I would like an opinion on a service I am helping my cousin install.
He is building a 2500 sq ft house and I recommended to him to install a 400A service with parralel 4/0AL triplex underground wire.
First let me tell you that I am not an electrician but a lineman. My reasons for 400A service is not that I beleive he would ever come close to maxing out the 400A nor probably even a 200A service, but the length of the run from the service entrance to the power comp. trans.
The run is about 150'-160'. Quite a long ways in my opinion, and a good chance for voltage drop. Even if that drop is only for a few seconds while the A/C compressors kick on. So the main reason for the 400A service was to increase the wire size of more than a single 4/0AL. And down here maximum wire size for 200A is either 4/0AL or 3/0cu.
Copper is way too much money and too heavy in my opinion.
The service will underground from the house with two 2" conduits and riser up the power comp's trans pole.
I always figure that too much is better than not enough. I mean why not? The trench is dug and ......
thanks
