I just had a 60 fusebox replaced with a 100 breaker box.
The electrician is licensed but pulled no permits that I know of.
He told me he would replace the conduit, but did not saying,“the conduit looked in good shape, so I re-used it.” I told him I didn’t think 1" was legal for 100amp.
He assured me it was NEC compliant and safe - just harder to pull the wires, and he’d knock $100 off the bill.
questions:
can 100amp go in something smaller than 1-1/4?
I’ve never hired a contractor before (always done my own work)
Wasn’t it his job to pull the permit?
If I haven’t touched one wire will the city’s inspector find me at fault?
In my area Ohio, an upgrade of electric service from a fuse box to a circuit breaker panel absolutely requires a permit. And yes you would be found at fault(and could face fines) because as the owner it is your responsibility to insure you contractor remains compliant with your local requirements. Until an electrician shows me proof of permit, I won’t allow him to begin work on my property if I know the work he is doing requires a permit. Even hard wired smoke detectors require permits in my neck of the woods.
100 Amp requires wire size #4/3 with a minimum #6 ground wire!!!
No, they will not fit in a 1 1/4 inch ID conduit!!!
You can turn the contractor into the state for not pulling a permit for service change!
You will still be responsible for cost of permit and penalties for not making sure it was drawn for the service change!
The 3. Cables are actually #2 since it’s alumunum.
What is your source for saying 2" minimum?
I would have guessed that was a typo if it wasn’t spelled out. Lol
The source is the NEC (National Electric Code)!!!!!
The code requires a conduit to have ample space to prevent overheating within the conduit and potentially melting or damaging the wires.
Now the conduit size that was original to the 60 Amp panel was grandfathered to the property, but a new service panel requires the weatherhead conduit and the meter to breaker panel conduit to be 2" minimum.
Get that electrician back to re-do the work up to code. Tell him to pull a permit and that it will be inspected. Negotiate a new WRITTEN BID for the work. Tell him that otherwise you have no choice but to turn him in.
Here I just completed upgrading a little house from 100 to 200 Amps. There was just no way to get the electric stove, electric dryer, microwave, 3 electric heaters, 2 window AC’s, refrigerator plus electronics on 100 Amps, according to my new brother-in-law, a retired State Electrical inspector.
It is a nightmare to have a tenant call at 6 AM: “I turned on the hairdryer and all the lights went out. I’ve got to get to work! Gotta dry my hair!” We charge high rents and that scenario just can’t happen, at least not more than once.
This electrical job cost $2900. We are awaiting final state inspection. I would rather be safe and out some money than be the cause of an electrical fire. Last year a 4-year old girl died here in a nighttime electrical fire. No real estate profit is worth that.
That’s a good point. Someone dies in an electrical fire and you are not only going to get sued, you might very well end up in jail if you knew the wiring was substandard.