Se Upgrade From 200 To 340 Amp And Second Mbp

I'm having quite the time finding an electrician who will quote this.  Just about all of them say that what I need is to upgrade my main panel but I want to install a new main panel that is a part of the meter base outside and make my current 100A panel a sub.   Maybe you people can tell me why nobody seems to want to do this.  Here are a few shots of the existing meter (note what is apparently a 60A base here)






and a shot of the conduit headed underground.  Like most homes built during this era, the conduit makes a right turn underground to enter through the cinderblock, ending up coming into the back of the main panel.  This conduit encloses a 4 wire feed. edit: no, actually it is only a 3 wire feed which is a problem if I want to convert the original main panel a sub.






Here's the existing panel.  It's a 60's era Square-D split panel with a 30 amp sub panel for the finished basement.  Those are low voltage wires to circuit taps for my home energy monitoring system btw.






The reason I don't want to upgrade this panel are as follows:

We won't be expanding the electrical west of this panel any more.  All planned expansion (240v car charger in Garage, planned 3 season room with grid tie Solar on the roof) will be to the east.


Upgrading the panel will require major surgery to the walls.  Due to the way the original basement is engineered there, the walls have an intricate stud pattern behind the existing panel.  I'd pretty much have to rip out a 4' section and redo it to make the access large enough to handle a 200A panel.


Adding additional circuits to an upgraded panel will require an act of God due to the finished basement construction.  There are no raceways for additional circuits.






Based on this, my thoughts were to create a new 200A main panel outside based on something like the GE model TSM420CSCUP loadcenter.  Here's a shot of this panel:






This particular panel has room for three 2-pole breakers in addition to the 200A mains.  I'd add a 100A 2-pole breaker for the existing panel, with the other two reserved for the garage/solar expansions.



The issue with the contractors who have quoted the job appears to be the conduit going to the existing panel.  I'm not sure what's wrong with it but it is apparently not compliant with current code.  Obviously the bonding needs to change, new grounding electrodes need to be driven, and a water pipe ground needs to be established to the new main panel, but what else is required?



I'd like to throughly research all the code considerations here so I can approach a contractor from a more knowledgable perspective then determine the best way to perform this upgrade.  Due to POCO coordination and the need to cut household power for the duration of the job, I have no desire to DIY this one...



So what exactly is wrong with the conduit running from the existing meter base to the existing load center?  Why is everybody telling me that I can't do essentially what I've described above?  What are the relevant code sections that will apply to this job?  Should I be chatting with my AHJ about local considerations now or should I wait until I have the code requirements down pat (assuming the latter here)?
      

I will be pulling from the breaker panel new 12/2 romex for a kitchen microwave and a 20 amp circuit, 12/2 for the garage. I might also pull some extra wire for a future add on room and to divide up existing circuits to avoid overloads in the future. I am snaking these cables through existing sheetrock ceilings and walls. Are there any code requirements about snaking through existing walls and ceilings other than drilling holes 2" from the face of a stud or beam?
      

In a large bunkhouse we need to add a second range, water heater, and kitchen outlets.  The existing panel is 125 AMP (with breaker), and don't want to redo entire panel.  A consultant said to install a 200 AMP drop, with a panel to handle the additional load.  Would you then feed each of the panels from that drop as main panels, or use a new 200 AMP panel as the main, and the 125 as a sub-panel from that?  I assume in either instance, the grounding would be done as a 200 AMP service.  Just realized if each was a main panel, the new one couldn't exceed 75 Amps, or total would be over 200.  Any other ideas appreciated.
      

I want to run Romex from a j-box, that is in the ceiling of my basement, to the main panel.  I know that I can run Romex from the box along the face of the joist (not the bottom), but what are my options once the Romex gets to the wall?  The joist I am using, conveniently enough, meets the wall ideally for where the panel is.  However, I've read that I need to run the Romex through EMT, or some form of conduit.



If you look at the picture I've attached, the panel is mounted on a piece of plywood that extends out underneath the joist.  Can I just staple the Romex to the plywood and then run it into the panel without using any conduit?  The cast iron pipe makes using any conduit quite a problem.



The cable you see is MC Lite, but I want to replace it with Romex.  There are going to be up to 9 more lines coming into the panel this very way.
      

