Looking for 200 amp feeder line info

[Mr. D]

I'm waiting for a return call from the local electrical company which could takes several days around here so I thought I would throw this question out for discussion.

I have a single power pole on the cornor of my property with a mast head (transformer across street) that feeds my house twin 200 amp service panels via underground wire (about 75'). I need to run a seperate 200 amp underground service from that same pole to my soon to be built 30 x 50 shop which will require roughly a 250' wire run.

The lady at the electric company said this would be at my cost but gave no details on how or what was required hence waiting on a phone call from the elecrical engineers.

I would perfer to keep the two systems seperate but another option is to run a 100 amp service off the exsisting house panel. The shop will have a 2-post lift, mig and stick welders, drill press, horizontal band saw, lathe and milling machine along with assocated 120v plugs and lights. Not sure if 100 amps is enough, however, I wont use all this at once.

Anyway, what am I looking at from a hookup standpoint at the pole? Do they (electric company) put another mast head on the same pole?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You currently have 400 amp service to your house? (two 200 amp panels?) Sometimes they use a 320 amp meter to do this, sometimes a full 400 amp meter socket.

You want a second service? (meter) for the shop?? That will add to your monthly costs, as you have a base charge you will always pay, even if you do not use a single electron of current. (I have a second meter on my shop).

Will the local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction.... ie the code people) allow a second meter on the property? Some do not, as they think that indicates intentions of operating a commercial operation, possibly in violation of zoning, etc.

In some cases the POCO (Power Company) will not do a second meter... just because... and if they do, many times it is at much higher commercial rates (I had the local POCO engineer tell me it had to be billed at commercial rates, but the lady in the office that set up the account said he was crazy and didn't have a clue, and set the account up at a residential rate for me).

This same engineer told me the trench had to be at least 30 inches deep, so the sections I cut with a 4" ditch witch for about 10 ft from the building, and about ten foot I hand dug with a 4" trenching shovel crossing a septic field, were 30 inches. The power crew that ran the rest of the trench and lay the cable also said he was crazy and didn't have a clue.

Power companies like to undersize their feeds to save costs on cable, so watch for this also.

Charles

 

[Mr. D]

Thanks Charles, yes I have 2 seperate side by side 200 amp service panels in the garage (its a very big house).

No problem on another meter at the garage as I live out in the county and have no zoning requirements except for a perk test / county for the garage septic tank.

 

[Falcon67]

I will say that 100A is going to be plenty for you. I have simialr equipment - not a big lathe or mill, but they are there - and I had to run the heater and AC unit both with the lathe, mill and DP running to break 50A of draw.

In Texas, the PUC allows the second meter on a residence to be billed at commercial rates. Found that out the hard way. Currently, if I get a shop drop from the co-op, it's a min bill of $35/mth. Payback on the wire and hassle to come 100' off the house is under two years.

If you get an estimate back anything like what we got back in the 80s when we lived way out in the sticks, you'll probably come off the existing. To run 300' in 1984 from Texas Power was around $2000 and that included the first 100' free. Also, the transformer may not have an additional tap. FWIW...

>Power companies like to undersize their feeds to save costs on cable, so watch for this also.
LOL - our 200A house service is 4/0 aluminum and the power guy had no issue adding a 100A box off the meter for my shop.

 

[Rosco]

My advice, FWIW, is to have the 200 feeder line ran to the shop with a seperate meter. My shop is only 26X30 but with an upstairs apt. There is no way a 100 amp box would have met my needs. One thing I have learned from this board is "always" plan for future expansion.

I get charged a minimum for the meter, but it does not really matter. Lights, fridge, tools, A/C and heat and my bill is very small. I also like to know how much the shop and house are using independantly.

You could always upgrade later, but I would do it now and be done. Even if you dont need it now it will be nice later on.

I am in the process of helping a buddy upgrade his shop electrical. He has a 100 amp panel coming from his main residence. The 100 amp panel has served him well for years until he decided to start powder coating (need oven) and now owns a 35' fifth wheel he wants to park and plug in.

Here in South Ga. they charged a flat $650.00 to dig the trench and run the feeder (about 150'), I just had to pull the permit and have a licenced electrician install/hook up the panel before they would turn the power on.

 

[Mr. D]

Thanks guys for the info. Had a guy out yesterday to look at where I'm placing the shop and spectic tank and we came up with a new location that is much better suited for the concrete slab but will require a 500' underground service feed from the pole to the shop at my cost.

Next step is to figure out what this will cost.