suggestion for garage

[Grizzly joe]

Hello I'm new to the forum but glad to be part of it. i had a question about our garage that i currently use for a farm workshop. It was currently damage by a storm and felt like a good opportunity to do some upgrading. it has a 100 amp sub panel that connects to our 200 amp house. But every time we go to use an outlet it bogs down the electric. it also powers our barn through another 30 amp sub panel and the biggest two things out there is a stick welder and a 50 amp charging pug for a camper. I'm sure something was done incorrectly so was looking for suggestions to make it more efficient. appreciate any help i can get.

 

[u2slow]

If using a basic 15A receptacle in the barn bogs down the house... you may have a large safety issue. Best to isolate the 100A at the house and call an electrician.

That said, if you isolate the barn, and the problem goes away at the workshop... you've narrowed down the problem a bunch.

 

[65ranchero]

I looks like the way to go is a electrician
What do you mean by it bog down ?
Did you loose one leg off the pole?

 

[Grizzly joe]

By bog i mean sometimes if your charging a drill battery, at night, with the lights on, and decide to use a skil saw the lights in the house dim. we just moved in a few months ago so were working out kinks and this was a big one. By the way when you say isolate the barn do you mean take it off the shop and run a seperate line?

 

[Grizzly joe]

As far as safety goes were starting over. After the storm we disconnected the power to eliminate a bigger problem ( the Roof went away). however we no longer have power to either building as the were tied together

 

[rburke65]

‘Isolate the barn’..... he means kill the power to the barn....disconnect it....shut off the breaker. If the barn is no longer connected to the house and the problem persists, then the issue is in the house...not the barn.

 

[u2slow]

As far as safety goes were starting over. After the storm we disconnected the power to eliminate a bigger problem ( the Roof went away). however we no longer have power to either building as the were tied together

Ahhh... I see.

I'm not sure what tools/loads you're using where. 100A is likely fine - unless its a 100A panel on the end of a much smaller subfeed from the house. 30A might be a little light at the barn depending what you're doing.

Main thing I'd do (or have done) is meter out (or preferably megger) the underground feeders for integrity. That will determine if its usable. Determine if you have a 3 or 4 wire supply at each. 4 wire is ideal. 3 wire has more limitations. After that's its a matter of fixing or abandoning whatever circuits in either building that are damaged.

 

[Grizzly joe]

Ok that makes sense thank you ill check all the lines and connections as well as the wire and breakers in the house thank you very much for your help