ask for an exception, but I would imagine that's going to take a while.

So, I'm either going to have to do it without permit or make sure I don't need it. I think the latter will limit me too much. Giving up a couple of 30 AMP 220V circuits in my shop during the holidays could yield me 60 AMPS or would that actually be 120A of 110? Either way, is that enough?

Thanks,
Kelly

Give this a read.....
http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4981

[Sloanhaus]

Come on Kevin, if you can afford all this electrical upgrade, I know you can afford a boom truck to pimp out those upper roof areas with some icicle lights.... Actually the show looks amazing. Love the mini leapers...

[RichF]

I am sure Keven has a boom truck all picked out to put in the garage for next year.

[PacMang]

Sure!
I actually have 2 200 amp panels - I originally had 1, and added another.

did you run the second 200a panel as a sub-panel? (dosne't sound like you did)

or with your existing 200amp service you were able to add another 200a panel.. (this dosen't make sense to me)


How can you have 2 200amp panels on an existing 200amp service? more details please as this is something that i think alot of us need to do.

[kmc123]

I do have a truck picked out for next year :)
PacMang - The existing 200 amp service was upgraded to a 400 amp service by replacing the meter can, the meter, etc... and putting another 200 amp service panel / breakers in. The 2 200 amp panels are both wired into the much larger meter can...

[taybrynn]

kmc,


The existing 200 amp service was upgraded to a 400 amp service by replacing the meter can

I'm assuming this is really a 320a continuous / 400a max meter can.

Does the power company do this meter can upgrade, or do you have to have an electrician do that?

My power company said I have power for 400A to the house already, and indicated I would need to upgrade the meter can. I've seen those meter can units (2/ dual 200a breakers ... one for each 200a service panel) for around $500-600 each.

I was just confused at who owns the spinning meter piece (assuming that the power company) ... but do you relocated that part from the old meter can into the new meter can?

Also ... how do you like the TED ? I've been thinking of getting the TED 5000 and monitor each 200a service pabel with it.

Thanks,
Scott

[kmc123]

I was lucky and the buried cables to my home would already support 400 amps, so I only had to replace the can - I had an electrician do it, and now have 200 amps for the lights and the original 200 amps for the house.

I LOVE the TED unit - It monitors both 200 amp services and I got the footprints software to go with it to log it all via USB to a laptop...

Pretty slick!