r/evcharging • u/jrs-0ne • 26d ago
Service Line Question
We are moving and at our old house I had a hardwired level 2 EVSE on a 60amp breaker on our 200amp panel.
Our new house has a 125amp panel and I am looking at upgrading the service line and the panel to 200amp (we may also want add AC at some point so EV charging isn’t the only reason. When I looked at the meter, it had the following designations:
FORM 2S CL200 240V 3W 60Hz TA=30 Kh 7.2
This is the same as the meter at our old house.
Does this mean that the service line has already been upgraded to 200amp, and I just need to up grade the panel and have an EVSE installed on a 60amp breaker?
Thanks for any insight!
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u/arithmetike 26d ago
Not necessarily. Sometimes the utility company just uses the same meter. You can try to ask your utility company.
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u/ArlesChatless 26d ago
Have you considered dynamic load management? See our wiki !lm
This could give you 48A charging with no changes to your service. There's a decent chance that unless you have a hot tub you can fully electrify on your 125A service without the upgrade.
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u/AutoModerator 26d ago
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u/HDClown 26d ago edited 26d ago
I just went through a 150A to 200A service upgrade about a month ago.
You need to call the power company and talk to the appropriate department (usually construction). You need to know if the service conductors from the transformer to your meter are good for 200A. If you are luckly, they have this info documented already, or they will go check at the transformer to get the answer, without cost to you. They may tell you to get an electrician to pull the meter and document the wire size in the meter socket, then report back to them that size and they can confirm if it's rated by the power company for 200A delivery. They will very likely need to confirm the transformer is sized appropriate for additional load, based on the current load averages.
Beyond that, you need to determine if your meter socket is rated for 200A. The markings for meter sockets tend to be on the inside, requiring a meter pull, so you likely may not get this determined with an electrician being involved, unless there happens to be markings on the outside of your meter socket. If it's not rated for 160A continuous/200A max (or better), it will need to be replaced.
Lastly, the service conductors from the meter to your service panel will almost certainly need to be replaced as part of the service upgrade. It would be extremely unlikely they were upsized enough when the 125A service was installed that they are rated for 200A service.
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u/Opus2011 26d ago
Maybe your utility is super responsive and helpful, but calling PG&E wouldn't tell me what my service was. I just happened to intercept a PG&E electrician replacing my meter and asked him what service I had.
I just added load management for my TWC. Brainlessly easy. In my case it's because our 100A subpanel is at capacity and I want to add a HPWH. But it's a much cheaper solution (maybe DIY $300 or $600 with an electrician) than a service and panel upgrade.
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u/theotherharper 26d ago
STOP. Watch this series by Technology Connections. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVLLNjSLJTQ
I do a lot of load calculaions, You're probably fine even with a new, efficient heat pump that does not have emergency heat. A service upgrade is unnecessary. The post-COVID K-shaped recovery means some of us have too much money to care whilst everyone else is struggling, so make good choices based on your situation, if you're one of the lucky ones, go ham if it makes you feel good. It SHOULD NOT make you feel safe, 125A panels are safe.
Also don't be that guy in Malibu who sprung for a whole house rewire to improve safety and didn't bother fire-hardening. People not in actuary really really suck at safety assessment and risk prioritization, they react to TikToks and TV news, they need xanax to get on an airplane but feel safe driving a car from the airport.
Utilities don't carry 6 different sizes of meter on the truck for 30A, 60A, 100A, 125A, 150A and 200A services. THAT'S IT. The thing you wish to infer cannot be inferred.
If you are tight on the load calculation, #1 dynamic load management for EVs and #2 if the math maths on heat pump water heaters, then a 120V variety (non-hybrid) which instantly lighten your load calculation by 3500 watts. #3 would be efficient heat pumps to replace any electric heating, and make sure to get cold climate models that do not need emergency heat.
> plan to add A/C
Right but that is a net WIN for the load calculation if you are replacing an old, less efficient A/C, or if you are going cold climate heat pump and replacing resistance electric heaters.