How can I tell the max Amp provided to me from the Power Company to my home to see if I can add a hot tub?

Question

There are two breaker boxes and the meter panel. The outside breaker has 3 breakers for the A/C and one 100amp(labeled "main") that must go to the inside sub breaker. When I flip that "main" outside breaker the A/C continues to operate.

The combined Ampage of all those outside breakers is 180. How can I tell if it's acceptable to add another 50 amp breaker for hot tub.

One electrician claims they are only providing 100amp max from the company to the house. If that's the case they are already way overloaded. What's another 50 Amps?

By the way....there a few higher amp curcuits in the home we don't even use. Such as water heater (solar) and wall unit A/C's.

Answer 1

The front faceplate of the meter should say voltage and eithr wattage or amperage.
The water heater should be 30 amp. the A/C units if window units should be 15 amp . if built in the wall could be 15,20,30 or 50 amp.

Answer 2

This falls under NEC article 220 (for U.S. installations.)

To determine if you can add additional mains breaker capacity, you'd need to know the ampacity of the service-lateral conductors that connect your mains to the utility. (220.82)

From what you've described, it sounds like you you may have 4/0 aluminum direct burial, and that would limit you to 200 amp mains. If that's the case, you can't add more breaker capacity at your mains without first installing larger service-lateral conductors. That'll cost you dearly.

However, if you have unused capacity in the existing branch circuits serviced by that 100 amp main, you can install your 50 amp breaker for your hot tub in that breaker panel by scavenging from the available capacity. Take out what you don't use anymore and install the new breaker.(220.83B4)

NOTE: A two-pole 50 amp breaker can supply 40 amps continuous at 240Volts (1PH), which is about 8800 VA (watts). That sounds like more than twice what a hot tub would need unless you're installing it in Antarctica. Better check and make sure about that 50 amp requirement.

Answer 3

It may be on the meter or on your power bill. To me it sounds like you have a 200 amp supply , with 100 amp to sub panel . 80 amps for a/c is a lot of power.

You may want an electrician to reorganise the house panel and remove unused circuits. or see if the main panel can support another 50 amp breaker for the tub.

Answer 4

It's good that you talked to an electrician. Now learn not to take electrical advice from the untrained people on here. What counts is the actual load on your service. That is different than simply adding the sums of the individual circuit breakers. None of us have any idea where you are in the world, and that makes a difference. Make sure you talk to a real electrician and not some joe handyman.

Answer 5

It's like this if your panel at home is rated for100 amps the power company will provide feeds to at least support the load plus more. You should not exceed the 100 amps if that is the total of your panel/panels. The electrician is probably right he added your total demand and your already above the max, your a/c probably works because you never have everything on at once. Think about up grading your service.

Answer 6

The size of the wire coming into your service from the entrance cable will determine the limit. But you don't need to concern yourself with that. It sounds like you have cut out some of the major load to your home to be Conservative. Without looking at it I would say you can add the breaker and wire you need to your existing panel. Be sure you check size and amperage.

Answer 7

you ought to locate one hefty potential furnish. A 13.8 Voltt DC @ 20 amp furnish is approximately $a hundred and could run a a hundred and fifty watts entire RMS gadget. For a 50 amp potential furnish, you're actually speaking extremely much $3 hundred.

Answer 8

call your local power company and ask they can tell you what your max is.