Main Power for Detached Garage

[R_Willis]

Did most of you run a seperate line from the box or just tie into the house?

I have probably a ~250' run to the box, but would prefer a seperate meter.

Will most electrical providers (ie: Duke) allow you to run the wire and trench it yourself and let them do the hookup at THEIR box?

Thanks.

 

[Stuart in MN]

A lot depends on the regulations of your local electric utility, they are all different. Some will allow a separate meter on the same property, others won't.

In general, everything on the utility's side of the meter is their responsibility and everything on your side is your responsibility, but again that may or may not be universal.

 

[mhm993]

Our local utility requires a single meter.

 

[rodnok1]

Depends on elec provider, mine(not duke) gave me the option of either 1 or 2 meters. Second meter rate is higher since not a house. The wiring was run by them up to power company side of meter base. It cost maybe 250 bucks for 300 feet 400 amp, distro box, 50 feet 200 amp to house, 250+ feet 200 amp to pole barn. Even if they charged 5 bucks a foot it wouldn't have been worth the money from the distro box to the pole barn.

 

[Falcon67]

I had a separate meter for a while - the PUC here allows the utility to charge commercial rates on the second meter at a residence. I changed things to a direct tap off the house meter with a 70 breaker feeding the building. One meter, one bill.

 

[TRC51]

I have not done it yet, but I would not even consider a second meter. As it is, my current bill is the most confusing thing on the planet. Often the delivery charges are higher than the supply. Commercial rate would also apply for a second meter from our supplier... I can't imagine how bad that would be. As long as you are not looking for huge power to the garage, I don't see why you would want another meter. But then again, I can be a little thick at times.

 

[Ord]

We have "central metering" - the meter is on a pole with the transformer. From the pole wires go to the house. I can have a second set or wires going from the pole to the garage without needing another meter.

Unfortunately our pole is old and starting to rot, so I will need to get it replaced before I can get an OK to do another service hook up to it.

 

[GarageEnvy]

I know a lot of people in my area (PG&E provider) install a second meter for their well. I couldn't tell you what the actual cost savings of doing that are but I know it is allowed.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I suspect that policies are not even uniform within a single utility. When I did my separate meter for the shop, the GA Power engineer (who later proved on several counts that he was an idiot), said it would be a commercial rate. The woman in the business office who set up the account and work requests told me he (the engineer) had no clue and that it was a residence and I wasn't running a business, so it was a residential rate.

I ran a second meter for a couple of reasons, most notably that coming off the house supply would be very expensive. The house had a 200 amp feed, and did NOT have a outside service disconnect. To come off the house meter with a 200 amp feed to the shop meant that I would have to pay to have a very long underground feed to the house replaced with heavier cable, a new meter socket, and would have to install dual service disconnects for the house and shop. The SE cable to the panel in the house is only three wire, with grounds and neutrals mixed in the panel. To comply with current code (necessary when upgrading the service) I would have needed to replace the SE cable with four wire and install a new panel that allowed for the separating of the neutrals and grounds on isolated bars, not possible with the Square D panel that is now/was installed (a 1985 installation). To top that, I probably would need to run some new romex from the panel to the first junction in many of the branch circuits as splitting the neutrals and grounds would require more wire than I have available (romex too short) and I am not willing to make a bunch of splices in the panelboard to lengthen the neutrals and grounds.

I am still considering upgrading the house service in the future and possibly splicing the neutrals and grounds in the panel and going back afterward and replacing them one at a time.

The power company half encircled my lot to get the power to the house, the main feed for the subdivision runs the length of my lot on the north side, and there is a pole and transformer about 50 ft from the north end of the house. This transformer originally supplied a yard light, now a larger one supplies the shop via a 200 ft down the pole and underground feed to the shop. The main SD feed continues about 300 ft west to the street where a underground high tension feed runs southward across the lot to the south side of it, and runs about 200 ft eastward down the south side to a surface transformer that supplies my house and the home next door. From the transformer the 240v SE feed to my house runs about 100 -130 ft to the south side of my house where the meter is located. A very long way to get power to the house.

