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Help me figure out how to run a 50amp circuit for a mini split!

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Xkylescorex

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Hi guys! I need your help. I need to run a new circuit for a mini split in my converted porch / sunroom. My problem is that every slot in my homes breaker panel is slap full. So this is my setup.

Outside at the meter my service is split by 2 breakers. One 200 amp seevic powers my main home. Then in the outside box there is one more slot I have used a 90 amp service to my detached garage about 25 feet from the house.

The garage service goes from the meter, runs inside my attached garage and then exits the garage and goes underground to my detached garage. I was thinking I could always run another 50 amp circuit from my garage sub panel , dig a trench and then run it back to the house. But that just sounds dumb. Can I put a small sub panel between the meter and the garage subpanel?

Could I install a second subpanel in the house? Even if I could running wire through the walls would ****.

Not sure what to do here
 
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Xkylescorex

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20250223_093423.jpg
Here is my meter. It is split here, 200 to the house, 90 to the garage. I couldn't bury the garage wire so I ran it inside the attached garage.

20250223_093309.jpg

It's easy to access in the garage. I just have it running along the wall. It then exits and I had to change it to aluminum underground wire. I already have two ac disconnects here. This is where I want to put the mini split disconnect.

20250223_093505.jpg


View of the garage from where the garage service exits the house.
 

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PCustoms

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Looks like you can put another breaker at the meter.

Btw, you have a few issues with your existing wiring....

Post a pic of your panel in the house.
 
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mm08822

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First things first......STOP!
What panel is in the house? need pics with cover off and of labels.
Need nameplate of mini split. 50A ckt sounds way overkill.

I'd have to check but the garage service running through the house sounds wrong.

Throw away the idea of feeding the minisplit from the garage.
 
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Xkylescorex

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Thanks here is my main panel in the house. I hired an electrician to do the service to the garage. I hope it isn't jacked up. I could either run the garage on the outside of the house in conduit, bust up my driveway and dig and then report, or run it through the inside of the garage. I know it sounds retarded.

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PCustoms said:
In general, this would be fine afaik. The way OP has it (unprotected) is wrong.
Click to expand...
 
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Xkylescorex

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Pccustoms- I remember wanting to run the aluminum through the garage but couldn't because it's not rated for Indoors or something like that. I had to go pay for the expensive copper wire and for some reason it's against code to put it in conduit in the house. The service to my homes main panel is run exactly the same way through the garage
 
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PCustoms

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Xkylescorex said:
Pccustoms- I remember wanting to run the aluminum through the garage but couldn't because it's not rated for Indoors or something like that. I had to go pay for the expensive copper wire and for some reason it's against code to put it in conduit in the house. The service to my homes main panel is run exactly the same way through the garage
Click to expand...

You're mixing a whole bunch of concepts up and your "electrician" did subpar work.

It appears you have aluminum SER running from you panel, through the wall and subject to damage where it is exposed in the garage. Then it is transitioned to ?? In a box that is too small and possibly connected to plumbing PVC.
 
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Xkylescorex

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Here is the mini split. I've never heard of this brand but I got it for free. I'm going to pay an electrician to put in the disconnect but I'm trying to figure out what I need first.

20250223_102202.jpg
 
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dave*99

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If your house panel which is currently full accepts tandem breakers, you can make room for a 2 pole breaker for the mini split. Install 2 tandems, free up 2 slots.
Or use a quad.

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Chuckster in NJ

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This is simple!………… Maybe the OP can post up his location and maybe someone here can recommend a qualified electrical contractor.

BTW! I know the OP wants to save $$$$ and I admire his willingness to learn about doing this job BUT the questions and info given by the OP it clearly shows he is not qualified to tackle a project like this.…….. Very sad that the OP's electrician didn’t help him.
 
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dave*99

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If I'm understanding that meter main, it appears there is a 200A plus a 90A breaker on that service. The meter section is rated for 200A.
 
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Xkylescorex

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mm08822 said:
Make sure it is a different sparkie.
Click to expand...
My son is currently in his first year electricians apprenticeship. If it was something easy I would see if he could pull it off. My wife is a GC and has a few electricians but I want to be able to describe what I need and what I'm working with so they can give me a quote or do trade with her for the job without having to come over and quote. I'm just an old man with no training trying to figure all this out while drinking beer in my garage.
 
