[RE-wrenches] down-sizing main breaker

[Mendocino Solar Service]

Hi Folks,

Can anyone provide code reference or advice on this question?
Our customer has 100 amp service at the meter pedestal, 100 amp main  
breaker feeding 200 foot underground run to a 100 amp panel at the  
house. We need to land a 40 amp breaker, so are proposing to replace  
main panel at house with 200 amp panel. The AHJ says we need a 200  
amp main breaker in this panel, which will work, but says this  
requires upsizing the feeder, main breaker at meter, and therefore  
utility service to 200 amps.

I've read on this list and elsewhere about downsizing the main  
breaker in a panel to create capacity to make the 120% rule. This AHJ  
says you can't put in a breaker smaller than the panel size, and  
furthermore, everything upstream would have to be upsized. Is this  
from the code?

Bruce Erickson
Mendocino Solar Service
PO Box 1252
Mendocino, CA 95460
707-937-1701



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