SUB PANEL BOX and #2 wire

[earthmover]

"Sorry.

This person moved or 
deleted this image."

But nonetheless, from your description, this sounds generally do-able.http://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D...rhead-Underground-CSED-RC3040M200SL/202891751

this is what my meter box looks like with the breakers on the bottom....




I don't know what you mean by "4aw wire". If you mean "4 AWG", then connecting it to that QOM1 breaker (in the new panel) I cited earlier will be no problem, because (as also mentioned) it can handle up to 2/0 AWG. Obviously, you should also ensure that whatever breaker you install at the meter panel will also properly accommodate the size feeder wire you'll need to use.

2awg wire here is the size of your last finger but aluminum
and 4awg is the size of your thumb
and both are direct burial cable



Then you probably want either Type UF-B (if you can get it in the needed gauge, which may be "iffy"), or Type USE-2.



Probably just different semantics; in casual discussion, many folks simply assume the "AWG" part. HOWEVER... There most definitely IS a difference between "AWG 2" and "AWG 2/0", if that's what you mean.



There is probably no need for that. That same previously-cited breaker will suffice nicely for the local "Main"/disconnect (that's its purpose in life, in fact). So that panel will do just fine, provided that it has enough breaker slots to meet your current and future needs. Now, as previously discussed, it MIGHT be a little tight on that latter front, depending on just what the future holds. So if you want to trade it for "the next model up" in the same series (presuming there is one), fine; but it's not like the panel you already bought won't work.



What, specifically, do I need to clarify? You were listing (i.e., counting up) the various branch circuits (hence breaker slots) you'll need in the new sub-panel. I first suggested an alternate wiring scheme for the various general-purpose 120V outlets scattered around the shop, and then pointed out that two circuits MIGHT not be enough (or at least short of ideal) for these, if you have any particularly power-hungry 120V tools.



OK, given that fuller explanation, I'm now pretty much convinced that one circuit will suffice for the welders. You'll just need to plug & unplug them with each use.



So that's two more branch breaker slots. (Just keeping track...)



OK, that is possibly not the ideal pattern from a usability/flexibility standpoint; but if it's already installed/wired that way, there is probably no pressing need to change it at this point. The larger problem, in the long run, will be those "Unobtainium" 8-foot T12 tubes. In any event, that's another two more breaker slots vs. your original list.



Wait a minute...

Load assignments (vis-a-vis the circuit breakers) and switching are two entirely different things. A lamp or light fixture does NOT need to be on its own circuit in order to be separately switched.

yes the light is a night light that comes on at dusk goes off at dawn by photocell



Understood. But OTOH, you don't want to be in SO much of a rush to get it done that you short-change yourself on the planning.

thanks

 

[2ManyProjects]

this is what my meter box looks like with the breakers on the bottom....

Still no pic, probably because you embedded your comments WITHIN your quote of my earlier post. You really ought to use

[/QUOTE] and [QUOTE]

tags to close and re-open the quotes when inserting comments inline.

2awg wire here is the size of your last finger but aluminum
and 4awg is the size of your thumb
and both are direct burial cable

That can't be right.

AWG is purely a measure of the physical size of the conductor; the material is irrelevant in this context. (IOW, AWG 2 is AWG 2, period; and the conductor is ALWAYS the same size regardless of material.) Further, lower gauge numbers correlate to LARGER wires. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gauge for complete details. Now, between any two multi-conductor cables, there may be differences in insulation thickness and/or jacketing; but given similarly constructed cables, AWG 2 will be noticeably larger than AWG 4, not the other way around. And as previously established, you need AT LEAST AWG 2 (preferably AWG 1, if you can find it) in Aluminum, or AWG 3 in Copper, for your application.

yes the light is a night light that comes on at dusk goes off at dawn by photocell

Even so, it can still be (at least partially) controlled by an external switch. Depending on the specific fixture, you MAY not be able to force it "On" when the ambient light levels are above the photocell's threshold; but you can always force it "Off".