electricity to shop

[navajo123]

I'm trying to find the best way to add power to my shop. My house main panel is full. I know I can upgrade my main panel, but that isn't cheap. I'm curious about having the power company install a separate meter at my shop. Is this a smart way to go?

 

[Showkey]

What is the amp rating of the existing panel ?

Separate meter is NOT a cheap install and there is usually monthly line and meter fee that continues for ever.

 

[The Cobbler]

normally what people would do is add a sub panel at the main panel . way cheaper than upgrading the main or having a second service

 

[malibu101]

Of course it varies by local electric distributor, but, a close buddy just looked into this for a new pole barn he had built.
In my area, it would cost ~$20 per month for a separate service to the outbuilding even if no electric was used.
He trenched and ran power to it from the house since he doesn't have huge loads out there and the house panel could handle it.

 

[mbatarga]

My local power co placed a new pole behind my shop, a new transformer and ran power lines to the mast head on my shop about 100' (200 amp service.) For free. My min charge runs about $25/month. It was going to cost me about $4k (in matl and labor) to run power from my house panel to the shop. I figured I'm ahead until about 15 years from now.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My local power co placed a new pole behind my shop, a new transformer and ran power lines to the mast head on my shop about 100' (200 amp service.) For free. My min charge runs about $25/month. It was going to cost me about $4k (in matl and labor) to run power from my house panel to the shop. I figured I'm ahead until about 15 years from now.

However Some PoCos charge higher Kwh rates for second meters.

Is your second meter the same rate as the house meter?

 

[ard]

I'm trying to find the best way to add power to my shop. My house main panel is full. I know I can upgrade my main panel, but that isn't cheap. I'm curious about having the power company install a separate meter at my shop. Is this a smart way to go?

There is a lot to know before anyone can answer that question...

What is the size of the house panel? Amps and # spaces

Panel brand and model number? Picture would be excellent

How big a service do you need in the garage?

You MAY be able to install two tandem breakers in your current panel- that basically give you two breakers in the space of one- then free up a double space; drop in a breaker for the garage sub.

Maybe. Depends on the answers to the questions.

 

[2Big2Ride]

Great question that will require research for your given situation.

Went through the same research here. A 90A subpanel with a 125' run from the house was going to cost more then double the price to add a new 200A service in our particular case. The challenge was getting to the correct people to get the real information to make a decision. True, we now have a monthly meter charge for shop, in addition to the charges for the house, but the monthly meter charge is minimal.

The urban myths to overcome in our case were that you could not have two meters on one residual property and that the second meter would be charged at higher commercial electric rates. Here, you can have two meters on a single residential property and the rate and plan is the same as the house.

 

[dfiler2]

With at least one POCO around here there is a $35 minimum but it is just a minimum not an extra charge. If you use $10 worth of electricity you pay $35, if you use $36 worth of electricity you pay $36.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Great question that will require research for your given situation.

Went through the same research here. A 90A subpanel with a 125' run from the house was going to cost more then double the price to add a new 200A service in our particular case. The challenge was getting to the correct people to get the real information to make a decision. True, we now have a monthly meter charge for shop, in addition to the charges for the house, but the monthly meter charge is minimal.

The urban myths to overcome in our case were that you could not have two meters on one residual property and that the second meter would be charged at higher commercial electric rates. Here, you can have two meters on a single residential property and the rate and plan is the same as the house.

I wouldnt call those urban myths because some PoCos and municipalities DO have those rules.

 

[unslow1]

It costs $15 plus usage for the second line here. That is the way we went on both our places. The cost of totally upgrading the house then running to garage was in the thousands. It would have taken decades to recoup the cost doing it that way.

 

[theoldwizard1]

In my area, it would cost ~$20 per month for a separate service to the outbuilding even if no electric was used.

This is usually the killer. $240 base cost.

Can you install some tandem breakers in the house breaker box.

You can always install a 6-8 circuit add on box to the main. Move 2 circuit to the add add on box and use those spaces for the breaker to the add-on.

 

[2Big2Ride]

I wouldnt call those urban myths because some PoCos and municipalities DO have those rules.

