# EV Charger Service



## JHarbinson (Oct 26, 2019)

I'm a GC in California who has a client who would like to add an EV charger circuit (50A) on a subpanel. The sub has plenty of room and it rated at 220A. The main breaker and service is 100A. The client said "the city told me they would not issue a permit because the service is only 100A". I've never heard of that before. I've seen plenty of installations where if you add the breaker amperages of all the breakers in the sub they well exceed the main breaker.



Can someone clarify for me?


Thanks!


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

JHarbinson said:


> I'm a GC in California who has a client who would like to add an EV charger circuit (50A) on a subpanel. The sub has plenty of room and it rated at 220A. The main breaker and service is 100A. The client said "the city told me they would not issue a permit because the service is only 100A". I've never heard of that before. I've seen plenty of installations where if you add the breaker amperages of all the breakers in the sub they well exceed the main breaker.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The rating of the subpanel is meaningless. You have to go by what it is fed by. What size feeder is feeding the subpanel? 

If the service is only 100A , then the feeder for the subpanel is 100A or less.

As for the city, they know that you can't add a 50A load to a 100A service without going over. If you do a load calculation you will see that a 100A service will not be able to handle an additional 50A load with the existing load.

These are things that your electrical contractor should be able to explain to you.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

HackWork said:


> The rating of the subpanel is meaningless. You have to go by what it is fed by. What size feeder is feeding the subpanel?
> 
> If the service is only 100A , then the feeder for the subpanel is 100A or less.
> 
> ...


Spoken like a champ.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Like Hack said, perform a lad calc.

Also, unless your performing other tasks associated with your GC license (as required by the state), you shouldn’t be performing the electrical work. 

Most jurisdictions in the Bay wouldn’t issue you a license to do that work, especially without a load calc. Now we also are frequently being called to supply plans, a single line, equipment specs., all in addition to the load calc.


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

But he's a GC.
He can do everything and he gives everyone work. His electrician should do this for him for free and give him $100 for a referral fee. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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