Here's what I want to do, but I need some advice on how to do it:
We will have a 200 amp service panel at the new house. I want to run a 100 amp service to the barn where I will have a second panel box. All wiring will be direct burial cable and I may install it in pvc just for added protection.
I was all set to install a 100 amp breaker in the 200 amp house service panel box and connect the run from the barn to the 100 amp breaker. Then I read the post in "Electrical Panel" that mentioned the added heat from the single 60 amp breaker vs the 20 and 40 amp breakers. This really got me to thinking that I may be in for trouble if I use the 100 amp breaker to feed the barn electrical service
What do you suggest? I don't want 2 meters or anything like that, but I want to ensure that I can run electricity out to the barn safely. Thanks for your help.
You want to use a " pass through" or " feed through" panel on the house. These panels have lugs on the bottom of the bus bars so you can add cables out of the bottom of the box going somewhere else. I would then add a separate 100 amp breaker in a disconnect box under the main panel before running to the barn. That way if you short out the branch going to the barn you don't trip the main for the house.
Nick,
bgott's idea will work great, but a residential panel with feed through lugs are not going to be something you can pick up at the box stores. Plus a 200A panel outfitted that way is expensive.
My thought is that you will probably not pull 100A out in the barn very often. My personal experience is the 100A breaker in the main panel will be okay............just my opinion though
When I updated the electric service at my house to 200A, I had a 100A panel installed in the shop also. A 100A breaker in the 200A panel supplies the shop. I've had this for two years and haven't had any problems with breakers getting hot. When I lived in OH I had a 60A breaker for the shop and never had any problems with this either.
Mike, from what I understand having two meters would mean adding some type of branch service from the main service line that comes from the power company's pole, plus the additional meter can. We are so tight on the budget that we're squeaking, so even if it's a few dollars difference I've got to be careful.
Realistically, I figure that I would not be placing more than a 50-60 amp load on the panel box. Worst case is using my stick welder while the window unit a/c is on, lights on, and the air compressor kicks on. I may go ahead and install the 100 amp breaker in the main panel and go with that, since the posts here have indicated this may not really be a problem. It would appear from looking at the electrical loads that I should not even be close to pulling the rated 100 amps through the breaker.
Nick, I was just curious. Thanks for the info. When we built our barn, which is about 600 feet from our house, we ran water and phone lines from the house, but installed a separate electric service. We dug the trench to the nearest pole, which was closer than the house was, and ran underground to the meter at the barn.
Mike, if you were looking at our property from the front, the road is about in the middle of the property leading to the house on the right and the barn on the left. The electric pole is on the right hand side property line, about 60 ft away from the house, so the barn is furthest from the pole. The barn is about 65 ft away from the house and about 150 ft from the pole. This description sort of sounds like a math problem [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
I will run phone, electric, and water out to the barn, but the electric feed will need to run around the house since the main panel will be on the right hand side of the house. A contractor friend of mine had direct burial 2/0 and 3/0 wiring left over from a large commercial job, so I would up with enough of it to service both house and barn. I actually located both structures where I could reach them with the cable I had. I didn't really compromise on location, since that's where I would have put them anyway, but it was nice to have the cable - it's not cheap. All I will need to do is put it into a trench.
If I can stay with the 100 amp breaker for the barn in the main panel, I'll be able to use the cable I have, since it's just enough to get from the main house panel to the barn.
[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] My experience with checking shop wiring with infrared is that very seldom is there much current being used EXCEPT when air compressors are being used heavily. If your shop isn't particularly air compressor-dependent you will be fine. Even welding is not a big deal because the duty cycle and the amount of actual welding is so limited......except in professional shops....that the power supply system is rarely loaded to rated current. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] AIR COMPRESSORS are the big villan in shops and factories. Big air compressors need the BEST electrical gear; installed in the BEST manner; and conservatively loaded. The rest of the stuff ....even A/C...doesn't amount to much. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]
Thanks for that additional info - I always assumed that it was the welder, but what you said makes sense about the air compressor.
I don't see that I would ever be using more than a 5 hp compressor and that would be replacing the 2hp that I currently have. It's working fine, so a larger compressor should not be anytime soon. Most of the other everyday load will be lights, light power tools, drill press, and air conditioning, but seldom will any of the tools be used at the same time.
Reply With Quote
