[kjelgaard]

I am living in an "old" house with 100 amps coming in. I am in the process of doing reconstruction and would like to know if I run all new wires and outlets and get rid of dusty broken wires and connection boxes left open to rot---Can I use the same fuses and wiring for 100 as for 200 or do I rewire everything in a new box etc and then switch? I cannot see us going without power for a prolonged period.

[wildandblue]

The old 100 box may not have enough spaces in it to hook up all the circuits you want. And if you buy a new larger box sometimes different brands of circuit breakers will only fit a particular brand of box. So it would probably be easier to get a whole new set

[stanfortyman]

If you are re-wiring that much of the house you'd be crazy to not upgrade to 200A.

Why do you think you will be out of power for very long??

[Stratmando]

If Materials and Tools are on hand and prepared Correctly, You should have a Minimum Down Time. Have not run into one that can't be done in a day. If many solid metal conduits
Enter the Top and Bottom of Panel Is MUCH more of a Job than say Romex.
All solid from the Top OR Bottom is no so bad.

[Washington1]

If a DYI is doing a service upgrade, then it is very likely they will be without power for over a day.

Just my .02 ;)

[KISS]

Well, that's what generator rentals and pizza are for.

[wildandblue]

Send the wife and kids to a motel with a pool while you tough it out alone. And if you have all the wires there at the fuse box in a workman like manner and ready to go it's not so bad, a lot easier than trying to squeeze new wires into an existing box.