In "shock" from electrical quote.

[windsurfdog]

I've got 100 amp service.  I had multiple electricians out for bids (4 or 6 can't remember now) when I got my tub and nobody suggested that I upgrade.  I live in SoCal and have AC on all summer, but I also have gas furnace, gas hot water heater, gas stove, and a gas dryer.

Exactly...because of the gas load.  If mcrofutt's appliances utilized gas like yours, there would be no debate.

[In Canada eh]

Sorry, I just cant resist ... you do know you are over the 80% threshold! 8-)

Vinny,

    Kinda yes and no, the 88 amps was at start up after a couple of seconds it settled down below 80 amps

[In Canada eh]

When replying to these types of inquiries at sites like this, I feel a conservative reply is necessary when dealing with something as volatile as electricity can be.

Windsurfdog,

   Good advise

[Reese]

Sorry, I just cant resist ... you do know you are over the 80% threshold! 8-)

   Kinda yes and no, the 88 amps was at start up after a couple of seconds it settled down below 80 amps

Aren't mains different than individual circuits, and rated to run at full capacity, not 80%?

[Cola]

Some mains are 80% rated & some are 100% rated.
My best rec. to anyone is to install the tub first and consider upgrade later if required.
If you do get your panel upgraded, make sure the main feed upgrade is in the quote.
Going from a 30 circuit, 100 amp panel to a 42 circuit, 200 amp panel does not mean that you have 200 amps available, just 12 more breaker positions.
You may have to upgrade the breakers for the bedrooms to arc fault during the upgrade which would add a good amount to the cost.
Another thing to to check is that your load is balanced.  If you are pulling 30 amps on one leg and 14 amps on the other with your pool pump running, moving the feed to that outlet to the oposite leg might give you readings of 20 amps and 24 amps respectively for example.
When I get a chance, I will get some current (amp) readings from various equipment and post.
Well it's dinner time.
Steve

[windsurfdog]

If you do get your panel upgraded, make sure the main feed upgrade is in the quote.
Going from a 30 circuit, 100 amp panel to a 42 circuit, 200 amp panel does not mean that you have 200 amps available, just 12 more breaker positions.
You may have to upgrade the breakers for the bedrooms to arc fault during the upgrade which would add a good amount to the cost.
Another thing to to check is that your load is balanced.  If you are pulling 30 amps on one leg and 14 amps on the other with your pool pump running, moving the feed to that outlet to the oposite leg might give you readings of 20 amps and 24 amps respectively for example.
When I get a chance, I will get some current (amp) readings from various equipment and post.
Well it's dinner time.
Steve

One of the simplest, most cost efficient ways to upgrade a service is to install a new weatherproof 200 amp main breaker panel, new 200 amp rated meterbase fed with new 200 amp rated service conductors at the same location where the existing meterbase is located.  The existing panel would then be fed with a new 100 amp breaker installed in the new panel...many times the existing 100 amp service conductors that feed from the existing meterbase to the existing panel can be rerouted to the new 100 amp breaker without having to pull new 100 amp rated service wires to the existing panel thus saving those costs.  And if your existing panel and meterbase are back-to-back, then everything becomes much easier.  This setup would not require new arcfault breakers being installed since none of that circuitry would be touched.  Of course, if the inspector insisted, anything is possible.  BTW, I understand that some areas of the country may not allow weatherproof main panels...I really don't understand why...so this may not be an option for this application.  Oh, and having a new weatherproof panel makes spa and pool circuitry that much easier to install as well... 8-)

[mcrofutt]

Well gang, the second estimate came in at 2500, including all permit activity. So this seems to be the ballpark for my area. I went with him for the money and for the confidence he instilled in me.
I appreciate all the opinions presented here, and understand that each person has an opinion based on what they know and are comfortable with.
Again, whew!!, you guys are a lively bunch. Thanks.

[Brewman]

Good luck on your project, and in my OPINION you did the right thing.  
 And if we all agreed on everthing, it'd be a pretty boring bb.

[Zep]

Seems like my electrical part of the install was about $500-$600 bucks which was adding some new breaker and digging the trench to place the wiring up and under the slab just before it was poured. I think the two electrical guys were there for about 2-3 hours. The slab was about $500 too.....So slab and electric was about a grand.

[grumpy]

Don't waste your money on the upgrade
Search my old posts, you will see that it is a waste of money
You will not be running the tub full out at the same time that you are running
an electric drier
hot water heater
heating up the oven
air conditioning

it just doesn't happen
save the money on the upgrade
Steve
Industrial Electrician

dido

[In Canada eh]

Another thing to to check is that your load is balanced.  If you are pulling 30 amps on one leg and 14 amps on the other with your pool pump running, moving the feed to that outlet to the opposite leg might give you readings of 20 amps and 24 amps respectively for example.

Cola,


    This is a new one for me and I didn't know that.  Are you saying that the amp draw on the right side breakers should equal the draw on the left?  What would the ramifications be if the load wasn't balanced?

    When we built the house the electrical contractor left 8 empty slots on the bottom(ours is mounted horizontally) and I have added pool, hot tub and basement wiring to those once empty slots, could this become a problem?

[windsurfdog]

dido

You left out the "L"....... 8-)

[Reese]

dido

You left out the "L"....... 8-)

Excellent!