Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Looking at a home that was built in 1998. 2200 sq ft colonial. No Central air, but I want to add it. Oil heat, electric dryer, range, microwave ect... My issue is that the home has 150 amp electrical service. I dont know much about electrical, but I was told by the realtor ( who knows there stuff ) and by some other home owners friends, that a 200 amp set up is what I really should have.....especially since i want to add central air. The home has underground utilites....anyboyd know how much the upgrade would cost to go from 150 to 200. I've seen prices ranging from $1000-$10,000.......and I have no idea what would make the cost go from cheap to expensive. I know the panel needs upgrading as well as the line to the home being upgraded ( from what I've been told anyway).
Just curious if somebody here has a more concrete answer from experience.
150 should be fine. You would need to run every device and light in your home, have the oven on clean cycle and then , maybe, draw 150 amps all at once.
I've heard the same as you, that you should have 200 amps for Central Air at the minimum. We are buying a home that only has 100 amps and we are going to upgrade straight to 200 amps, which looks like it should cost us about $1,500. I haven't gotten any official quotes yet, but that seems to be the average of what i've seen online.
The way I understand it is we could just upgrade to 150 amps, but it wouldn't only cost a couple hundred more to go straight to 200 amps, because it doesn't require much additional materials or labor. And since we plan to have the house for the long haul, we should just upgrade to the max that's available right now.
I'm not an electrician, but I can tell you that people look for 200 amp service when they buy, with the cost to re-do an entire electrical box running as high as $2500-$2600 and taking most of the day.
We have a 150 amp. We have Central Air, electric dryer that ran it seemed 24/7 ,an electric oven and had three daughters and and my wife (think hair tools) at one time and never had an issue.
We have a 150 amp. We have Central Air, electric dryer that ran it seemed 24/7 ,an electric oven and had three daughters and and my wife (think hair tools) at one time and never had an issue.
By far the best conrete example one could ask for lol. the part in bold tells the whole story......thanks ! Not to take anything away from the other replies too
Seems like 200 is what everbody looks for ( as mentioned above ) now a days, but the 150 is "enough". Pobably with only a little room to spare, but it seems usable. I can probably use this as a price negotiating tool as well !!
Something else i was told.......being that newer appliances seem to be more energy efficient today vs. 15-20 years ago......150 is even more likely to be enough. I will prbably upgrade to 200 amps down the line, but bsed on the replies, it seem like its something I do not have to do right away and especially if I do the central air right off the bat.
You need to understand just how much full load amperage, the AC unit will draw, and start calculating the amount of amperage that all of your other electrical appliances will demand when active.
Once you are aware of the usage required while maintaining a balanced load on the main, you will be able to determine whether or not you will have a problem. My advice would be for you to install the
central air unit, and put it into your electrical panel as an independent, dedicated branch circuit breaker, in line with an amperage value equal to, or slightly greater than the AC will demand. You may also need to brush up on Ohm's Law!
Well how many free slots do you have in the panel?
Are you planning to install a pool or hot tub in the future?
Are you installing 1 zone or 2 zone a/c (2 separate units)?
Do you need to upgrade an old kitchen?
Yes most people want 200 amps and feel its a bonus to have it. Most people have no idea what they are talk about when discussing service panels! Your typical house really does no need more than 100 amps. Increasing the amperage really does one thing. Gives you more slots for addtional circuits. You could really add a sub panel off a 100 amp panel and be fine. More open slots in a panel, the easier it is to renovate kitchens, baths, pools or add an additions.
If you are upgrading from 100 (or less!) amps to 150 amps, I always say, spend a few more $ and go to 200 amps.
Also look at the meter. Is the meter pan (the box the meter is plugged into) small or large?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You need to understand just how much full load amperage, the AC unit will draw, and start calculating the amount of amperage that all of your other electrical appliances will demand when active. 
