I am just building a separate free-standing 1597 sq ft garage (motorhome, car boat, small wood shop). The power company discouraged me from running a service directly to it (results in a second meter/account and a higher rate as non-residential). So I am left to consider running off of the house's main panel and running about 70 ft of wire in buried conduit to the new garage, with a sub-panel there. The house is 2100 sq ft and I think the existing 200 amps is plenty (we're conservative) and there should be room to add the garage's electric tasks to it (alternately, the power co said I could change the box to a 400Amp service [as the feed wires will support it], but that seems way too much and too much $$$). The existing panel is a Siemens G3040MB1200CU and it has all 30 slots filled (with standard sized breakers). The questions: 1. Is there a formula for me to determine how much circuit breaker "capacity" there is in this "200Amp" box? It can't just be physical space, but I can't seem to find a formula anywhere. If allowed, I'd convert 4 existing breakers (2 on each leg) into half-height breakers to make room for a full-height double 30 amp (220) breaker for the shop/garage so that I can provide myself with 220 in the building and be able to run the garage door openers, lights and 110 outlets. 2. Same question for the sub-panel in the garage. Having a 30/30 220 breaker, how many circuits can I put in the box?...recognizing, of course, that taking over 30 amps from one side or the other at the same time will pop one or both breakers (panel and/or sub-panel). 3. Is 6/3WG the correct size to use? Or would 8/3WG work? Would that let me put in more than my intended 60A total...say a double 50A breaker? Thanks for any help. I thought I had this all worked out with a new 200A service, but from the way the power co guy talked, this will be a lot less expensive than the second service I'd planned. Brad

Hi, my mobile home has what I refer to as a 60amp main & range panel. (photo enclosed, I hope). We disconnected and removed our electric range and had no need for the range cable to be in the kitchen or at the box. So I removed it at both ends. When I removed the cover from the panel I saw the 4 SE wires coming in. The red, black, and green all attached as shown, however the white was just taped. Is the normal, safe, and alright to keep this way before putting the cover back on? [IMG]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y69/ozone53/DSCN0867-1.jpg[/IMG]