Would like to add a sub-panel and want to make sure the wiring is correct before I do any work.

Thank you,
Dave

 

Not quite sure what is going on there. The panel on the left looks to be a sub panel fed with three #10 wires.. That is wrong from the start. That should be a four wires. Two hots go to the lugs, the neutral goes to an insulated neutral bar and the ground goes to the metal box.... via a small ground block. The white/neutral wires go to the insulated neutral block and the ground wires go to a small block screwed into the box.

Your problems.....
#1 - wrong wiring to existing panel.
#2 - not enough power as there is only 30A there. Adding a sub panel will surely overload that based on what all is connected.

In the bottom of the left hand panel where the wires come in.... is that metal conduit ?
If so that is considered a ground.

 

I see. I bought the house 21 years ago and it's been here ever since.
The panel is a fed with a 10-3. It has black, red, green, and white. It looks like the green and white are connected to the same bar.

If I upgrade the 2 30's to 50's, would that work?

 

The green and white need to be separated.
What size breaker is currently feeding that panel ?
It should be and you can only use a 30A breaker on #10 wiring.

Since you already have a 30A breaker in that sub panel for a 240v appliance and two other 15/20 breakers..... that panel is basically at max with no real extra to supply another sub panel.

 

Sorry for the delay, the main panel is on the complete opposite side of the house and I did a lot of running back and forth.

Ok, the garage panel is on 2x 30A breakers so 60A total. I understand that the wiring is too thin but it's been like this for 20 plus years? I've been running my 50A welder on it for years now. Not saying this is safe, just wondering why they did this?

I wanted to install a subpanel in my garage panel so I can power aa oven and powder coat since there are no more terminals left in the exiting panel. The oven would never be turned on at the same time as the welder and this entire setup would be completely removed if we were ever to sell the house.

Any way I can wire my new panel to the subpanel in the garage?

 

You can probably run the welder on 30A because you aren't turning up the rod amperage or the breaker is holding for quick high amperage welds.

You have two other circuits also connected to that panel.

If it were me..... I'd replace that sub panel with a 10 breaker panel. Might cost $35 or so. Reuse your old breakers and add an additional 2P30 breaker.

You need to get the ground wires off that neutral bar. Pickup a small ground block that can be screwed into the metal panel. Mose all grounds to it.

 

Thank you. And you think I can run a 50A double wall oven (by itself) too on the #10 wiring?

 

Ummmmmm..... no.
A short burst of power use won't cause the breaker to heat up.

An oven drawing 50A thru 30A wiring and on a 30A breaker won't run very long as the breaker will heat up rapidly. Technically you need larger wiring. You cannot change the 30A breaker to a 50A breaker as that will cause the supply cable to run hot to the point of a fire.

 

Got it! Scratching the idea completely. Don't want to mess up my house and not ready to upgrade to #4 wiring.

Looks like my 110v countertop toaster oven and will be my go-to!

 

Also a two pole 30amp breaker is a total of 30amps not 60amps. Even if it is two single pole 30amp breakers with a tie bar still only 30amps.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see any feed to the panel on the left. Is there another picture I am not seeing?