I have 2" grey pvc conduit running from my basement underneath a patio and terminating vertically from the ground a few feet past the edge of the patio (in the dirt).  I want to install an outlet on the stone wall at the edge of this patio.  I do not know how to properly return the wire from that open 2" vertical conduit back to the wall a few feet away.  I assume I need a junction box on the existing conduit, but can't find one with a 2" inlet.  I would like to keep the connections buried if possible, return with a smaller conduit to the wall and up to a mounted outlet box (weatherproof).  Any suggestions about how to manage the conduit connections from the vertical pipe?



Tom
      

Q1-

isn't rigid conduit supposed to bottom out in hub on new service panel? I thought so, installed mine and the threads look fine but only threaded in about 8 turns then stopped. Same on the other end.

Q2-

i'm trying to figure out how to brace my service entrance rigid conduit in my garage wall to my service panel. the conduit is 1 1/2 inch and the studs are 3 1/2 (2x4) so there's no room for cross bracing behind the rmc.i was gonna brace then strap but no room(stucco exterior) any ideas??

Pics are attached any help is greatly appreciated-

Steve
      

I have a grounding question.  I am installing 400a service to my new home.  We ran 350MCM wire underground thru 3" conduit from the 2ndary terminal (moped) to the house into a 320A Cooper B-Line meter.  From the meter we ran 2 sets of 4/0-4/0-2/0 thru the wall to 2-200a breaker panels ("standard practice", according to my electrical supplier).  The ground wire (#4Cu bare) from the grounding rods comes up from the ground and we're curious if there has to be a special splice connecting the ground wire to each breaker panel or can we run thru one breaker panel to then next, say by connecting the ground wire to a ground bus on one panel and running that thru to the next with #4Cu bare or #6Cu in conductor.  Different electricians are suggesting different methods and the electrical inspector is unsure, but seems to be leaning towards the "special splice". Any feedback would be appreciated.
      

Hello All,



I'm about to "re-locate" some existing breakers and wires into a subpanel and have a few questions.



1) My existing hot water heater is wired with 2 conductor w/ground wiring (30 amp, #10 wire). Is this still Code compliant or do you have to have 3 conductor now as with dryers?



My existing dryer also has 2 conductor w/ground wiring (installed in 1999).



If I relocated it or the hot water wires/breakers to my new subpanel will they require me to upgrade to current code (3 conductor, if applicable)? The subpanel will attach to the Main Load Center which is where those breakers/wires are currently attached.



Main question is will I be grandfathered with existing wiring in only relocating the breakers/wires to subpanel?  I'm not relocating the appliances or recepticles themselves.



2) I have 3 conductor w/ground wires for my cook top. It only requires 2 conducter w/ground however. They wired the ground/neutrals together but has flexible metal conduit running to the cook top itself. Should I remove the ground and bond it to the metal conduit?



Thanks, Ralph
      

Hello All,



First post, working on a complete bare-stud remodel of my home, so I will try to be descriptive enough.  I have a 150 Amp service to the house (which I might upgrade later) with a meter socket and breakers outside.  I am running into the house (more than 10') to a 125 Amp 20 space ML.  I have too many 15 and 20 Amp circuits now for the panel and need to change it out.  The house is rather sprawling, so the rather than tie rooms together in a confusing way, I broke the circuits down per minimum requirements... almost none of them are near capacity.  I am going to run the big stuff back out to the exterior panel/service however I still need more space in my interior panel.  What I REALLY need is just a 40 circuit 125 Amp GE panel but I don't think those exist because (guessing) *most* 40 circuit scenarios need more amps.



What I wanted to do was upgrade to a 40 space panel (only been able to find a 200-Amp).  I realize I am still limited outside by the service and have already run 4/0 aluminum.  I know I am not going to go anywhere near the 200 Amp capacity, I just need the space.  Is this ok?  Any reason I shouldn't use a 200 Amp MB panel? 



Thanks!
      

Is it ok (up to code) to connect 2" rigid conduit to the breaker box using this type of hub  menards.com/main/electrical/rough-electrical/metal-conduit-fittings/2-water-tight-hub-insulated/p-1442092-c-9538.htm  ??



The conduit will exit the panel at the top, go up about 6", then to an LR, then out to the meter about 6' away.  The 6' run will be supported.



Thanks.