Need some suggestions

[Coupe302]

I need some light source in my garage. I have a panel in there with three black large gauge wires, I guess two hots and a neutral. The previous owner told me that all the wiring is ran underground to the main panel which is 40 ft away but not hooked up. How would I go about this? Do I need to add just a large breaker to the main panel? Panel in the garage has a 200 amp main switch, Here are some pics of the setup:


Main Panel

Wires that need to be hook-up in main panel

Garage Panel

Switch/Breaker

Another thing, the black wires are not label, how would I determine which is which?

 

[Coupe302]

Also going to be using 240 plugs for my miller 251 welding machine, plasm cutter, air compressor, and band saw.

 

[Nostraquedeo]

What size and type of wire is coming from the "garage panel"? Indicate the writing on the side of the wiring.

 

[Coupe302]

What size and type of wire is coming from the "garage panel"? Indicate the writing on the side of the wiring.

Can't determine the size of wire because the words are not readable any more but it has 18 small wires. It's copper wire.

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Need the wire size at a minimum to determine what size of breaker you can put in the "main panel". Your breaker that will feed the "garage panel" will need to be sized according to the wire size.

 

[Coupe302]

Need the wire size at a minimum to determine what size of breaker you can put in the "main panel". Your breaker that will feed the "garage panel" will need to be sized according to the wire size.

Ok found out what type and size of wire it is, T90 Nylon 1/0 AWG 600 volts.

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Your conductors (wires) in a wet location when installed inside conduit is rated for 150 amps. Your breaker in your "main panel" should be no greater than 150 amps. You need to put that new breaker in your "main panel". Connect the existing wires to the new breaker on one side and to the existing 200 amp breaker on the opposite end. Connect your neutral to the "main panel" neutral bar and to the neutral bus in the "garage panel". You will also need to run a seperate ground wire between the two panels connected to the each of the ground bars in each panel. I need to look up the ground wire size. Make sure to keep the ground and neutral wires seperate in the "garage panel". Remove any jumper wire between the ground and neutral bus in the "garage panel" as needed. If it is a detached building from the "main panel" you will also need to install two new ground rods near that panel. Connect them together and connect to the ground bus bar in the "garage panel". All new branch circuit neutral and ground conductors should be connected to the sperate neutral and ground bars.

 

[Nostraquedeo]

Minimum #6 bare copper ground wire.

I would use 8' long 5/8" copper clad ground rods if needed. I think they need to be a minimum of 6' apart from each other.

 

[Norcal]

Not going to get a 150A breaker for that panel, most one can use is a 125A & it may not even be OK to use one over 100A.(This is where reading & complying w/ panel labels is very important).

BTW, is that picture upside down, or somebody mount that 3R panel upsidedown?

 

[JBurgess]

A couple of other concerns.

If the main panel is fed directly from the meter, you already have 6 disconects, the maximum allowed.

It apears you have mini twins feeding MWBCs, which may result in an overloaded neutral.