First time installing subpanel - please help

[isuhunter]

I'm working on a basement remodel (yes I know its not my garage) and am wanting to install a subpanel to give myself more circuits for my basement remodel.
I have a couple quotes and options from an electrican: $500 for a subpanel giving myself 6 more circuits, or $850 to completely redo my panel and give myself a total of 30 circuits.

I think I can do it myself but I have a few questions and thought this group would provide some great input.

What size breaker should I put in?

• Electrican at work suggest 100 amp or 60 amp

What size box would you suggest? 6 breakers or should I go larger? I plan to mount the suppanel below.
What size wire do I need to run to the sub panel in this situation?
This is the correct diagram I would replicate, correct?

 

[Norcal]

About 2/3rds of that old Murray panel will accept twin breakers so you could gain some more space that way. BTW, Siemens owns them now & HD carries the breakers.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

So the panel pictured is your main?

What loads will u have on the subpanel?

Yes u need 4-wire feeder. Also need to make sure the neutral bar is isolated in the subpanel.

 

[pattenp]

As Norcal pointed out you have a lot of spaces available in your panel. See on the diagram it shows 40 spaces. Spaces 9 thru 40 take 1/2" breakers

 

[isuhunter]

So the panel pictured is your main?

What loads will u have on the subpanel?

Yes u need 4-wire feeder. Also need to make sure the nautral bar is isolated in the subpanel.

Yes that's the main panel.

Sub panel will feed the lights and outlets in the basement and also the fireplace.

Can you explain the natural bar?

 

[money_man]

if you can get mini's like the others have said i would do that, going to save you a ton of money compared to installing a pony panel.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yes that's the main panel.

Sub panel will feed the lights and outlets in the basement and also the fireplace.

Can you explain the natural bar?

The neutral bar (not natural bar; that was a typo) needs to be isolated in the subpanel. This means removing any green bonding screw or bonding strip off the neutral bar. After doing this the neutral bar should not have continuity between it and the panel enclosure and ground bar...

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I wouldnt waste time /money on a sub panel with 6 spaces in it myself,Update the old murray panel to something with more spaces and be done with it.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I wouldnt waste time /money on a sub panel with 6 spaces in it myself,Update the old murray panel to something with more spaces and be done with it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I needed an extra 4 breakers on a kitchen remodel I did a couple of years ago. Square D QO box (the "old" style). Replaced 4 existing breakers with 4 "tandem" breakers. Now I had 4 more breakers ! A couple of the new circuits required 20A so 1 the 4 tandems was a 20A.

If you don't want to do this, then I would pay the extra for a whole new panel.