Any electricians here? Cost of new breaker panel?

[Fe911]

I have an old house, bought it from my grandmother about 18 years ago. It still has the old ball fuses in the panel, only four circuits for 120volts. Everything is in conduits, all copper. It has sub panels for a few things like dryer, oven.
I was wondering what the going rate for a panel replacement is these days? I should have done it years ago, but it never has had any problems. Just never really thought about it. Now, I want to remodel the garage that it is in, and think I should do it before I cover everything up. Thanks, Ed

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I'm keeping an eye on this one, because I've heard that if you upgrade you have to go all the way.
IOW, put in ground wires to every receptacle
something about building codes

Apparently legacy stuff can remain, but I'm not sure about partial upgrading.

The size of the job will definitely be a factor, so it would depend on how many circuits/breakers you'll need.

 

[Rodent]

how about installing a new panel, and then making your existing panel as a sub-panel to the new one, thus leaving all its circuits intact and untouched. this is what I see was done to the old 1908 farmhouse I live in when they did an upgrade in the early 80's

 

[RED J]

how about installing a new panel, and then making your existing panel as a sub-panel to the new one, thus leaving all its circuits intact and untouched. this is what I see was done to the old 1908 farmhouse I live in when they did an upgrade in the early 80's

It's not as simple as it sounds.The circuits won't be intact and untouched. A subpanel has to have ground and neutral bars separated, whereas in a main panel they are bonded. The feeders to the sub will all have to be insulated, including the ground. Since it's an old fusebox, you can probably gut it and use it as a junction box and run romex back the new breaker panel.
The good news is that it's in conduit, so you do have a viable ground connection.
A lot will depend on your inspector and how tight your local codes are. As for cost, you will do well to get a local price. Cost can be all over the place depending upon locality.

I'm a Tennessee LLE, basically a one man and truck guy. I can do the job for these poor rural folks a lot more reasonably than a full bore contractor, but not all places have this arrangement. Your best info will be from a local source.

 

[Ironbar]

I had a new breaker panel installed in my house several years ago in order to replace the old POS Federal Pacific that was there. Those FP panels lost their UL rating due to problems. Cost us about $1,100.00.

 

[sissy kathy]

My brother just had his panel upgraded (this year) from a 100 amp Cutler Hammer 20 circuit panel, to a 200 amp Square D 40 circuit panel $3,500.

In most jurisdictions (usually county or parish), only the panel, service drop, meter, and grounding for the panel have to be upgraded; not the individual circuits. If you start messing with individual circuits though, any you change, other than maintenance, have to be brought up to code too. FYI, pulling new conductors through existing conduit IS NOT maintenance.

 

[RED J]

I had a new breaker panel installed in my house several years ago in order to replace the old POS Federal Pacific that was there. Those FP panels lost their UL rating due to problems. Cost us about $1,100.00.

My brother just had his panel upgraded (this year) from a 100 amp Cutler Hammer 20 circuit panel, to a 200 amp Square D 40 circuit panel $3,500.

I just replaced an obsolete Westinghouse panel that had an arcing main breaker in a guy's place for about half of Ironbar's price in one day. 200 Amp. Again, I'm an individual LLE , not a contractor.

Just to emphasize the point, prices can be all over the place, depending on jurisdiction and local circumstances. Get a local quote.

 

[Fe911]

Here's the meat of the problem. It hasn't been touched since the sixties.... never had any problem. I would think it needs a mast outside too? The wires are just attached to the soffit.
Thanks for all the input so far. Ed

 

[RED J]

For a new 200 amp service, you will need everything new clear out to the pole, what you describe, that is, the old service entrance cable, won't meet code or be nearly adequate to feed the new panel.
I'm guessing that outside you have a little meter fed by a flat cable coming down the side of the house ? The meter base and meter and the whole deal will have to go and be replaced .
This looks like an old 60 amp service and depending upon your goals, totally inadequate for a modern home.

 

[BasturdBlaster]

In my area, WPS (power provider) will upgrade old 60 amp "triplex" overhead to underground 200 amp service within 100' of the nearest power pole for free.

You need a new pedestal and panel box (and breakers and such) and a licensed electrician to sign off on it.

My biggest concern for your deal would be having enough length on the existing wires in your box to be wired into the new panel.

You definitely need someone with lots of experience to tackle this job, could cost up to a grand pretty easily.

 

[RED J]

In my area, WPS (power provider) will upgrade old 60 amp "triplex" overhead to underground 200 amp service within 100' of the nearest power pole for free.
You need a new pedestal and panel box (and breakers and such) and a licensed electrician to sign off on it.
My biggest concern for your deal would be having enough length on the existing wires in your box to be wired into the new panel.
You definitely need someone with lots of experience to tackle this job, could cost up to a grand pretty easily.

