New Garage

[mrtbig]

I am a newbie, so need help.

I want to connect my new workshop/garage which is only about 15 feet from service to my other building.

I have attached a photo showing where the service is and new workshop/garage is in background. I also have attached photo of panel in building I want to run out of.

I have been reading over forums and I guess what I want to do is take a 100 amp breaker from main and go to a new 100 amp subpanel in new building.

I need to know about what kind of wire I need for run and for wiring lights, plugs, switches, etc for new building. I also want at least one 220 outlet.

The new building is 20x30 and want to run plugs all around and probably will go the florescent lighting tr5? I believe. Maybe double 8 ft runs x 3 = 1 over workbench area and 2 general. Have electric garage door opener as well.

I have been told to seperate plugs and lights into 2-3 circuits so can still have light and power if some fail, etc.

How do I go about doing all this? Someone told me I need to replace the current main panel with one larger that has more room so I can put a 100 amp breaker in it.

Help greatly appreciated.

 

[AZ Garage]

I am a newbie, so need help.

A lot of individual questions, so I'll break it down a little.

I I want to connect my new workshop/garage which is only about 15 feet from service to my other building. I have attached a photo showing where the service is and new workshop/garage is in background. I also have attached photo of panel in building I want to run out of. I have been reading over forums and I guess what I want to do is take a 100 amp breaker from main and go to a new 100 amp subpanel in new building.

You are already at a disadvantage since your existing panel is full. Normally, you could install a new 100A 2-pole breaker in your panel and feed from that. Your first step is to determine what size panel you have. I couldn't read from the pictures what size your main breaker was, 100A or 200A. If it is 100A, you need a new service, which can cost up to $30K depending on fees, inspections, etc.. If it is 200A you would need to relocate one of the existing 2-pole breakers, or 2 of the single pole breakers to make room for the new 100A 2-pole breaker. You could relocate the ones you took out into the new garage panel. However depending on what breaker(s) you removed, you may need to relocate the equipment they feed to the garage area.

I I need to know about what kind of wire I need for run and for wiring lights, plugs, switches, etc for new building. I also want at least one 220 outlet.

For general power(plugs), run #12's which will reduce the possibility of flipping breakers due to overload. I would install no more than 6 per breaker. For lighting, #12's for lighting as well. The 220V will depend on what equipment you are planning for, but it will require a 2-pole breaker.

I The new building is 20x30 and want to run plugs all around and probably will go the florescent lighting tr5? I believe. Maybe double 8 ft runs x 3 = 1 over workbench area and 2 general. Have electric garage door opener as well.

Lighting circuiting is personal. you could run all your lights on one circuit, or you could separate the lighting into two circits, one workbench area, and one general. This will allow for "growing room". Garage door will need a dedicated circuit.

I I have been told to seperate plugs and lights into 2-3 circuits so can still have light and power if some fail, etc.

Good planning, see above too.

I How do I go about doing all this? Someone told me I need to replace the current main panel with one larger that has more room so I can put a 100 amp breaker in it.

Help greatly appreciated.

See above.

 

[Poncho Villa]

Nice thorough response AZ! Since I'm in a similar situation (sans main panel issues), what are the acceptable options (gauge and type) for service wire to run between the main panel and sub panel assuming it will be in buried conduit?

Sorry to hijack the thread but I'm at the budgeting stage with similar questions.

Thanks!

 

[AZ Garage]

Nice thorough response AZ! Since I'm in a similar situation (sans main panel issues), what are the acceptable options (gauge and type) for service wire to run between the main panel and sub panel assuming it will be in buried conduit?

Sorry to hijack the thread but I'm at the budgeting stage with similar questions.

Thanks!

Depends on what you're looking to do. Are you going to go with a new 100A panel, or with a 60A panel, and what is the distance between the two panels.

 

[tfi racing]

AZ gave some good tips,but before you get too excited about replacing your house panel,see if wafer or tandem breakers are available.You may be able to free up a couple slots and put in a 100A 2 pole,the picture isn't clear enough for us to see if that is a possibility.You don't necessarily need to upgrade to 200A,your present and future loading and demand factors will determine that.

 

[mrtbig]

Re: New Garage - Updated Photo

Here is a better photo of the box for you.

 

[AZ Garage]

That photo shows that the panel rating is 200A max, but not what it actually is. It is even labeled to see the main breaker rating.

Usually the main breaker has a number printed on the end of it, however I've run into a few that didn't. If you can't find it, the other option is to have the cover removed and see what size wire is feeding the main breaker.

 

[jktruck150]

I am getting ready to do the same thing. My shop is about 30 ft. from the end of my house, so accounting for 8 ft up my house wall, and 8 ft up my shop wall (from 24" deep trench), i am looking at running 50' of 2 gauge wire for my 100A service. My fun part is getting it all inspected. For some odd reason, my wife doesn't trust me, funny how that happens; and i am running wire from my shop to my horse barn. I don't have the breaker issue with my panel, i have open slots, but I did enquire to my electric co-op about running additional service to my shop, and was quoted aroun 900-1200 bucks. Looks like I am running it from my house on my own. One thing i found out though, is to know what size wire/service the power company has coming into your house, (typically 200A). If you have allthe light on in your house, running the dryer, AC or Heat, and watching tv, and then have everything in the shop on..(i know this is rare), you could have dimming issues or be constantly be tripping breakers everytime you turn tools on etc. At least that is what was told to me. I know this may be a lot of useless info, but it at least sounded like something to consider for me. Good luck on your wiring mrtbig!

 

[mrtbig]

OK, I looked at panel again and on the main breaker on the top there is 200 on the side of the switch. I didn't see it when I took the photo or I would have taken a better one for it.

 

[AZ Garage]

OK, I looked at panel again and on the main breaker on the top there is 200 on the side of the switch. I didn't see it when I took the photo or I would have taken a better one for it.

Good news is you have enough ampacity to work with.

Now you need to decide which 2 breakers you want to move. There was a suggestion of removing two single-pole breakers and replacing them with one tandem breaker, or piggy-back breaker, as some call them.

Once that is done, you can install the new 100A breaker, new wiring and new panel in the garage.

 

[rburke65]

$30k! !.........Thirty thousand dollars...............Really trying to scare this guy.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Take four of the 120V breakers out. Possibly the four on the lower RH or lower LH as this would be easy. Buy two tandem breakers of the same amperage (15 or 20), these are two of the thin, half width breakers, that are permanently siamesed together. They are separate electrically, and the handles are NOT tied together. Put these two tandem breakers (four circuits total) in the place of the upper two of the four you removed. Connect your existing four circuits from the breakers you disconnected, to these new breakers, rebending the wire slightly. You now have two open full width slots, adjacent to each other. Now you can buy a new 90 or 100 amp breaker, probably 90 since you could do the wiring with #4 aluminum by limiting it to 90, now run your wire to the new panel.

Charles

 

[DJDD]

$30k! !.........Thirty thousand dollars...............Really trying to scare this guy.

That's not that far off in some places. It requires running new service from the street to the house, upgrading the meter, and then replacing the panel. When you replace the panel you're hoping that whoever ran the wires originally left some room for expansion. Plus, there's drywall and structural work involved as most panels are framed in.