[RE-wrenches] down-sizing main breaker

[Mark Frye]

See Article 220 for load calculation and resulting breaker sizing
requirments.
 
Mark Frye 
Berkeley Solar Electric Systems 
303 Redbud Way 
Nevada City,  CA 95959 
(530) 401-8024 
 <http://www.berkeleysolar.com/> www.berkeleysolar.com  
 

  _____  

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Mendocino
Solar Service
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 9:57 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] down-sizing main breaker


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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