combining electric boxess

[dvdljns]

I bought a house last year and I have been having lousy luck with contractors. payed a fortune to repair my heating because I was told by contractors that the radiators could not be repaired and now I know That they not only could be repared but the parts I needed is comon in my area. My problem is this two story house is two arpartments, now I want it to be one house. Did everything but the electricity. Since it is mandatory for a liscenced electrician to do the job I want to know in detail what needs to be done and what parts he needs to use. talked to to differant ones and they seem to have a differant parts list. I do not want to go with the more expensive one, who basically seems to think my home needs to be rewired even though it passed a safty inspection recently. On the other hand my insurrence company said it will need another inspection after the work is completed, both of these electricians are union electricians so I do not doubt that they can meet code but There is a big differance in what they claim I need. for instance I have two 100 amp lines feeding my house and although both electrician say a newer house would have 200 amp lines only one of them are saying I must replace these. One of the electricians are saying keep these and he will combine them and use a 200 amp to the fuse box. does this sound right. fire department said they would pass it that way. one electrician said it is right the other said it was unsafe. what do I need here. another thing is the electrician who wants to keep the two feed lines wants to use a new breaker box "just larger the other one said I could keep the old breaker boxes. hope this makes more sense to you then it does to me. could not find any info on google.

[HayZee518]

the code states that for a main disconnect there cannot be more than 6 motions of the hand to disconnect the main. In a multi family dwelling this could mean not more than six panelboxes with a main in each. one of your electricians is correct in combining two panelbox's feeds to one main disconnect - the 200 amp breaker or fused disconnect. that way one motion of the hand will effectively disconnect your two panelboxes from the mains.
The feeder to the main disconnect will come off one meter socket rated at 200 amp.

[manhattan42]

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a nationally certified electrical code inspector.

You should not presume that simply because these electricians are 'union electricians' that they understand residential wiring. Most union electricians do not, since most union jobs are commercial jobs.

There is a vast difference between residential and commercial wiring, and those who never did residential wiring or did very little of it usually have porblems meeting the code requirements of residential work.

That said, both electricians plans will work and meet code.

They can install either a 200 amp main panelboard then use the older 100amp panelboards as subpanels, or simply wire to 1 100amp panel as a 'main' then use the other 100amp panel as a subpanel.

To get a better idea of what the job should cost and how it can be done, you need more estimates from other electricians...especially non union electricians...

And then talk to your local electrical code inspector who needs to approve their plan in order for you to get permits.

[dvdljns]

the code states that for a main disconnect there cannot be more than 6 motions of the hand to disconnect the main.

If I understand you right under one plan it would be two and one for the other.

I'd like to preface my comments by saying that I am a nationally certified electrical code inspector.

You should not presume that simply because these electricians are 'union electricians' that they understand residential wiring. Most union electricians do not, since most union jobs are commercial jobs.

I don't but most companies here are union. actually one electrician is from a large company here and they have plenty references, the other man is some one I found through a friend and he has done work on 4 houses in my area, He works for a local company and does jobs on the side. He has a good rep. I have checked both out as well as I can and the main reason I am posting here is because when I replaced the heating system the company I used was the largest company here and since then I found out they lied to me. The parts for the old heater could be bought at home depot and I replaced the system on their word that they did not make the parts anymore for my old heating system. I paid an extra $2000 because I was to lazy to do research. As for as you are saying about the union I am from Texas and at least with the union here they have at least some training. In san antonio I know two people who started a bussiness by buying a home wiring book from home depot and doing work on their own house then on friends homes then so forth and so forth. Since you handle inspections for electrical, let me ask you this, does meeting code all ways mean safe?

There is a vast difference between residential and commercial wiring, and those who never did residential wiring or did very little of it usually have problems meeting the code requirements of residential work.

That said, both electricians plans will work and meet code.

They can install either a 200 amp main panelboard then use the older 100amp panelboards as subpanels, or simply wire to 1 100amp panel as a 'main' then use the other 100amp panel as a subpanel.

To get a better idea of what the job should cost and how it can be done, you need more estimates from other electricians...especially non union electricians...

And then talk to your local electrical code inspector who needs to approve their plan in order for you to get permits.

[manhattan42]

Since you handle inspections for electrical, let me ask you this, does meeting code all ways mean safe?

Yes.

Meeting "Code" is the minimum legal level at which an electrical system and its associated equipment can be installed that can be considered 'safe'.

[manhattan42]

More Than 1 Way To Skin the Cat

I paid an extra $2000 because I was to lazy to do research

What you need to realize when it comes to your house re-wring, is that there is more than 1 way to do it and more than 1 way that would be considered 'right' and 'safe'.

That is why you really need more estimates....like 5-6...so you can compare prices and ways each contractor wants to install the new service and wiring.

Better still, you would do best to have a professional draw up a rewiring plan for you, then put out that plan to bid to 5-6 contractors.

That way you can compare apples to apples with all 6 contractors bidding on the same system.

Otherwise, the way you are doing it now, you are allowing each contractor to design and bid his own system with no way to know if one is a bargain or not. If you let each contractor design his own system, you will be comparing apples to racecars and racecars to beer bottles and beer bottles to oil slicks and oil slicks to armadillos....and none of the bids will make any sense to you.

[pushkins]

I agree with Manhatten42, I'm not an electrical contractor and what I know about it I could write on a napkin (not really but close enough)
I subcontract out all of our electrical needs for properties and projects that I work on and I always in the past had 4 or 5 quotes on work. Between myself and the first company we'd establish what needs to be done to "make it right" and by that naturally "up to and exceeding code", once I had the first quote I was then able to get the "apples to apples" quotes from other companies.

[dvdljns]

That's what I will do. never thought of drawing up plans first. Of course it never dawned on me there would be two right ways to do it. Before I moved to new york I all ways could deal with some one I know. I want to thank every one for helping me. I have a feeling the advise I got will go a lot further then just this problem.