built a garage need electrical help


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Old 03-30-08, 05:41 PM
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built a garage need electrical help

i built a 24x24 garage probally about 120 feet away from my meter but currently i have my 200a service maxed out i was told i can upgrade my service but then i would have to replace all the wiring and everything to much trouble.. the pole is in between the current meter and my garage is there a way to put the meter on the pole and just upgrade my service replacing the wiring on the pole.. i only need enough power to run about a 30a load continus, lights, and a welder everynow and then so maybe a 60-80a service would do.. adding another meter to the garage seems to exspensive because i was told i would have to pay 2 membership fee's and have 2 bills thats just to much

whats going to be the best route for me? and i live in TN
 
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Old 03-30-08, 05:54 PM
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I'm not a professional wire bender, but my first question would be - are you actually maxed out or are there no available breaker spaces left in your box. My 200 amp box is maxed with breakers, but I'd bet we seldom draw over 100 amps at a time. I'm considering a 100 amp sub panel for the future.

If your situation is similar, it's something to think about.
 
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Old 03-30-08, 06:37 PM
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The only legal way to detrmed if you service is maxed out or not is do the load demand you can goggle the " load demand " on it and from there you can able fill in the info what it be done.

most subpanel in garage normally useally are 60 amp size but once a while larger one if serious hobbyist working in the garage.

many place you can actally increase the service size like 300 ~400 amp size 320 A service basiclly a resdentail verison of 400amp service but you can have 300 amp service like 200 A for house and 100 A to garage with single meter set up but however to change meter size this have to be done by electrician for safety reason and code issues as well.

Merci,Marc
 
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Old 03-30-08, 06:51 PM
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Here in Ontario Canada, that would probably call for a CT metered pole service, if your 200A service is actually to its limit, or the shop would put it over.
 
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Old 03-30-08, 06:57 PM
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had a electrician look at it bfor he said it was maxed nothing is gas everything is electric 3 hvac units 1 4ton and 2 split units 8 person hot tub 3 sets of washer and dryers... so if its not maxed its damn well close i know i dont have 60-80 amps to play with

and french what about mounting the meter in a netural place like the pole with 200a going to the house and 100a to the garage i know it would have to be on breakers so will codes allow you to put a meter on a pole with a 200a breaker (house) and 100a breaker (garage) that would save alot fo money so i dont have to replace wiring from pole to house then run my garage line from the house to garage
 
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Old 03-31-08, 04:18 PM
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anyone? any input is appriciated
 
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Old 03-31-08, 08:24 PM
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Is your place have exsting overhead wiring ??

If so it possible to do that and this set up is common done with farm area which i done that few time both overhead set up and underground

but however i will just give you a nice suggest get ahold of electrician to hevey up to 320 meting set up and can use one breaker go to the house and second breaker to the garage [ this will meet the code pretty easy unless your local code say something diffrent ]

Merci,Marc
 
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Old 04-01-08, 10:10 AM
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I don't understand half the stuff written here but I'll tell you what I did.

The wiring for my garage comes out the side of the meter then goes underground to the garage to a main panel. So, I have a main panel in the house and a main panel in the garage on one meter.

Only upgrade you'd need, as far as I can see from the limited information, is maybe heavier wire from the meter up to the weatherhead, past that is the power company's problem. That's how it works up here anyway.


Baldwin
 
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Old 04-01-08, 10:20 AM
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It's basically up to power company policy if a pole-mounted meter is okay. Around here they allow it for rural or agricultural sites. The pole must be at least 6x6 40 yr. treated lumber, buried below frost line with concrete. If mounting more than one box, two poles must be set with 3/4" treated plywood spanning them.
 
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Old 04-01-08, 10:24 AM
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IF the OP is from tennessee area i can able look up their POCO website and find the bleu book [ poco regulation book ]and see what their requirement.

Merci,Marc
 
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Old 04-01-08, 12:04 PM
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I think I see what the OP wants to do, excuse the drawing as I'm not an artist.




Move the meter from the (A) house and put it on the power pole then going in two directions......to the house to the (B) garage.

If so, I think it would be cheaper to leave the meter on the house, go from there underground (red line) to the garage.

He'd end up with two main panels and one meter.

Messing with a meter is for electricians ONLY!


Baldwin
 
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Old 04-01-08, 01:24 PM
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Baldwin.,,

You have the right idea but if the OP living in country area that post it can be used for metering set up which it is common for large country home and very common for farm run this route.

to OP my suggest is get a hold of electrician he may have some good idea what to do with it i think he will side my idea with this set up.

if you need more info realted to the post regulation i will post a link here so you can get the idea

Merci,Marc
 
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Old 04-01-08, 04:48 PM
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thanks for all the info yes i live in a country area been trying to contact my power companies engineer for 3 weeks but he wont return my calls so i dont even know if i can upgrade my service they said the wiring from the road to my pole might have to be replaced and i live in the back of my 18 acre lot that would be too much for me well see if he ever calls back and ill run some of yalls idea's across some electricians

and french some more info would be appricated
 
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Old 04-01-08, 06:08 PM
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mltj74.,,

any chance can you tell me what POCO / utilite company you are on because i just got ahold one of my freind from that area and he mention to me what POCO you are on so he can able give me more info.

just bear with me a shy more once i know then we can able see what we can go from there


Merci,Marc
 
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Old 04-01-08, 06:09 PM
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Just curious, how far away is your house from the transformer?
 
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Old 04-02-08, 06:30 PM
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french its cumberland electric membership corp and thanks abunch i would really appricate it ... the house is o say about 60 feet from the pole i live back by myself so i have my own transformer beside my house id say the garage (having to manuver around things) is 60 feet away from the pole also
 
 

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