Why upgrade electrical service to 208 volts?

I’m upgrading some of the decades old wiring in a two-family house and am wondering if anyone can tell me, other than the possibility of a future central A/C system, if there is any reason to have the electrical service upgrade from 110 volts to 208 volts. I don’t have plans for central A/C at this time and am not sure if I’ll ever get to it. Many thanks.

57spring

in Electricians 13 years and 5 months ago

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brucef | 13 years and 5 months ago

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The brownstone with the DC current used the original brass pull for a door bell, about waist high in the door frame molding. I lived in the house at 457 W 24th St, and in 1969 I had never been to brownstone Brooklyn. In 1969 the family next door had a 1959 Cadillac they kept parked in the garage under London Terrace. We were told the family was friends with the Kennedys.

kidbklyn | 13 years and 5 months ago

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The NYC subway system trains runs on DC delivered via the third rail.

pigthree | 13 years and 5 months ago

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DC is making a comeback in certain applications.   http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre7bj0pw-us-power-acdc/ http://news.techeye.net/hardware/edison-might-beat-tesla-after-all

stevecym | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Bruce:  I did not believe you.  So I checked: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/off-goes-the-power-current-started-by-thomas-edison/ Unreal, eh? Steve

brucef | 13 years and 5 months ago

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As recently as 30 years ago, I lived on W24th St in Manhattan, and the brownstone next door to us had an “original” family, and the house had DC current. Apparently DC current is still available in the street from Con Edison in some areas. So a light bulb (incandescent) would work fine, but modern electronics, not so much. To OP, you want to upgarde to 208V because 220 is two (2) 110 hots. This provides for more possible 110 circuits, some on one leg, some on the other. The panel is cleverly laid out so it is possible to populate with 110 circuits and 220 breakers, grabbing both legs.

Bolder | 13 years and 5 months ago

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220 Volts is needed for a clothes dryer and also for induction cooktops, if you or a future owner want to add one. I think for a house 100 amps is adequate, and 60 for an apartment.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 5 months ago

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YIKES.  I didn’t think that even existed anymore.  So only one hot line, 30 amps????  I find that hard to believe nowadays.   OP, how many cables coming in from the street and what does the box say as far as the Amps on the “Main” ??

BobMarvin | 13 years and 5 months ago

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I think the OP may be asking about upgrading the service from 110 to 208 (220?) volts. If the cables coming into the house are 110 V they are VERY old. I had 110 V, 30 A service when I bought my house in 1974–that was obsolete back then.I had it changed to 220 V, 100 A, which has been perfectly adequate.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 5 months ago

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You’re confused.  The service gets upgraded from 60 amps to 100 amps or 200 amps.  Voltage is determined inside the house in a few circuits that would feed an elctric dryer or range or central A/C. It’s just a matter of changing the breaker in the box and running a new cable. You can run all of those on a 100 amp service and, most likely even on a 60 amp service.   Usualy, 100 amps is enough for any house.