New Main or new Sub-panel?

[Carl1971MGB]

New Main panel - better
New Sub panel - cheaper

I have a 2000 sq ft ranch style modular home, in 2000 I had a basement built and the house moved onto it. Also have a 30 by 50 ft detached garage where my son on I work on classic trucks.

Presently there is one 20 amp circuit to the garage and one to the basement. The house has a 100 amp main panel. fed 100 feet underground from the meter with a 100 amp disconnect at the power pole (house is 500 feet from the road). There is a 100 amp breaker in the disconnect as well as a 100 amp breaker in the house panel. The house has an electric stove, water heater is propane. There's a window air conditioner on a dedicated 15 amp circuit.

The wood shop is in the basement - typical power tool loads such a Rigid table saw. No special loads in the garage - yet. Eventually a 60 to 80 gallon compressor and MIG or TIG welder

I'd like to put a 200 amp main panel in the basement and run the house panel as a sub and put a sub in the garage. To do this I would need to replace the disconnect below the meter, run new SE cable as well as buy the 200 Amp main panel. I'm concerned about the cost of this.

The other idea is to put a 6 or 12 breaker sub panel in the basement run off the main (100 amp) panel in the house. Eventually I'd put a 6 breaker panel in the garage. Not fully convinced this is a practical solution.

Or is there a third solution ? Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Very difficult to move the main panel. It would mean re-routing all of your circuits to the basement. Certainly not worth the trouble.

Main issue is how much amperage is the power company capable of supplying to you? Is the meter at the pole where the transformer located, or is the transformer located at the road? What size is the transformer (can it supply you with additional power)?

What is the layout of the detached garage in relation to the house and meter? In other words, would it be better to run a new direct feed to the garage from the meter?

If the POCO feed is large enough it may be better to leave the home and basement as they are, except add a subpanel in the basement, possibly 60 amp or so, and then run a new feed to the garage, having its own disconnect at the meter.

Charles

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Do you have a picture of whats there now?

 

[pcpro15]

Do you have a picture of whats there now?

Agreed. My friend has a similar setup of what you are trying to achieve. He went for a new 200 amp panel in the basement, and made the built in house panel a 100 amp sub.

 

[sublimate]

Very difficult to move the main panel. It would mean re-routing all of your circuits to the basement. Certainly not worth the trouble.

As I read it, I don't think that what he's suggesting. I think he'd leave the panel in the house with all the wiring to it, but just feed it from a new basement panel.

That is what I would do, and in fact is what I just did at my house.

 

[Carl1971MGB]

Agreed. My friend has a similar setup of what you are trying to achieve. He went for a new 200 amp panel in the basement, and made the built in house panel a 100 amp sub.

This is what I want, with a sub in the detached garage. Trying to see if there is a less expensive way to do it.