Upgrade 60 amps to 100 amps

[Jerry Bettencourt]

Looking for some advice, I did an inspection for a friend a couple of weeks ago and found the following with the electrical service. It is a 900 sq ft cottage style bungalow, it has 3/0 copper SEC coming in rated up to 110 amps if I am not mistaken, Main panel is rated to 125 amps , Main breaker is a double pole 60 amp breaker. Seller and agent claimed the home had 120 amp service 2x60= 120, I advised them that it was actually 60 amps not 120 amps that what is marked on the breaker is that breakers amperage and you do not multiply by 2 for a double pole breaker. Anyways my friend has been shopping for insurance and only one company will insure him because it is only 60 amp service and not 100 amp and that company is at an increased premium. My question is given the stats above would changing the 60 amp breaker to a 100 amp breaker be sufficient to upgrade this to 100 amp service or does more have to be done. I am not an electrician and I don't pretend to be, so any experienced advice would be welcome. Thank You.

[Gerry Beaumont]

Hi Jerry,

If you are correct about it being a Copper 3/0 SEC then that is rated for 200 amps If the panel is rated for 125 amps then that is the maximum size of a replacement main breaker.

It would need checking out properly but it sounds like it's do-able.

Regards

Gerry

[Jerry Bettencourt]

Gerry,

You are correct I did not re-check the report before I posted this, it is 3 awg copper service conducter that would be rated up to 110amps not 3/0 copper that would service up to 225 amps according to the table I have. It indeed is 3 awg not 3/0. Thank you for your reply.

[Gerry Beaumont]

Originally Posted by jbettencourt

Gerry,

You are correct I did not re-check the report before I posted this, it is 3 awg copper service conducter that would be rated up to 110amps not 3/0 copper that would service up to 225 amps according to the table I have. It indeed is 3 awg not 3/0. Thank you for your reply.

Hi Jerry, sounds like a 100 amp breaker would work fine

Regards

Gerry

[Marcel Gratton]

Originally Posted by jbettencourt

Looking for some advice, I did an inspection for a friend a couple of weeks ago and found the following with the electrical service. It is a 900 sq ft cottage style bungalow, it has 3/0 copper SEC coming in rated up to 110 amps if I am not mistaken, Main panel is rated to 125 amps , Main breaker is a double pole 60 amp breaker. Seller and agent claimed the home had 120 amp service 2x60= 120, I advised them that it was actually 60 amps not 120 amps that what is marked on the breaker is that breakers amperage and you do not multiply by 2 for a double pole breaker. Anyways my friend has been shopping for insurance and only one company will insure him because it is only 60 amp service and not 100 amp and that company is at an increased premium. My question is given the stats above would changing the 60 amp breaker to a 100 amp breaker be sufficient to upgrade this to 100 amp service or does more have to be done. I am not an electrician and I don't pretend to be, so any experienced advice would be welcome. Thank You.

Hi Jerry,

I would use the weakest link which is the 60 Amps Breakers; therefore a 60 Amps entrance.

Not to say that a 100 Amps Breakers wouldn't work...