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mm08822

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Xkylescorex said:
My son is currently in his first year electricians apprenticeship. If it was something easy I would see if he could pull it off. My wife is a GC and has a few electricians but I want to be able to describe what I need and what I'm working with so they can give me a quote or do trade with her for the job without having to come over and quote. I'm just an old man with no training trying to figure all this out while drinking beer in my garage.
Click to expand...
If you can fit a quad in the panel, it is an easy branch circuit to run to a fused disconnect.
It's the starting details that need sorted out.
Need the panel label pic to determine if quad is possible.
 
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mm08822

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It's a 40/40. It won't accept tandems or quads.

Thought about a sub-panel for further future adds?
 
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mm08822

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mm08822 said:
First things first......STOP!
What panel is in the house? need pics with cover off and of labels.
Need nameplate of mini split. 50A ckt sounds way overkill.

I'd have to check but the garage service running through the house sounds wrong.

Throw away the idea of feeding the minisplit from the garage.
Click to expand...
It passes as the service conductors end at the metermain. Everything after that is a feeder to sub-panels off of the same service.

Still not a practice I would do.
 
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mm08822

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PCustoms said:
I noticed that too, couldn't tell for sure though....

I think it's supposed to be there as the neutral buss on the right is isolated, and panel labels calls out a bonding strap for that...

1000001944.png
Click to expand...
It does need to be there to bond the can to the otherwise isolated bar. (My bad!)
 
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Xkylescorex

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mm08822 said:
Is this a green bonding screw installed? If yes, it needs to be removed.
View attachment 2282629
Click to expand...
I will have to double check on the screw. Of course my panel doesn't accept tandems! I'm fine with another sub panel but that Def sounds like It won't be a "stop by for two hours" and mark up my next job by 20% kind of electrician trade. I asked my son how his apprenticeship is going and sounds like they just let them install lighting fixtures and wire generators so this is over his head.

How would a subpanel even go out of this main panel. Most panels usually have lugs at the bottom or top. Maybe there is a spot to screw them in and I just don't see them
 
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PCustoms

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Xkylescorex said:
I will have to double check on the screw.
Click to expand...

Leave the screw alone!

Xkylescorex said:
Of course my panel doesn't accept tandems! I'm fine with another sub panel but that Def sounds like It won't be a "stop by for two hours" and mark up my next job by 20% kind of electrician trade. I asked my son how his apprenticeship is going and sounds like they just let them install lighting fixtures and wire generators so this is over his head.

How would a subpanel even go out of this main panel. Most panels usually have lugs at the bottom or top. Maybe there is a spot to screw them in and I just don't see them
Click to expand...

This is already a sub panel, your main panel is at the meter. You can either get another breaker in the meter (and either run a sub or straight to the mini split) or install a sub off the panel indoors. For example, you could come off the top right breaker into a small second sub panel, and move the furnace to that new sub.
 
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Milton Shaw

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Was your older unit a heat pump or electric furnace is the only way it would have needed a 50 amp. You had to have electric heaters in there for it to need 50 amps.
 
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PCustoms

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Milton Shaw said:
Was your older unit a heat pump or electric furnace is the only way it would have needed a 50 amp. You had to have electric heaters in there for it to need 50 amps.
Click to expand...
Funny thing is I don't even see a 50A in that box...
 
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mm08822

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Top left in OPs pics looks like a 50. I was thinking this is for new hardware and not replacing anything.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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Xkylescorex said:
I have no idea. I might have just made it up. I thought my other ACs needed a 50 amp buy probably because they are bigger
Click to expand...
your other units (pictured) are divorced AC compressors which are much larger than the mini split you want to install. you cannot compare those (and the size of circuit they need) to the mini-split. its an apple to oranges comparison..... mini splits consumer far less power than a divorced condenser compressor will
 
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finn

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There are two spaces in the outside box by the meter. Couldn’t he use them for a 15 amp /240v breaker, run underground to a disconnect with a 10 amp fuse?

Using proper 14 gage UF cable, protected above ground?
 
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