Question about workshop electric

[Grizzly joe]

Hi I'm new to the forum but do have a question about our garage electric. Our garage was badly damaged by a storm which gave us an opportunity to redo some things since we use it as a farm workshop. We currently have a 100 amp box but anytime we use an outlet the power in the house biggs down The biggest things we have hooked up our a stick welder a 50 amp plug to charge mom's camper and a 30 amp subpanel that powers the barn. Other than that it's just standard lights and 110 plugs. I'm sure something is done wrong or it's the wrong size just looking for suggestions.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Electrician.

 

[Noltz]

Hello and welcome,

When you say "... we use an outlet the power in the house bogs down.", do you mean literally ANY outlet, or only when you're using high current stuff like the stick welder? You will suffer voltage drop when using a high current device. That's just the nature of electricity. Now if you tell me the kitchen lights dim when you use a drill in the garage, you have a problem.

How far is the house panel from the garage panel? What size circuit breaker is feeding that garage panel? I know you have a circuit breaker labeled 100A on the garage panel itself, but that doesn't mean it's being fed from a 100A source in the house. Are you comfortable removing the front cover from the house panel and taking some pictures?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

in addition to the above questions, do you have a multimeter to test voltages?

Have you opened your main panel to see if there is anything burnt such as breakers?

Can you post some pics of meters, panels etc (panels with covers on and off)....

Also, what electric loads do you have in the house? oven, dryer, water heater, heat pump, well pump, etc etc.

Are they running when you use the outlets in the shop>?

 

[Terry D]

Where are you at in Missouri

 

[rburke65]

You have a 100amp box...where? “Anytime we use an outlet....” where? House? Barn? You have to be more specific. We...they...over there....it’s big.... none of this helps.