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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
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cleeds
5,644 posts
 
douglas_schroeder
Doing service upgrade to 100A.
That doesn’t sound like much of an upgrade.
In any event, it isn’t clear exactly what you’re undertaking. Do you mean you are upgrading an existing main breaker panel to a 100A rating? If so, your "service" from the electric utility will remain the same, and there’s no assurance that the utility can actually deliver 100A of current. That can only be established with a "beast of burden" test. (The panel’s rating only means that the panel is capable of distributing that much current. It doesn’t mean the utility can provide it. Typically, a utility cannot deliver the full amount of current posted on the service panel.

There can be sonic improvements after a panel and breaker upgrade, but so much of that hinges on what you have now.
douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 
cleeds,
Currently 60A at the house, going to 100A panel rating. New line coming in from utility company will be buried; that's motivating the push to change. 


douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 
I can do either 100A or 200A. The pedestal and panel has not been purchased yet.

If I do 200A, then my 100A subpanel is toast? Need to get 200A subpanel?


FYI for all helping; I added subpanel when building Audio room, as the main panel was too small. The new panel could be large enough to hold the audio lines, but I understand that a dedicated sub-panel is preferred.

I have two 20A lines running to the audio room. Audio room and those lines will not be redone, only panel/sub-panel and surge protection.

douglas_schroeder OP
3,281 posts
 
For clarification, I am replacing 60A main panel with either 100A or 200A main panel, and if necessary/desired, a sub-panel. 

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cleeds
5,644 posts
 
douglas_schroeder
I can do either 100A or 200A. The pedestal and panel has not been purchased yet.
Go for 200A. You'll never regret it.
If I do 200A, then my 100A subpanel is toast?
Nope - it will be fine. You can leave it as-is
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