Further news about my shop shutdown

Yesterday I called three electricians that got high scores on Home Advisor. The first one is coming out today to quote the sub panel. The other two come next week. I also cleared a bunch of stuff out of the shop that got dumped there by the movers. It's down now to what belongs in the shop, plus a bit of detritus waiting for tomorrow's "big trash pickup". Today I'll see about assembling and testing my two new tools (the free standing drill press and band saw). Amusingly, i found the portable band saw among the things dumped by the movers. I would have sworn I gave that away!
 
Yesterday the first of three electricians came to give a quote on getting the shop wired with a sub panel. Turns out, they can't wire a sub panel without replacing the existing panel (or so I was told) because the existing panel is totally full. Total of the quote was $7871. but to be fair, that DID include a whole house surge suppressor for $699, so if I was willing to do without that it would ONLY be $7172. Still WAY over the line I'm willing to pay.
 
That's unfortunate, bud. If the panel is completely full, though, how are you going to manage to get ANY additional juice out there...?

Mind sharing a photo of the existing panel?
 
What circuits would you be able to live with out to free up some for the shop? Then use those to bring in power to your shop. It would get you started and then you could perform an expensive panel upgrade later.
 
I considered that option, Bufford. Sadly, I think the real problem is that the panel with 32 ports is just barely adequate for all the circuits in the house. I was told it has 32 ports, and all are in use. Yes, there are some things I could live without (like the exterior garden lighting), but my wife sees those as essential to her happiness. ;)

I'll take a picture when I get back home, Matthew. One of the other comments the electrician made is that some of the circuits are wired as "quads", which he was was bad form. Not sure if that represents an opportunity to free up one of the ports.
 
Dangerous assuming arm chair electrician is here ;)...

200 AMPs of 240V is a lot of power for a normal resident home common usage - including a large AC. Electric heater + dryer + water heater are the 3 big AMP burners. I don't think, peak startup current would pass 120-140 AMPs. Add a subpanel next to the main panel to free up a few slots on the main. Pull a 40-50 AMP subpanel for your equipment.

I pulled a 40AMPs subpanel for my 240v 2HP 2x72 and 240v ht oven and led lights + bandsaw + drill press. I cranked them all up at the same time and usage didn't registered past 32AMPs. YMMV.
 
Just buy a surplus construction power trailer for $2500. It will deliver several hundred amps and have 3 phase. Heck, it might even have welding output. The bonus is that when the power goes out in a big storm or tornado, your house will still be good for several days.
So it will make a little noise when running, it isn't like you will be out working in the shop at 2AM :)
 
Greg
Check on adding a separate service for your shop. That's what I did. I was close enough to the transformer that it cost just over 700 bucks to set up a 200 amp service in my shop. I did run a lot of the wire myself and the tench for the wire to the transformer,mounted the meter can and breaker box. Had it all inspected and electric co came and hooked it up.

OH my electric bill runs bout 25-30 month even with the A/C running.
 
Okay, thanks for the ideas guys. I like them all! :)

Here is a pic of the panel for Matthew.

PanelS.jpg
 
Can't tell what the vendor is, but there's two breakouts available. Not sure why they wouldn't have been able to shuffle a couple of those breakers around to get you another double breaker, which could be run to a subpanel. That's got to be the smallest 200 amp panel I've ever seen...

I'd like to hear what the second electrician has to say.

I'm NOT familiar with your panel.
I'm NOT an electrician.

It seems odd to me that you couldn't pull from that one, though. We'll see!
 
Amusingly, I had someone I know recommend I power the shop using "a generator powered by grass clippings!!!" Pity there's no economical way for me to use solar panels to create a second source of electricity for the home. We've had a brutally bright and hot summer that would have been great for solar panels... if they got installed after the hail storms of April. ;)

I floated the idea of a construction site power trailer by my wife. For some reason she wasn't at all excited by the idea. I may never be able to figure out women.

Next electrician shows up tomorrow. I'll change the parameters of the ask and simply see if anything can be done to run a 20A circuit to the shop. I can scrap by with the 15A circuit there now, but I know event with a 1 HP motor I'll be straining that (let alone trying to run an AC unit).
 
Don't change your parameters. Let them tell you it can't be done, first. A single 20a circuit isn't enough. Get what you NEED!!!!

Patience, man. I'm still not convinced your first electrician was being entirely honest with you.
 
You could add a sub-panel and move some of the circuits to that, and then run your shop line
from the main panel.
 
I'm not sure how they would move the circuit terminus from one garage to the other to enable that approach. The two panels will be something like 50 feet apart. I suppose it's worth asking about, though.
 
What Bill means is you could remove a couple circuits from the existing panel, add another panel right next to it, and put those circuits in the new panel. At that point, it would mean running long lines from the new panel to your shop.

I still think it looks like you could remove those two knockouts on the left of the panel, move one breaker from the bottom to the top, and have an open double on the bottom to pull a 220 circuit to a sub panel in the shop. It would mean totally filling the existing panel, but that's what it's for!
 
If you are running variable speed control on the grinder 20 amps will be sufficient as the starting draw is quite low. My Wilton 2 X 72 runs together with the lights, drill press, and the dust collector all at the same time without issues. When I heat treat with the Paragon I have to compromise and and not run the machines, but the lighting in the shop stays on. One note, the shop is only 20 feet from the main panel.
 
The second electrician cam around yesterday and informed me that the first electrician lied to me, saying there was sufficient capacity on the existing panel to pull FOUR 20A lines without adding another panel, just as Matthew indicated. That one has yet to follow through with a quote for the work, however, so I'm only slightly in a better position. But still, nice to know I don't need to pay moon money just to be able to run my equipment in the shop.

It's almost time for me to plan a quick trip to Hockley to get my GIB frame welded.
 
Don't run separate lines - use the spaces to put in a 60 or 80 amp subpanel located in the shop. You think you need 20 amps 110v, when what you need is 220v! It opens a world of possibilities for you, and makes everything easier to find and cheaper, too.

Great news, either way. You're almost there, and better still, you're in a position to do it right from the beginning.
 
Yeah, that was way too much, he was just either hoping you would bite and get it or he didnt really want to do the job. I put a bathroom and storage room in the basement and the guy ran a small sub panel off the main with a 40 amp breaker. It should be simple for them to do that for your shop. Don't get less than what you want unless it cant be done, you may find out later it could have been done..
 
The second electrician came out and scoped the job, but never submitted a written quote (yet). The third electrician never even showed up for the appointment.

So for the moment at least I will continue to configure the shop with the existing power drops until I can find an electrician that really wants the job.
 
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