Subpanel For Detached Garage w/ Twist

[nmk_61802]

I am hoping to running an upgraded power supply to my detached garage this spring.

My house currently has a 200amp supply. I have confirmed with the Power Company that the main feeder is rated at 320amp. I plan to intall a new meter socket and split the incoming feed line, running 200amps to the house and 100amps to the garage. This is the path I wish to take for two reasons:

1. This allows me to remove the load from the house panel.

2. The meter socket is located near the garage and it should be easier to bypass the house breaker panel.

I am hoping for some advice on equipment. Currently the only meter socket which I have found that will do what I want is a MilBank U5890-X-2/200-BL, swapping out one of the breakers for a 100amp. This particular meter socket is approved by my local PoCo, but I have to imagine there are other sockets available, or a simplier way to achieve what I want.

Any input guys?

 

[theoldwizard1]

Lugs Direct

Before you go too far down the road make sure your local building codes allow it as well as the power company.

 

[Aceman]

If you change your plain old meter base out to a metermain, you will need to change the feed to your house panel to 4 wires, seperate the neutrals/grounds in that panel as well as move all the grounding electrode conductors to your new meter main.

Another option you might want to run by your local inspector is changing your meterbase to a 320A and running an underground feed all the way to your garage with NO disconnect at the house.

Service disconnects are required to be grouped, so if you have a panel in your house somewhere and you add a disconnect for your garage outside next to the meterbase, that won't cut it. But, sometimes inspectors will let you get away with pulling a second feed off a meterbase and running to another building with the service disconnect over there.

 

[nmk_61802]

Lugs Direct

Before you go too far down the road make sure your local building codes allow it as well as the power company.

I had initially planned on using add on Lugs, but did not think that it could be done, since I did not want to update the wiring to handle 320 amps to each of the load centers. Perhaps I should relook into this as this really was the easiest method should the local POCO allow it.

If you change your plain old meter base out to a metermain, you will need to change the feed to your house panel to 4 wires, seperate the neutrals/grounds in that panel as well as move all the grounding electrode conductors to your new meter main.

Another option you might want to run by your local inspector is changing your meterbase to a 320A and running an underground feed all the way to your garage with NO disconnect at the house.

Service disconnects are required to be grouped, so if you have a panel in your house somewhere and you add a disconnect for your garage outside next to the meterbase, that won't cut it. But, sometimes inspectors will let you get away with pulling a second feed off a meterbase and running to another building with the service disconnect over there.

Good respose again I had thought of this but thought I would need to enlarge the wire size to the FLA of 320A to the second panel located in the garage, but perhaps I am looking at it incorrectly. Good info on the 4 wire service. I had missed that in my research. Of course that needs to be done, since in effect that will be my new main, with the house panel and the garage panel being subs.

Any other thoughts from the forum? I have already called both the POCO and a local electrician and asked for input. The POCO offered no additional input, just that it could be done the way I was thinking. The local electrician said he had just done the some but used an external disconnect. He did not know of a panel made like I linked to and want the model number from me so he could use it in the future.