electrical question....

[jakeb]

My deatached garage is now done and ready for use. I am starting to look into and plan how I will add power to it.

I think the best idea would be to dig a trench and run 3 2awg wires in a conduit to a sub panel. It is only about 60' from the house to the garage and I am sure I could dig it by hand without too much trouble.

I want to run 100a to my garage. I plan to have a 220 compressor right away and will have a 220 welder and a lift in the years to come.

My house currently has a 125A service with a breaker box that is just about full. But does have room for a 100a 2 pole breaker.

I will have to upgrade the service to the house to 200a. I am farily knowledable in adding circuits and running wire, etc but have never done this before.

I spoke with the electric company and they said it is fairly easy from their side to upgrade the service. They will supply me with a meter box/plate and then when I am ready they will come and take care of everything outside. Upgrade wire from the poll if needed, at no charge.

So...what I am wondering is can I use my current breaker box and just upgrade the main breaker from a 125 to a 200a. Run new bigger wire(if needed) from the box to the meter box/plate and then have the elec co come and turn it on. Or do I need to buy an entire new 200a box for the house and install a NEW meter box/plate, wire it together. Then have the city move power to that box and then either a) move all the wires from the old box to the new box or just have a 125amp in the new box to power the old box and then also have a 100amp in the new box to power the garage?

This ended up being pretty long winded.

I may have answered my own question. But would it be best to install a new meter box and have that feed a small box that then feeds the garage and the already installed home box?

TIA,
Jake

 

[sharpe427]

If your house box is nearly full, it might be best to have an electrician just drop a new box into the shop with a lot of room for expansion later (which you can do yourself).

 

[jxxxoxxxe]

I am in about the same situation...My house has 200 amp service, but I dont want to pull from it, so the electric company is running another line to the new shop, with a separate meter...

 

[jakeb]

I am starting to think that might be the best idea as well. Just to get another service ran. Then I will have Plenty of power and not have to worry about messing with anything in the house.

I will have to call the city again tomorrow and have them come out and see how it would run out there. Call around for some prices. I have no doubt I could wire a box and then have the city just turn it on.

 

[V-10 Killer]

I did this just before Christmas. I had an electrician come out and have the main wires to the house dropped. He then replaced the wires in the mast, the meter base, and the disconnect box outside the house with 200 amp rated parts. He then hooked the line to the house up into it on one 100 amp breaker, the detached garage line on a seperate 100 amp breaker, and the attached garage line on a seperate 40 amp breaker. No wiring had to be touched inside the house. Cost was about $1050.

 

[jakeb]

oh nice, Did that cost include running wire to the detached garage? Or at least the wire itself?

I looked outside and the only way to run another feed to the garage will be underground. I really do not want a overhead power running directly over my back yard or the neighbors yard.

Was he able to do it in less than a day? The wires coming out of my mast look huge. I have 2awg running into the box in the basement.

The disconnect box is what has the 3 breakers in it?

 

[V-10 Killer]

No, I ran the conduit and cables myself. He was nice enough to lend me his shop vac and mouse so I could get the pull cord in place though.

 

[Wardster]

Install a new 200A service to the shop and run a 100A line to the house to take care of any future needs.

-Wardster

 

[silverbk]

Jake,

I am a licensed master electrician with 20 years of residential wiring.

To answer your question specifically you cannot change the breaker in your panel to 200 amps. You must purchase a new breaker panel. Hint, buy one of the same brand and configuration so you can reuse the breakers. Home Depot and Lowes sell contractor kits, you get panel, and breakers all in one box.

If you have Federal Pacific breakers, replace it with a different brand, they are highly problematic.

Also if you run a conduit to your shop you will have to run 4 conductors to it. Any time you have a subpanel you need an equipment grounding conductor in addition to the grounded conductor (neutral) . I recommend that you oversize the conductors to compensate for voltage drop, especially since you are planning on connecting a motor load.

I don't recommend upgrading your service for the DIYer, as it involves working with live wires. You should seriously consider hiring a licensed electrician. It's a very common job for us. A good electrician can knock this out in half a day, handling the power company needs and permits if required. Expect to pay about $1300 to $2000 depending on the labor rates and the price of copper and aluminum in your area and the specific details of your house.

I recommend you get several bids, as prices among electricians can vary.

My deatached garage is now done and ready for use. I am starting to look into and plan how I will add power to it.

I think the best idea would be to dig a trench and run 3 2awg wires in a conduit to a sub panel. It is only about 60' from the house to the garage and I am sure I could dig it by hand without too much trouble.

I want to run 100a to my garage. I plan to have a 220 compressor right away and will have a 220 welder and a lift in the years to come.

My house currently has a 125A service with a breaker box that is just about full. But does have room for a 100a 2 pole breaker.

I will have to upgrade the service to the house to 200a. I am farily knowledable in adding circuits and running wire, etc but have never done this before.

I spoke with the electric company and they said it is fairly easy from their side to upgrade the service. They will supply me with a meter box/plate and then when I am ready they will come and take care of everything outside. Upgrade wire from the poll if needed, at no charge.

So...what I am wondering is can I use my current breaker box and just upgrade the main breaker from a 125 to a 200a. Run new bigger wire(if needed) from the box to the meter box/plate and then have the elec co come and turn it on. Or do I need to buy an entire new 200a box for the house and install a NEW meter box/plate, wire it together. Then have the city move power to that box and then either a) move all the wires from the old box to the new box or just have a 125amp in the new box to power the old box and then also have a 100amp in the new box to power the garage?

This ended up being pretty long winded.

I may have answered my own question. But would it be best to install a new meter box and have that feed a small box that then feeds the garage and the already installed home box?

TIA,
Jake

 

[silverbk]

Install a new 200A service to the shop and run a 100A line to the house to take care of any future needs.

-Wardster

A separate 200 amp service to the garage is a good idea, but running a conduit back to the house is a violation of the National Electric Code.

 

[rwhite692]

Listen to Silverbk...Upgrade the service, and hire a pro to do it...Don't know about where you live, but here in CA (at least in my city) you need a permit to do a service change and there are inspections, etc...We are changing to a 400A service with two 200A branches, one "half" of one 200A (100A) will go underground to the detached garage, the remaining 300A will serve the house.