Hey now that's a cool arrangement.
Some of that concern can be addressed like I said by gutting the old panel and using it as a junction box for the lighting circuits and feed Romex back to the new panel. 15 amp circuits, I would guess.
Ditch the old add ons around it and wire the Range, dryer and any 240 volt circuits into the new panel, the wire could probably use an upgrade.
OP hasn't said if he plans other upgrades, the kitchen is probably way under supplied, a couple of 20 amp gfci circuits and dedicated circuits for microwave, dishwasher etc.
If the immediate goal is just a new panel with additions planned for later, the minimum will be what I stated above.
Maybe the sis will chime in with her experience.

 

[RED J]

Another thing that occurred to me is that the current lighting circuits may not be grounded by the conduit. They may not have a dedicated ground wire, and the conduit may only be going as far as the ceiling to protect the wires in an open wall situation, which would not make them viable means of ground.
If you don't want to live with potentially ungrounded circuits, you will need to take this into account too.

That's another reason it's hard just to throw a price at something,in addition to contractor/ electrician fees being all over the map depending upon the factors we have already discussed.

 

[Fe911]

Thanks for all the input. The conduit runs 100 percent throughout the house. All lighting boxes, outlet boxes, etc. I have replaced all of the outlets in the house when I moved in. Pigtail Grounds to all boxes, it was all two pronged outlets when I moved in. I did the same with lighting fixtures as I needed, not all done yet. The kitchen is a little underserviced. It only has a couple of dedicated lines, could definitely use a couple more. one was added to the existing box, the only Rolex in the house, one of the lines to the kitchen, and it is 12 gauge three wire. And it was just added to an existing circuit.....
Its an interesting house, my grandfather built it himself. He was a pipefitter. There is more pipe in here than you can imagine! It has a hot water boiler that is still original to the house, never a problem. And it has a chiller attached with registers throughout the house. That hasn't worked since he passed away in the sixties....

 

[Bob_Ross]

We just had a new breaker panel installed last September. Quoted price was $1500, including installation, *if* it went into the exact same location as the existing one.

Of course, since the existing one was in a location that didn't meet code, they had to install it in a slightly different location. So between moving it, additional permits, and final inspection it wound up being $2500. fml

 

[Steve]

Here's the meat of the problem. It hasn't been touched since the sixties.... never had any problem. I would think it needs a mast outside too? The wires are just attached to the soffit.
Thanks for all the input so far. Ed

Man, that's an electricians Dream upgrade, Everything right there where you need it, Turn those sub panels into splice boxes run it right into the new panel..That's as easy as it gets on the inside. Don't know how big of a nose bleed it's going to be the get 200A service from there to the tap. If that's outside wall and all you have to do is go out and up...booyaa!

 

[D M C]

I had a new 200a panel to replace an existing panel in a duplex I owned before I could sell it. The old panel was below a kitchen drain that leaked on it, so the new panel had to be moved about 18". Cost me $1500.

 

[Fe911]

The meter is right behind the fuse box on the wall. I had an electrician out yesterday. He helped me out a few years ago at work, and did a really good job. He didn't give me a quote yet, he is trying to get ahold of the local inspector to see how up to code he wants things to be done. He said full arc fault breakers might be in my future,$$$$. I'm also sorely lacking in proper grounding, the water feed to the house is completely on the opposite corner, will need to run a very long line to it. Also, he said the new panel needs to be outside. We'll see what he comes back with on price. He didn't seem too excited about doing it....

 

[sissy kathy]

The meter is right behind the fuse box on the wall. I had an electrician out yesterday. He helped me out a few years ago at work, and did a really good job. He didn't give me a quote yet, he is trying to get ahold of the local inspector to see how up to code he wants things to be done. He said full arc fault breakers might be in my future,$$$$. I'm also sorely lacking in proper grounding, the water feed to the house is completely on the opposite corner, will need to run a very long line to it. Also, he said the new panel needs to be outside. We'll see what he comes back with on price. He didn't seem too excited about doing it....

It's not unusual for the water ground to have to run the length of the structure. In newer homes that is becoming obsolete with vinyl water supply and gas either nonexistent or in clad pipe, the electrician has to install a footer ground these days, so back to '40s way of doing things.

An outside panel can run into some money, stainless steel rather than the normal mild steel; they also require weather tight fittings that are cut into the panel.

 

[metron]

I just got my panel replaced with a new mast from a 50A to a 125A I think. The whole job cost $3500ish but I also had my kitchen electrical completely rewired, a bunch of GFCI outlets added, new line for the stove, under cabinet LED lights, and 4 cans installed in the ceiling included in that price. I would say the panel part was maybe $1500.