# residential electrical service question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/residential-electrical-service-question/760584>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 22, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/residential-electrical-service-question/760584 "2016-07-22T12:58:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/residential-electrical-service-question/760584/21 "2016-07-23T16:12:16Z")

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> [@Snnipe\_70E](#):
>
> On an older home up grading the main can cause other inspection problems.  
> The ranch house where I was born had a 60 amp fuse main. The problem my brother was running into was if he changes out the main on his own then the whole electrical system in the house would have to pass inspection. The house had some knob and tube wirring. And it would loose its grandfather. The inspector worked with my brother. He condemned the main. That meant my brother had to change out the main only.

Each state of the country (and some cities) have different rules many times. And they will have adopted differing versions of the National Electrical Code - have their own “amendments”.

In my area you can just replace the main panel and bring everything to do with that (including grounding/bonding) up to code. But if you start remodeling the house wiring, then more older existing things will be required to be brought up to code. Like smoke detectors!

Anyway get it straight from the horse… Go ask your local electrical inspector!

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/residential-electrical-service-question/760584/22 "2016-07-24T22:19:13Z")

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> [@Me\_Billy](#):
>
> In my area you can just replace the main panel and bring everything to do with that (including grounding/bonding) up to code. But if you start remodeling the house wiring, then more older existing things will be required to be brought up to code.

A lot of jurisdictions have started to modify their codes this way.

The problem with the old version was that it often required a complete re-wire of the whole house, and that was so expensive that the homeowner dropped the whole project (or did it illegally, without a permit or licensed electrician). But the city wanted to see people investing in upgrading their homes, and electricians told them that a proper replacement of the main breaker box wouldn’t make the grandfathered old wiring any less safe.

So they modified codes to require only the part of the system being worked on to be up to code. (Often, they encourage upgrading other parts of the system, by allowing any other wiring changes done at the same time or within X weeks to be covered under the one permit, for one fee.)

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