Sunrun did not inform me that I was paying for a 50 amp circuit!

[Tony Burgh]

I have 150 amp service. Electric oven (50 amp cb, 26 amp draw), central a/c (30 amp cb, 22 amp draw) and FCSP (100 amp cb, 78 amp draw). While electrician was present, we ran the 3 big 220v draws plus miscellaneous home electricity users. No problems during 15 minute trial. We were watching to see if I needed to upgrade to 200 amp service.
I feel sorry for those using Sunrun.

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[Marcoux]

Yeah... I've got 200 amp service with: Geothermal heating, Electric hot water heater, well pump, electric dryer, electric oven, etc.

I don't always have it at 80amps just by choice, but when I do...I haven't had any issue. Heck, my sub panel in my garage is 100 amps and everything works perfectly fine.

My electrician said worst case scenario, it causes a trip and then I should consider upgrading my panel...nothing more, nothing less.

 

[rlbussard]

I'm so glad that I requested all of my stuff be upgraded to the 320amp panel boxes when I built my house 3 years ago. They gave me 2 panel boxes and a 320amp meter on the side of my house. They did not upgrade the transformer though, so I called Farmers Electric and they informed me they will upgrade the transformer in a few days and everything on my house is good to go. No extra costs for me.

 

[tls]

can guarantee if you only have 200A service and a dual 50A EV charger already,

I read that as a unit like the ClipperCreek HCS-D50 which actually draws a maximum of 40A, for what it's worth.

 

[Maquis]

That will only apply to new built homes, not pre existing homes. The emergency disconnect is to clip the keeper and pull out the meter, atleast here.



Since you made the comment, to me it goes without saying that the number of circuits play a part because the circuit size for each is used in the total load calculation. I am not here to teach basic electric 101, I have to assume so degree of understanding there.

No matter what technically others have done in a 200AMP panel, It just would be tempting fate to throw 100A without removing the 50A dual charger in my opinion. There are lots of things that will work, just do what you can handle and educate yourself to better understand the situation.

Yes - very few NEC changes are retroactive. Installing a new service would trigger the requirement. Pulling a meter under load is dangerous. The the meter connections are not designed to interrupt power.

The breaker count has zero to do with the load calculation. The load calc for general receptacle and lighting loads are based on square footage. Those loads could be served by just a handful of breakers or the circuits could be divided and split between 25 or 30 breakers. Only a handful of specific devices are entered directly into a load calc.
My 200 A service has 3-100A sub panels (in addition to the 200A main panel). I have a total of 90 breaker spaces filled and if you add up the the total, I have over 1600A worth of breakers. My load calc comes in at about 165A and I’d likely rarely measure over 100A if I bothered to monitor it.

 

[FlasherZ]

Since you made the comment, to me it goes without saying that the number of circuits play a part because the circuit size for each is used in the total load calculation. I am not here to teach basic electric 101, I have to assume so degree of understanding there.

The number of circuits do not matter in load calculations. NEC has some prescribed formulas for it that must be followed and I'm asked by inspectors all the time to show my work there. Load calculations use loads, not circuit sizes. If I wanted to, I could put every receptacle in my home on a separate breaker and I'd end up with the same load requirement as I currently have. See NEC 220.

I spend time here to help educate people on the realities of code and electrical safety, because if I don't there are plenty of people who will advocate duct-taping a garden hose to a gas pump that doesn't reach and call it safe. I could just throw my hands up and let people say really stupid things and do stupid stuff, but that's not me. But, like the Tesla boards before this one, there will always be those people who do this kind of stuff and argue it's just fine:

 

[cvalue13]

Can I get a sanity check or to-think-about input from the far more educated here:

Im speaking with an electrician about the following:

Background:

• I have 200A service
• I have room in a sub-panel for 100A breaker
• In addition to normal home large-draw items (2 separate HVAC/heat pump units, but propane hot water & stove), also have pool pumps, hot tub heat pump, koi pond pumps.

Plan:

• Install 100A breaker in sub-panel and run to desired garage location the required wiring etc. for 80A charging for my Ford charger
• But down-rate the charger (using the interns dial) to maybe 40+A for everyday charging use (I currently don’t need a ton of ultra-fast charging daily)
• if I ever *need* faster charging for a specific limited purpose, manage panel load with breakers and ramp charger dial up to 80A for that limited purpose
• if ever some day decide I *need* 80A more consistently (or get second EV, etc.), at that point address service to house and/or panel upgrade

I’m a complete buffoon novice when it comes to both electrical and EVs. And, as for my electrician, I’m not previously familiar with him, don’t believe he has any real agility with EV charging, but I’m not certain that matters much to the underlying principals of the electrical work.

Appreciate any hand slaps in advance

 

[Kev12345]

not sure about the states but in Canada, if you're over the calculated load limit required by code you can get around it with an energy management controller. it monitors the total amps being drawn by your main service panel. when it gets close to the limit (200 amps) it shuts off your EV circuit before your main breaker trips. way cheaper than a service upgrade.

 

[FlasherZ]

Can I get a sanity check or to-think-about input from the far more educated here:

Appreciate any hand slaps in advance

You'll need your electrician to perform the calculations, because that's not enough information in advance. He'll first determine the lighting & general load (usually based on sq ft, but there are some options there), then he's required to add in the small appliance circuits in the kitchen & laundry, and you didn't mention things like clothes dryers, etc.

I think you have a reasonable plan, although if the inspector is going to review the load calculations, you're not going to be able to adjust the current in the app (if using FCSP) -- you'll have to open it up to turn the switch. The app is not considered the "qualified personnel only" current-setting device mentioned in the code.

Your electrician is going to be the best person to assess your loads.

 

[Roy2001]

Is there any further update? Sunrun should send you something, I guess 50A info is there you cannot easily find out...