oversized main breaker

[bandrews]

I inspected a home today with a 200 amp main breaker but the service conductors were undersized. This is an 800 sq ft lake cabin with electric heat, electric water heater, and electric stove. What all information shoud I give the client, outside of just deferring to an electrician.

[tdietrich1]

Can you share with us, what you mean by undersized? Could they have been copper when you expected Aluminum?

As for the client, explain how the over current protection is higher than the rating of the service entrance cables.

tom

[wsiegel]

I am assuming from your post that the service disconnect was a separate box (mabye by the meter). Was there possibly another breaker at the inside panel that would serve as a disconnect for that box. And what was the disribution box rated for. Any pictures would help.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

With the lack of actual information I can only comment on this statement

200 amp main breaker but the service conductors were undersized.

If indeed the SE Conductors are not sized to handle 200A based on 310.16 or even the allowance of 310.15(B)(6) of the NEC then it is wrong and should be defered.

Now....if you provide additional information like the size of the actual SE Conductors, If their was a service disconnect outside at the meter ( which I am not sure really matters..undersized is undersized ) then we can possibly go into more detail.