Need Help with Electrical Service to new Shop

[LawnGuy]

Hi all!
Interested in hearing from the electrical experts on this. Trying to figure out the best way to install service to my new work shop. I do machining as a side business and have a cnc lathe plus some manual machines and will be getting a cnc mill as well. Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.

I'm in a rural area of South NJ. This is a farm and is considered residential. Currently I have a 200A 1Ph service to my existing shop that is fed from the pole at a distance of 350Ft using 350-350-4/0 underground direct burial. This is a separate service (not connected to house). The meter is attached to the outside of the old shop and the new shop is another 150Ft further away from the meter on the old shop. My loads now are not too demanding on my 200A service. I have been running a 15hp cnc lathe without problems. but as i transition to the new shop I expect to have a little more demanding 3phase equipment loads and will be adding a cnc mill with a 30hp motor (37KVA).

For 3 phase, I am currently running a 20HP Phase Perfect (PP) phase converter to power my existing cnc lathe (15Hp motor) and some other manual machines requiring 3 ph.


1st question... Any chance I can get by using my existing service? I would need to extend it from the existing meter to the new shop about 150ft. OR, if I can do the shed idea (see next question), I would need to extend it 120Ft to the shed then 80 more ft into the new shop. Can I dedicate about 200A to phase converters plus 100A to 1ph loads on my existing service? Will the new cnc mill with the 30hp motor pulling 150A be too much load on my extended existing service?

2nd question... I would like to put the Phase Converter (they make noise) and the air compressor in a out building (shed) about 80' from the new shop. I would like to run the electrical service directly to this shed to power the phase converters and the air compressor then send the 3ph and maybe 100A of 1ph into the building to a separate panel for each. I would like to know if this scenario is legal and can be done to code??? Any special equipment required? Is it just considered Main / Sub panel?


Thanks for your help

 

[LawnGuy]

I realise it's difficult to say if my existing service is sufficient for my future needs without knowing all details. Maybe that's why no one responded?

How about my question regarding bringing main power into a "shed" 80' from building where I have phase converters then 3 & 1 phase into building to breaker panel???
Is this ok to do? Anyone?

 

[theoldwizard1]

I'm in a rural area of South NJ. This is a farm and is considered residential.

I don't understand that statement, but many farms can get 3 ph, which is your best bet. Second best, talk to the PoCo about running higher voltage to a transformer near the new shop.

As crazy as it sounds, a military surplus 3 ph diesel generator IS and option depending on how many hours a week you are running equipment. Add a battery charger, batteries and an inverter for lights and small 120V tools and appliances.

 

[Bert_]

A 15hp and a 30Hp motor will not run off a 200a service at the same time. Even the 30HP by it self could be an issue if you have any other loads.

If their is 3 phase primary close to your acreage, I would seriously consider getting 3 phase since you're probably going to need a bigger service anyway. Call your utility, they will be able to tell you if they can do it and how much the utility end will cost

If you only have single phase primary near by then getting 3 phase will probably not be cost effective.
Either way I would try to figure out what your future plans may be so you don't have to rebuild the service another time in the future.

Your idea to run the service to a shed with the phase converter is a good one. You can run more than one feeder to a building if they are different voltages or phase.
If you put the new service at the shed with the phase converter I would get the utility to set a transformer next to the shed. That would be alot better than running a several hundred feet of secondary

 

[LawnGuy]

I don't understand that statement, but many farms can get 3 ph, which is your best bet. Second best, talk to the PoCo about running higher voltage to a transformer near the new shop.

As crazy as it sounds, a military surplus 3 ph diesel generator IS and option depending on how many hours a week you are running equipment. Add a battery charger, batteries and an inverter for lights and small 120V tools and appliances.

I asked the PoCo about higher voltages. It was a definite no.

Your right about farms getting 3ph though. A lot of the irrigation systems are run on 3ph around here, if it's already on the pole. I think the closest 3ph nearby my place is at least 5 miles, so that's not gonna happen.

A gen set may be a option. Have to look into that. It would have to provide clean ac though. The machinery is fussy about voltages.

 

[Norcal]

120/240V, or 208Y/120V are the three phase voltages that should be looking at. Not higher.