Charles

 

[larry_g]

This is what I have installed. This panel has two 200A breakers in it one for the house and one for the shop. It also has 8 or 10 slots for breakers that I use one for the well pump and one for the outlets on the side of the panel support that were used for construction power. I had to provide the trench and conduit from the pole to the panel. The power company pulled the wires and installed the meter base.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[rebrewer]

I'm only allowed a single meter, so I have a 400 amp panel for the main feed, which then feeds a 200 amp panel for the house, and a 200 amp panel for the shop.

 

[belvedere]

I also have a single 400A meter base. This feeds a 200A panel in the house and a 100A panel in the garage.

 

[imavanner2]

I just put in a seperate 200 amp for garage I had to do the trenching and pipe wire and all 50 feet. They are charging me 800 to connect to the pole overhead was 100 cheeper. They wanted 3000 to upgrade the transformer but i needed a new pole so they upgraded it for free as they put i was in a growing area yea right but that was nice helped to have a friend there.
chris

 

[RoadBeater]

I ran 100 amp breaker off the house and the #2 aluminum. Realistically when will I pull 100 amps off the garage? Welder at 100% 50 amps, compressor 15 amps lites 1300 watts.

My understanding from the electric coop, was that they run the same wires from the pole to the house for 200 amp service, or 320 amp service.

 

[mrb]

I ran 100 amp breaker off the house and the #2 aluminum. Realistically when will I pull 100 amps off the garage? Welder at 100% 50 amps, compressor 15 amps lites 1300 watts.

My understanding from the electric coop, was that they run the same wires from the pole to the house for 200 amp service, or 320 amp service.

#2 AL is not good for 100 amps in this instance.

 

[R_Willis]

Wow, guess this is a no-brainer, just called DUKE Energy.

Meter is free, just have to apply for one 3-5wks out.

They will hook up the roadside and meter side for FREE.

Your responsible (or contractor) for the trench/wire to and from.

 

[SM Racing]

Why do you want a separate meter? Just run one meter base at the house. I am changing my house over to 400Amp service Friday and will just run the extra 200amp leg to the shop. One meter, one bill. Here they will send you different bills based on the dates service was turned on.

 

[BoydS]

I had the separate meter installed for my 200A service to my shop for a couple of reasons. One being that the feeder from my house would have been 400 feet underground and that was very expensive. While the separate tie in was only a 200 foot run UG. The other reason is that I just wanted it that way. In addition, I only get one bill with both meter readings.

I will say that when I had an engineer from the utility company come out to survey the situation, they stated a new transformer would have to be installed. I ask the engineer to first to determine the rating of the existing transformer servicing the area and then determine the load being utilized from it. They came back a few days later and stated the existng transformer would be sufficient for my needs, thus a new transformer will not be required. That new transformer would have cost alot of money at my expense. The point I am trying to make is question the utility company when they want to introduce cost to you. They sometimes make mistakes.

 

[1930]

I know this is an old thread but I have a question that may seem dumb but I dont know until I ask.

Is there a benefit to having a wire run from the pole out in the front of a yard to about 400 feet into the yard and then having a fuse panel like Larry showed in post # 10 and then just keeping it like that.

I am starting to begin planning of my new home on my 5 acre lot.

I have one neighbor down from me, that is it, evidently they are the reason there is even electrical service on my road.

Id like to start thinking about putting a well in, also Id like electricity so that I can run some tools if need be while I putz around the property doing what I can.

I am trying to find out who would supply my electric, Im then hoping they will allow me to dig a trench to whereever I want in the yard ( maybe 300=400 feet up into the property) and then put in a fuse panel that can supply me with electricity.

I can then later I guess tie the house into that.

Or am I way off in thinking there is any benefit to keeping it that way, that I should only consider that as a temp. deal until the house is built and then move box/meter assy up onto the house?

