Sub panel

[Mikf44]

My house has 150 amp service. All of the spaces are full. I have two outlets in my attached 2 car garage and a single light bulb fixture in the center. The outlets are already occupied by the garage door opener the alarms system and the sprinkler system.

My plan is to put a 60 amp breaker where the water heater breaker (30amp) is now to feed the sub. Then run a 20 amp for 3-5 florescent fixtures and about 8 recessed lights. a 20 amp for the compressor outlet. A 20 amp for 3 sets of outlets around the bench and another 20 amp for 2 sets of outlets for wood working tools. (table saw, miter saw, planer). Also 1 more breaker for a fridge and 1 for the water heater.

Dose all of this sound right?

Thanks

 

[daveroy]

How are you powering your water heater?

Other than that.. can't help you, I'm clueless! :-(

 

[Mikf44]

My plan is to put a 30 amp in the sub and hook the water heater to that.

 

[DeadSock]

so ...

"20 amp for 3-5 florescent fixtures and about 8 recessed lights"
"20 amp for the compressor outlet"
"20 amp for 3 sets of outlets around the bench"
"another 20 amp for 2 sets of outlets for wood working tools"
"1 more breaker for a fridge" (20 amp)
"1 for the water heater" (30 amp)

all that from a sub-panel fed via a 60 amp breaker?

Me, I'd upgrade the house to a 200 amp service (or more if possible) and swap in a new (40 or more) panel.

 

[Mikf44]

I would like to but that is out side my skill level.

I was looking at the lights and 20 amps seems like over kill for them and they can go on a 15.

The fridge could go on a 15 amp also

Also I won't be running everything at once.

 

[Aceman]

so ...

"20 amp for 3-5 florescent fixtures and about 8 recessed lights"
"20 amp for the compressor outlet"
"20 amp for 3 sets of outlets around the bench"
"another 20 amp for 2 sets of outlets for wood working tools"
"1 more breaker for a fridge" (20 amp)
"1 for the water heater" (30 amp)

all that from a sub-panel fed via a 60 amp breaker?

Me, I'd upgrade the house to a 200 amp service (or more if possible) and swap in a new (40 or more) panel.

He could do it with a balanced panel but it'd be a little tight, that water heater is the load killer. If that 20 amp circuit for the compressor is 240v, then no way.

For the simple fact that #2 AL SER is a common supply house item and you can breaker it at 80 amps, that's what I'd most likely run.

I don't necessarily think he needs to upgrade his service either just because he's adding a fridge and compressor plus a few lights. That's peanuts really. No way to tell without a load calc though....

 

[ForceFed70]

What type of panel do you have? With some panels you can buy a tandem style breaker to make room.

 

[mrb]

leave the water heater in the main and relocate two other branch circuits (not lighting) to the subpanel. I say not lighting to help with flickering when the compressor starts.

 

[Mikf44]

The compressor is 110v.

There are already 4 tandem breakers in it.

Everything in the garage minus a fridge and the can lights I have been running off a 20 amp circuit.

I was at home depot today and they only had 100 amp panels and larger. I think I will get the 100 amp but just feed it with a lower amp breaker.
I saw they had 70 amp breakers. Would that be better?

Thanks for everyone's input

 

[dougmac]

A 150 amp panel with a sub may be enough to get the job done. I would do a load calculation first.

Many loads you don't calculate at 100% because you would never have them all on at once. Electric heat is a big one though because you have to calculate it at 100%.

Here is a site that has a residential load calculator that might help you out.

http://www.zenfixit.com/load_calculations.shtml

 

[dipper]

the real question remains to be asked.
Is the garage attached?

If the garage is detached, the code limits the number of feeds to 2 our to
detached buildings. More than that and you need a subpanel.

If the garage is attached, adding a sub doesn't sound like a problem, just rearrange
your circuits to keep the loads balanced sounds like a good idea.