Upgrading electric in my detached shop

[davidfite1978]

I'm in the middle of remodeling my shop. I need to measure it, but I'd say it's over 100' from the house. My general plan is to put a 60amp breaker in the house and feed it to a 100amp panel in the shop. Currently it has 1 - 20amp circuit coming from the house. No subpanel, just a 20 amp breaker in the house running out to the lights and plugs, all on that one circuit. I probably won't be able to financially upgrade all the electric this year, so I have a question...

Just so I can start running my wire/plugs/lights the way I want them, would it make sense to go ahead and install my 100amp panel in the shop, and install all my breakers and wire it up the way I want, but with the feeder to that 100amp panel just being the 20amp circuit? I realize I can't use more than 20amp (not planning to for a while), but just so I can get the ball rolling this winter, could I go ahead and install it like that? I'm comfortable doing this kind of work, I just don't know all the code stuff.......

 

[justsam]

I assume your long term idea is to provide a 60AMP, 240Volt circuit.

You could do what you propose, but it would be pretty limiting, with only one side of the 240V, and 20Amp limit. How is the existing 20Amp circuit run? Could you just upgrade wiring in existing conduit, or?

If you do what you propose, you can just use every other breaker position in your new 100Amp panel. You will need to run a ground rod for the new panel as well.

 

[davidfite1978]

I assume your long term idea is to provide a 60AMP, 240Volt circuit.

Yes that's what I was planning.

You could do what you propose, but it would be pretty limiting, with only one side of the 240V, and 20Amp limit. How is the existing 20Amp circuit run? Could you just upgrade wiring in existing conduit, or?

If you do what you propose, you can just use every other breaker position in your new 100Amp panel. You will need to run a ground rod for the new panel as well.

I'm not sure if the existing is in conduit or not. I hope so, but not sure. There's conduit at the house and shop, but not sure if it runs in the ground or just where it comes up the wall. Assuming it's the same underground as it is above ground, the conduit is pretty narrow, so not sure if the new wire will fit or not.

 

[Norcal]

I assume your long term idea is to provide a 60AMP, 240Volt circuit.

You could do what you propose, but it would be pretty limiting, with only one side of the 240V, and 20Amp limit. How is the existing 20Amp circuit run? Could you just upgrade wiring in existing conduit, or?

If you do what you propose, you can just use every other breaker position in your new 100Amp panel. You will need to run a ground rod for the new panel as well.[/QUOTE]

The OP will need 2 rods if he cannot prove 25 Ohms of resistance or less, see NEC art 250.56. Since the testing equipment is expensive, it is cheaper & simpler just to drive 2 rods & forget it.

 

[pattenp]

You can split the 120V feeder to both both lugs in the panel to use each side for just 120V until you upgrade to a 240V feeder.

 

[davidfite1978]

You can split the 120V feeder to both both lugs in the panel to use each side for just 120V until you upgrade to a 240V feeder.

That sounds like a good plan!

One thing that I hadn't thought about til just now, whilst reading some other threads...

My shop is basically 2 big rooms. The electric comes in on the back wall of room B. Most of my tools and electric needs will be in room A. Room B will be mostly storage of lumber and outside supplies. Would it make more sense, and save money on wire, if I put a subpanel of some type at the back of room B (where the electric comes in), and then run a wire over to room A to another subpanel?

 

[pattenp]

Depends on what circuits you need in room B. I think it would be best to run the feeder to a sub-panel in room A close to room B and not have 2 sub-panels. Use a junction box for now to extend the 120V feeder to the sub-panel.

 

[Mustang51js]

I would take your existing power and put a outlet on outside of garage, then just run extension cords for power you need. Wire up garage the way you want it and and leave it till your ready to hook everything up. You could also downsize the panel to 60 amps to save some money and by using the extension cords it will make you want to finish the power to sub panel.

 

[offroadsteve]

I agree with pattenp, I would locate the garage sub-panel as centrally as possible to minimize wiring runs in the future, and splice the existing feeder into the sub-panel for now. Then when time / budget allows, run the feeder from the house.

 

[davidfite1978]

Thanks for the suggestions and ideas guys. I think I'll try that (put panel in the middle somewhere, and extend the existing feeder via a junction box). Gotta finish the structure then that'll be one of my first inside projects.