Thanks

 

[Stuart in MN]

Here's a map of Florida showing which utility companies cover which counties. http://www.fpuc.com/customer-service/areas-we-serve/ Note that these maps aren't necessarily 100% accurate, if your place is close to the border between two coverage areas you may be in either one. Still, it should be good enough to get you pointed in the right direction - if you call a utility and your address is not in their area, they'll tell you who does cover it.

 

[ard]

I know this is an old thread but I have a question that may seem dumb but I dont know until I ask.

Is there a benefit to having a wire run from the pole out in the front of a yard to about 400 feet into the yard and then having a fuse panel like Larry showed in post # 10 and then just keeping it like that.

I am starting to begin planning of my new home on my 5 acre lot.

I have one neighbor down from me, that is it, evidently they are the reason there is even electrical service on my road.

Id like to start thinking about putting a well in, also Id like electricity so that I can run some tools if need be while I putz around the property doing what I can.

I am trying to find out who would supply my electric, Im then hoping they will allow me to dig a trench to whereever I want in the yard ( maybe 300=400 feet up into the property) and then put in a fuse panel that can supply me with electricity.

I can then later I guess tie the house into that.

Or am I way off in thinking there is any benefit to keeping it that way, that I should only consider that as a temp. deal until the house is built and then move box/meter assy up onto the house?

Thanks

Same as back in 2010...it is ENTIRELY based on local utility rules.


Some utilities will only give you '20 free feet' from their pole, and then charge (say) $20 per foot installed. But if you put the main breaker on a pedestal out there, you can prolly run your own wire (now on 'your' side of the meter)for $10 a foot. I see a lot of panels out by the road since PG&E here changed some rules.

Id figure out where you want buildings to be, and plan accordingly- tossing in a 400A service willy nilly on a post - and treating it as maybe a temp- seems ill advised. Solar has to be tied to that, a whole house generator might....lots of considerations.... IMO

 

[Warrenator]

The people who built out my place put in FOUR separate meters. There is a barn, a shop, an empty old house, and the main nice house. The three mostly not used power meters for barn, shop, empty house cost me 30 bucks each per month, never get over the minimum charge. Plus main house which is whatever, 80 bucks a month.

Next time I feel like running copper wire underground I will combine at least the shop and the barn on one feed. Probably will cost me 400 bucks in MHF wire and 200 bucks to pay for a trencher for a day, pay for itself in 2 years.

 

[1930]

Here's a map of Florida showing which utility companies cover which counties. http://www.fpuc.com/customer-service/areas-we-serve/ Note that these maps aren't necessarily 100% accurate, if your place is close to the border between two coverage areas you may be in either one. Still, it should be good enough to get you pointed in the right direction - if you call a utility and your address is not in their area, they'll tell you who does cover it.

Thanks, I called yesterday SECO ( I think, never heard of it ) they apprehensively confirmed that they provided across the street from me but couldnt guarantee they did me.

They didnt know who might if they didnt but took my # and said they would get back with me within 2 days

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I know a lot of people in my area (PG&E provider) install a second meter for their well. I couldn't tell you what the actual cost savings of doing that are but I know it is allowed.

Pacific Gasp and extortion has a different rate for water pumping so that doesnt apply to metering for structures...

 

[tapout187]

My house has 200a service. I put a 100a breaker in the panel and ran 1-1-1-4 copper xhhw underground in 2” conduit to my pole building to another 200a main breaker panel.

 

[gtae07]

I looked at getting a separate feed and meter because I was worried about punching a hole through the side of the house and I didn't know if my 200A service at the house would be enough. GA Power engineer came and looked, quoted me a really high number, then said "look, just run it off the house; you'll save lots of money".

Turns out, punching the hole wasn't so bad (my panel is on the outside wall of the garage). I ended up running 2-2-2-4 MHF on a 90A breaker. Cost me about $700-800 or so including the trencher rental and conduit.