getting second power source from meter box

[Motown 454]

Hi I was wondering if I can run power from the meter box on the side of my house to the garage. The house has 100 amp service. Can I run another power wire to the garage going to another braker panel?

The meter is about 3-4' away from the back of where the garage will be.

 

[mrb]

you cannot have a second feeder coming out of that meter can

 

[Motown 454]

Thank you I didn't figure on being that lucky. What would I need to do.

 

[Pharmteck]

I have 100 amp in the houes like you and the box has a 30 amp breaker to run the shop.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I have 100 amp in the houes like you and the box has a 30 amp breaker to run the shop.

This is probably your best choice, without upgrading the service coming to the house.

 

[gatchel]

I don't know of your future electrical plans but if it were me , I would upgrade the service.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Get a new meter can installed, a 320 amp with double taps (this will include a new mast down to the can, new weatherhead and new cable from the transformer to the meter (service entrance cable) The power company will at least replace the cable from the transformer to the weather head, and possibly all the way. The meter will be mounted up higher on the house. Underneath the meter will be two disconnect boxes with 150 amp disconnects, one would feed the house's existing panel, the other would run (underground?) to the garage.

If you have 100 amp in the house now and get along with it, and a small house, 150 amp in the house should be large enough for future expansion.

You could go larger (400 amp meter can and two 200 amp disconnects) but I doubt you really need it.

Edit: Forgot to add, if your existing wire from the meter to your breaker panel is limited in size, say to 100 amp capability, you would either have to upgrade it also, or simply put a smaller disconnect supplying the house. You could, at a later date upgrade the service entrance wire to the panel and put back in the larger disconnect.

Charles

 

[Motown 454]

Thanks for the information guys. I'll have to call the power company. Thaks again.

 

[Aceman]

A few options:

1. Install a meter main, this replaces your meterbase. It's a combination meterbase and 8 space panel. You'd need to change the wiring running into your house panel to four wires, move all your grounding to your new metermain and then seperate neutrals/grounds in your house panel. The feed for the garage would come out of this panel.

2. You can see if the power co. will drop a second service to your garage and avoid all that hassle.

3. Or the easiest, come out of your existing house panel and run to your garage.

 

[cowboyjosh]

What he said, a great legal solution I couldn't have explained better myself, albeit somewhat expensive, but correct long term solution to your problem.

Get a new meter can installed, a 320 amp with double taps (this will include a new mast down to the can, new weatherhead and new cable from the transformer to the meter (service entrance cable) The power company will at least replace the cable from the transformer to the weather head, and possibly all the way. The meter will be mounted up higher on the house. Underneath the meter will be two disconnect boxes with 150 amp disconnects, one would feed the house's existing panel, the other would run (underground?) to the garage.

If you have 100 amp in the house now and get along with it, and a small house, 150 amp in the house should be large enough for future expansion.

You could go larger (400 amp meter can and two 200 amp disconnects) but I doubt you really need it.

Edit: Forgot to add, if your existing wire from the meter to your breaker panel is limited in size, say to 100 amp capability, you would either have to upgrade it also, or simply put a smaller disconnect supplying the house. You could, at a later date upgrade the service entrance wire to the panel and put back in the larger disconnect.

Charles

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I did forget to mention what Aceman did note, that the installation of the outside disconnects will require a new four wire to be run to the panel inside and separation of the neutrals and grounds. This may or may not be easily done.

In my case, it was going to require replacement of the existing 200 amp panel with a new one and lowering the panel in the wall to try to get enough romex to reach where it needed to go in the new panel. Plus I needed a new underground feed, given everything I opted for a new meter for the shop.

In the case of an older house that has a limited service (as this one may very well have) now is the time to do the upgrades and stay with one meter and avoid the double charges of two meters.... if the PoCo will even allow two on your residential, some will not)

Charles

 

[Motown 454]

One of the contractors that came to look at my house to give me a price on the garage had a suggestion for my power situation. My power lines run right over where the garage is going. He suggested that sense I need to move the lines anyway just put a mast on the garage and bring the 200 amp power into the front of the garage with a 200 amp panel and run the 100 amp from there to the house panel. I have the engineer from the power company comming to take a look and see if I can do it that way.
I have a chance to get a 200 amp GE panel here are the specs. Is this a quality panel?

GE Powermark Gold Load Centers,Residential Load Centers
Product #: TM3220CCU

SPECIFICATIONS
Category Single Phase - USA
Input/Output Voltage 120/240V ac
Type Standard
Interrupting Capacity Rating 22
Amperage 200A
Device Type Main Breaker
Enclosure Indoor Type 1 Enclosure, Combination
UL/CUL Listing UL
Phase 1 Phase
1" Space 32
1/2" Space 16
Feed Either
Door Yes
GO Schedule 137D

It was in a house for a couple of months and removed to upgrade. He's asking $100 Let me know what you think.
Thanks Wayne

 

[Grogan14]

Unless you need to meter that garage separately for some reason, you'd normally come out of your main service panel, not out of the meter socket.

Assuming you don't have electric heat, I'd run 60A out to the garage. Remember, just because you may already have a 50A breaker for the range, a 30A for a dryer, a 30A for an electric hot water heater, etc. in your panel, your 100A service only ever sees the actual load upon it at any given time.

If this garage is going to be a full blown shop, and you truly need more than 60A out there, just install a separate service on the garage.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

One of the contractors that came to look at my house to give me a price on the garage had a suggestion for my power situation. My power lines run right over where the garage is going. He suggested that sense I need to move the lines anyway just put a mast on the garage and bring the 200 amp power into the front of the garage with a 200 amp panel and run the 100 amp from there to the house panel. I have the engineer from the power company comming to take a look and see if I can do it that way.
I have a chance to get a 200 amp GE panel here are the specs. Is this a quality panel?

GE Powermark Gold Load Centers,Residential Load Centers
Product #: TM3220CCU

SPECIFICATIONS
Category Single Phase - USA
Input/Output Voltage 120/240V ac
Type Standard
Interrupting Capacity Rating 22
Amperage 200A
Device Type Main Breaker
Enclosure Indoor Type 1 Enclosure, Combination
UL/CUL Listing UL
Phase 1 Phase
1" Space 32
1/2" Space 16
Feed Either
Door Yes
GO Schedule 137D

It was in a house for a couple of months and removed to upgrade. He's asking $100 Let me know what you think.
Thanks Wayne

This sounds like a good plan if the power company and the local building inspectors will go along with it. Make sure that you will get the same residential rate you now get.

The panel is you showing is a 32 space panel. Depends on what you want in the shop, but it should be sufficient. Use a meter box with a 200 amp disconnect in it outside, and you really don't need the main breaker in the circuit breaker panel (though it doesn't hurt anything, just costs more)

I like the GE panel as they are galvanized and should hold up well in a garage environment.

Charles