70 amp service

Specific Inspection Topics Electrical Inspections
1

Okay here we go. 70 amp service into a main panel near electric service meter. The 70 amp service feeds a 100 amp sub-panel in the home. That just happens to be FPE with Stablok breakers. Which i see alot in this section of town. Electrical contractor comes and tells client that 70 amp service is fine. Now there is a forced air gas furnace and gas water heater but a 70 amp service is under sized correct? Also how does this ground look in the pic i attached? Do u like the double tap?

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2

Are the service wires attached to the 70 amp breaker or are they connected to the main lugs at the top in the first picture?

3

Ah, good call Justin. :smiley:

4

Hi Harry,

I don’t see anything wrong with that set up, the service is no doubt 100amp or greater with the 70 amp just feeding the interior panel, was this a mobile/manufactured home by any chance, as thats the way most of them are wired with the disconnects for both the interior panel and the AC beside the meter

Regards

Gerry

5

No this is a 1970 concrete block home. So a 70 amp service is sufficient for a 4 bedroom - 1 1/2 bath home. What am i missing here? Did i mention that the sub-panel is a Federal Pacific panel with Stablok breakers? Yes it is a 100 amp service with a 70 amp breaker to the sub-panel.

6

Harry,
Depends…if the dwelling is mostly gas appliances and heat then quite possibly the 100A is fine. Now you do have some issues with the 200.7 dealing with the white wire needing re-identified, 110.3(B) and 110.14 in regards to the breakers and double taps and so on as those breakers are not designed for this.

Now the connection in the second ( middle ) picture does not look good but I can't see it well.......so if you are thinking 100A panel is small.......you have to actually look at whats in the house....if you have an Electric Range, Electric Heat and so on then you may have something but if mostly gas then probably not an issue.
7

Okay gas furnace and gas water heater. Electric range and electric dryer. Compressor unit is off the main panel not the sub. I appreciate it Paul.

8

I will just write up have a electrician come out and check the system very carefully and the main panel i can see a screw looks like overheated on the alum conductor above it.

now for subfeed box that breaker you see two wires going in the single pole breaker that is not listed for two conductors in single termation.

Merci,Marc