Agree, some areas DO have those rules, but some don't. And in some areas, such as we I experienced here, the myths are perpetuated until you talk to the right people. In our case the right person was the field engineer.

 

[navajo123]

This is my situation, I have a 200amp main panel in my garage. I had a mini split heat pump installed, so my plan was to take the two breakers that were dedicated to cadet wall heaters (that I no longer need) and use them to run my shop. I'm not sure that will supply enough electricity for my shop.
I also contacted Pacific Power to check that option. The monthly minimum charge is 17.35 which isn't terrible, but they estimated the hook up at 0- 4000.00, and I dig the trench and lay the conduit. Man I wish I knew more about this!

 

[kckndrgn]

When I built my shop I talked to electricians and called my POCO to get my options. I was in a similar situation, panel full, but I had nothing to swap out.
What I went with was an upgraded service at the meter, from 200 to just under 400. The POCO verified the transformer feeding my house could handle the load.
Then after the meter, the power is split, 200 to the house and 200 to the garage. This results in one meter and the POCO charged $20.00 for them to come out and disconnect service while the electrician upgraded the meter box and meter, then reconnect service.

Similar to what was done at this link

 

[firebirdparts]

I have a separate meter, and my shop light bill is running $50. When I put it in, the base charge was $20, and I don't know if they raised it or if they are advancing the meter and stealing from me. I am thinking I will convert mine to a subfeed. I would prefer to upgrade the house to 400 amps when I do that. As you can see, it'll pay for itself.

 

[ard]

This is my situation, I have a 200amp main panel in my garage. I had a mini split heat pump installed, so my plan was to take the two breakers that were dedicated to cadet wall heaters (that I no longer need) and use them to run my shop. I'm not sure that will supply enough electricity for my shop.
I also contacted Pacific Power to check that option. The monthly minimum charge is 17.35 which isn't terrible, but they estimated the hook up at 0- 4000.00, and I dig the trench and lay the conduit. Man I wish I knew more about this!

People have posed specific questions for you which - IF YOU ANSWERED THEM- would move you down the path to a solution.

You are presenting information in an almost incomprehensible manner..is 'my shop' the same as 'my garage' for example? Where are these 'cadet wall heaters'? are they the old minisplit or something else? In my garage, my shop or my house??

You have some great resources here.... take the time to spell it out for them and they will get you the right solution

 

[Showkey]

^^^^^^^^^^ + 10 on the above ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[cdestuck]

If you have two spaces available then just put a 100 amp breaker there and run the proper service wire to your garage. Exactly what I did at my garage. I ran mine underground in conduit. If you don't have 2 spaces you can get tandem breakers for your original box to free up spaces.

 

[Falcon67]

The urban myths to overcome in our case were that you could not have two meters on one residual property and that the second meter would be charged at higher commercial electric rates. Here, you can have two meters on a single residential property and the rate and plan is the same as the house.

I believe that a new tarriff solved that problem in Texas, but I can assure you that at one time here two meters on a single residence resulted in the 2nd being billed at commercial rates. Been there, paid that. Dropping that connection, updating a panel and running copper wires to that shop had a payback of under 6 months at the rates we were being charged. We are on a co-op now and a 2nd meter for the shop would be $36/mth minimum billing.

 

[Buckgnarly]

My Coop is great, I will probably break even on bills even with the 25 charge for the meter. We are billed at a certain rate for the first number (forget exact) of KWH, then the price triples once you hit that number. My garage actually doubles the amount of lower price KWH we get per bill, so the 25 bucks extra is less than what we save by having 2 meters.
I also live in a place that has zero zoning and permits, the Coop let me do all the work myself with their guidance.

 

[Falcon67]

Our co-op is great, really nice people - and expensive. About .14/kWh when I could get .08 if the lines were AEP. People are dumping the co-op because the pricing is way out of whack. Not to mention that "6 nines" of power they do not hit. Lost power in the middle of cooking Thanksgiving dinner - clear sky, mild, no weather. Then same damn thing on Christmas. We're about to tag PowerToChoose and switch off.

 

[arkieguide]

I done mine the simple way - came off my 200 amp.service added a 100 amp disconnect, ran to my shop from that plus a neutral and grd wire.No problem at all.