help understand setup

[manminder]

Hi, this is the setup of my house power and i would like to take 100amp underground to my new detached garage 50ft behind.
Do i just put 100amp breakers in this panel and run a conductor or is there another option?
Thanks in advance
marty

 

[pattenp]

If you have the capacity in the main-panel to add a 100A breaker , that's the way to go. Do you know for sure that you need 100 amps to the garage? You can use a 100A main-panel in the garage but feed it with 60A breaker in house main-panel. That will save you a few $$ on wire and breaker.

 

[manminder]

How do i tell if my house panel is 200amp or not?

 

[pattenp]

What is the size of the main breaker disconnect? That usually reflects the amp capacity of the panel.

 

[manminder]

On the disconnect box it says 200amp

 

[pattenp]

Looking at the feed from the meter it looks like it may be #2/0 copper. If it is then that also points to 200A. Does the cover to the breaker panel have a label on it that shows what the amp capacity is?

 

[manminder]

appreciate your input PattenP, I opened up the splitter box cover and saw two thick wires comeming in and then two thinner wires going out to the meter and
the panel. Correct me if i am wrong, wouldnt that mean there is 200amp coming in and then getting split into 100amp going into the meter and panel?

Second question, If i were to pull the handle on the disconnect, would that shut down the power to safely work on the panel?

 

[pattenp]

Without being there to see exactly what you have it's hard to give you an answer to those questions. You'd need to post more detailed and overall pictures of your set-up.