The electrical service size of your home or business determines power and efficiency. This will tell you essentially how many electrical services, such as lights and appliances, you can run at once. Before expanding your electrical services for your home or business, determine your size first. Read more to learn how to determine your home’s electrical service.
Measure
The first step to determine the size of your home’s electrical service is to measure the diameter of the conduit. The conduit houses the cables that enter your meter box. Keep in mind that some of these conduits are oversized. Although this measurement is a good place to start, don’t hold too much weight over how much it measures. However, there are a few common sizes. A 1 inch can hold up to 6-gauge wires with 60 amp service, and one that’s up to 2 inches can hold much longer wire with 100 amp service. Reach out to a local electrician in San Diego if this measurement process proves to be difficult.
Visual Assessment
You can also perform a visual assessment, although it might not be as accurate. If you decide to estimate the measurement by sight, look at the main service cable.
- 60-ampere capacity cables are between 3/4 inch and 7/8 inch wide
- 100-ampere capacity cables are approximately 1 inch wide
- 150-ampere capacity cables are approximately 1¼ inches wide
- 200-ampere capacity cables are typically 1½ inches wide.
Inspect
Inspecting your electrical panel is another way to determine the electrical service size of your home or business. Check if it has a label that communicates its amperage rating. If it does have a label, you’ll likely find it inside of the panel door. Typically, an electrician, manufacturer, or inspector places the label. They can place it before, during, or after an installation.
Follow these tips for how to determine your home’s electrical service. Between measurement, visual assessment, and inspection labels, there are several ways to determine service size. When in doubt, always call a professional to help you determine the service size with confidence.
