Electrical Panel Install now or later?

[bfarroo]

Is there any advantage to getting the electrical panel installed when the building is being put up? I've had a few contractors offer this option when quoting putting up the building. It seems like an odd thing to quote when they are not doing any of the electrical work. I'm not going to be doing the electrical for a year or so so I don't need the panel right away.

 

[rburke65]

If you are not wiring this year then I would fore go it until you are ready.

 

[pattenp]

It's easier to do the electrical before the building gets filled up with stuff.

 

[Aceman]

If the building will have a concrete foundation, you will need a ufer ground and it must be inspected before it's poured. I would also HIGHLY recommend putting the conduits through the foundation now before they pour even if you only stub them out. It will look much cleaner than running them up the outside wall and into the back of the panel.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

It's MUCH easier to do the electrical before the building gets filled up with stuff.

There, fixed it for 'ya.

Charles

 

[NUTTSGT]

If I had it done, I'd make sure it's the panel I wanted and not just something they install typically. Like Aceman said, if you need the conduits in before the concrete, atleast get them stubbed out.

If you put the panel in now, it does give you access to power once you start the rest of the interior. It also allows the contractor to use electricity instead of a generator or stretching cords from your house.

If you are planning on having somebody else do the electrical work, I'd seriously consider having it done now and putting one dedicated outlet (20amp) right off the breaker box. If you are doing the electric yourself, atleast have the conduit put in for the future service.

 

[bfarroo]

So the biggest difference would be that the power feed could come up through the concrete and be hidden instead of having conduit coming up the outside of the building and poked through the side of the building. I hadn't thought much about where the panel would be placed but should probably do that. I'm going to be putting in a office/bathroom area in the back corner of the building so I'm thinking that this would be the best place to put the electrical panel also. Getting the Ufer ground in place is probably a good idea also and I'll make sure that gets done. The building is going to be 150 feet from the road and where I think I want to put the electrical panel it was be around 250' The cost for the service and panel is just going to be hard to swing this year with everything else which is why I was planning on doing it next year.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Will this building have a separate meter? If so, you don't need to bother with a feed thru the slab unless you want to flush the meter into the wall (and you may not be allowed to do that, as it brings unprotected wires and possibly wire not rated for entry into a building..... inside the building walls. Just install a meter on the outside and go thru the wall to the panel.

Charles

 

[bfarroo]

Yes, shop will be built a few years before we are going to build our house so the meter will be placed on the shop. The first picture is what I was picturing the power feed to look like.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Use a combination meter socket and disconnect that also has room for 4 to 8 circuit breakers in it. Makes it easier to run power to outside things such as a well head, or an outside A/C unit, or a 30 or so amp feed to a small shed you might also put up, less wires to run inside.

If you plan to power the house from the same meter, you will want to install a 320/400 amp meter socket and dual disconnects on the shop, running one disconnect to the shop panel, the other to the house (assuming the house will have a 200 amp panel and no larger)

Make sure that the power company does not intend to charge you commercial rates since the building is not a residence. Some localities do not allow two meters on a parcel of property for fear that you will have an illegal business there, and the POCO will want to charge commercial rates because it "looks like a business". Some have hard and fast policies, while some leave it to the discretion of the people in the local power company office that set up the account as they see fit, based on the situation.

Charles