breaker panel help for an electrical idiot.....

[slddnmatt]

hey guys i need some help. im not familar electrical panels so heres my question. my panel has a 100 amp main and i want run 100 amps out to my shop with a subpanel out in it. can i replace the 100 amp breaker with a 200 amp breaker then nock the spaces out above and then run the 100 amp to the garage?

thanks
matt

 

[Gary S]

No!
If you want a 200 amp breaker, you replace the 100 amp panel with a 200 amp panel.
And..........you replace the wiring with wiring capable of handling 200 amps.

 

[slddnmatt]

thats what i was thinking just didnt know if there was a difference in panels or just the breakers. are you refering to the wire size coming from the pole?

 

[Gary S]

The wire from the pole to your meter belongs to your power company. If that needs upgrading, they will handle that. The wire from the meter to the breaker panel is yours and your responsibility to upgrade if you upgrade the panel.

 

[JBurgess]

Do you have a picture of the label on the inside of the door or the panel with the cover off? It might be split bus....

 

[slddnmatt]

here's a pic with the panel off. there was nothing on the inside of the door.

 

[mrb]

thats a 100 amp service. Do a load calculation for the house and the garage, and if youre under 100 amps you can just run a 100 amp subpanel off the existing service. If you are over then you need to do a service upgrade (which I would do anyways) make sure you permit the work you are doing. If you upgrade the service you will have to get the power company involved. How do you plan on running the 100 amps out to the shop?

 

[JBurgess]

here's a pic with the panel off. there was nothing on the inside of the door.

Definitely only a 100 amp panel.

 

[Norcal]

here's a pic with the panel off. there was nothing on the inside of the door.

That is a 100A Bryant/Westinghouse/Cutler-Hammer BR "all in one" the biggest breaker it can handle is Maybe a 125A if it is rated for it....


If you want a bigger service it has to be replaced,since it's a semi-flush it's going to be a bigger job then you think, and EUSERC requirements now require a 3" conduit* for underground services & California PoCo's are part of EUSERC.

* That is even for 100A services.
EUSERC = Electric Utility Service Equipment Requirements Committee.

 

[slddnmatt]

i had already planned on putting a new 200amp panel in just wasnt sure if i had too when i was staring at mine today. i picked up some 2ga copper to feed the shed when its time. more than likely the new panel mounted next to the old and it will become a JB.

 

[Torque1st]

Do you NEED 100A out in the shop or would 60A do the trick?

 

[Norcal]

Is your service underground or overhead?

 

[slddnmatt]

its overhead. ya i need the 100 amps at the shop

 

[Stuart in MN]

its overhead. ya i need the 100 amps at the shop

What exactly are you going to power out in the shop? Welders, air compressors, etc? While a 100 amp panel would be nice, in many cases it's not really required.

 

[slddnmatt]

i have my mig, tig, air compressor, plasma cutter, and a couple of lifts. probably never use everything at once, but i have 100 amp service at my current shop and never had a problem other than cutting a cord in half with the grinder or something. plan on getting a metal bandaw, mill, and a pullmax or something similar too here eventually so i would not want to go any less.

 

[IONH]

I've got a 200A service in my house but only a 60A panel in my garage (its about 40 feet away from the main panel and in a detached building).

On that 60A panel, I have just 6 spots for single pole circuits (yes, very small box). Two 220V breakers.. one for my 60 gallon compressor and one for my scissor lift. The last two breakers are for all the wall outlets and then all the lights.

I really need to change out the box for a larger one even at just 60 amps but for more breakers. As mentioned above, everything is not being used at once but I would like to separate my circuits again (had to join 4 singles into 2 singles so I could add my second 220V breaker).

 

[Norcal]

its overhead. ya i need the 100 amps at the shop

That makes it simpler being overhead.

 

[JBurgess]

Not knowing your layout, but would it be easier to put a 200 amp service on your garage and feed the house with 100 feed?

 

[Stuart in MN]

i have my mig, tig, air compressor, plasma cutter, and a couple of lifts. probably never use everything at once, but i have 100 amp service at my current shop and never had a problem other than cutting a cord in half with the grinder or something. plan on getting a metal bandaw, mill, and a pullmax or something similar too here eventually so i would not want to go any less.

Are there going to be multiple people running multiple machines, or is this a home shop where you're working by yourself? There's no problem with having a bunch of branch circuits that add up to more than 60 amps (or 100 amps for that matter), it's the maximum amount of current you'll be using at any given moment that counts.