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This house has a type I-55-S, 15 Amperes, 60 Cycles, 240V meter. The meter doesn’t look like it has been changed in many years. The main breaker is 100 AMP. Most of the meters I see today are 200 AMP 240V regardless of the panel or breaker capacity.

Is the panel “over Breakered” and is the meter only allowing 60 AMPS of service?

Thanks,
Scott

Scott, what size were the service entrance conductors, and what shape was the meter base?

Regards

Gerry

Thanks Gerry,

I don’t recall the conductor size (food for thought) but they are the old aluminum conductors. The meter box is a simple square the size of the meter. I think the attachment will show it.

Scott

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Hi Scott,

the meter base suggests 100amp, but you need the SEC size to be totaly sure, remember the available service amperage is limited to the capacity of the lowest rated component.

Regards

Gerry

Some HI’s are saying that SEC’s that are open to the air and before the meter have no bearing on service amps. ie. 200 amp panel with 100 amp SEC overhead service would be a 200 amp service still.

Bruce,

That is because we can’t account for what POCO does…we can only account for what the NEC and the Electricians have to accont for in sizing.

So with that said the overhead wires are not a real factor…now at the point they connect to the MAST is imporant because most of the time the POCO’s portion stops at that point…so check the wire at the drip loop and then inside the panel to come up with an accurate SEC size…then let the other factors take over…OCPD SIZE, PANEL RATING, SEC SIZE and it should become MORE clear to the HI.

DONT forget the weakest LINK theory…when putting a size !

Thanks for the help guys. I know I can always come here when I need help.

Scott