Kazi Kuni Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I'm about to build my first real workshop! I am building it in 1/4 of my fatherinlaws barn. It will be about 1000sqft. It looks like the original meter outside is bringing in a 200 amp service. Then it splits and sends power over to another barn from there supplying 60amps to that barns panel. My question is if I can run another 100 amp sub panel up stairs for the shop or should I have more power directed to the shop? I'll be running 110 and 220 equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I'm no electrician, but I don't see why not. What sort of consumption is there in the other barn? you really only need to worry if all the 'loads' are in use at the same time. 200A is a lot of juice, and a 100A subpanel to a shop is also a lot of juice unless you're also running electric heat. I'd suggest laying out your shop and equipment and having an electrician give you an idea on what is or is not feasible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodmang Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I am no electrician...but in my line of thinking you should be fine with even less than 100 AMPs. The amperage will only matter for what you are running at the same time. (I.e. Table saw, dust collector, lights, stereo, etc.) The big thing to think about would be the amperage of the breakers in the subpanel. Just depends what all you would be running I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I highly recommend that you find a qualified, licensed electrician to do this work for you. Building codes aside, you don't want to risk fire or personal injury from improperly installed electrical systems. Having said that, I can say you should certainly be safe from a load standpoint. However, when you are adding up the total load on the incoming line, remember to look at the amps required by each piece of equipment, not the amp rating of the breaker feeding the equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazi Kuni Posted April 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 all great thoughts! Thanks. I am bringing in an electrician to upgrade the main barn electrical panel anyway cause it's at least 30 yrs old. I'll see what they say and have them run the the line to the shop panel but from there I'll wire in the whole shop. I graduated from electrical school but chose another career instead do to legalities of starting my own electricians service. I guess my reason for the question was more for information on what a large workshop typically runs off of to get an idea of how much they're going to charge me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I have a 60amp sub for my shop, and I've got all the equipment in an average hobby shop. 3HP cabinet saw and jointer on separate 220 circuits, lunchbox planer, HF dust collector, miter saw, router table, bandsaw, etc. Lights, garage door openers. I've never had an issue with 60amps. Agreed with the above that 100 is a lot unless you're running electric heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 How much they will charge. . Nobody here can tell you that, grab a few qualified quotes and that'll tell you. I would also be interested to see what a shop can draw at any one time. At the abSolute MAX in my shop, I have a sterio going, 4 t8 four bulb lights, a 1.5hp table saw. 1.3hp dust collector, and Maybe my air compressor kicking on. I doubt that's anywhere close to 100amps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG-Canada Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I just added a 60A panel in my garage/shop. I will only run 1 tool at a time (plus dust collector) so 60A is more than I even need. Just remember to size for maximum use but be realistic. I definitely agree to have a licensed electrician do the work (or at least oversee it). I was able to get a lot of the grunt work done for my shop but had the electrician connect the panel, etc. and review everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazi Kuni Posted April 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 agreed, I just looked over my tools and what tools I intend to put in and I would never get close to 100amps in this shop. thanks all for the answers. next we are bringing in a structural engineer to reinforce some of the barn and make sure everything is in working order before building. I can't wait and I hope to post pictures of the shop as I continue this project. I love this site and watching all the videos of wood working and how everyone's shop is set up is really helpful. A lot of info here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtrPilot Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 Here's a link for the basic NEC code rules. http://www.fs.fed.us/database/acad/elec/greenbook/3_basicdesigns.pdf 100 amps should be more than enough...That would allow for 1- 20 amp circuit for lighting, 2- 20 amp circuits for 220V, and 2- 20 amp circuits for 110V. Since you have an electrical background, you may have more of a layout issue...where to put the outlets/drop downs. Hope this helps...I look forward to pictures of your shop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 Another example of how light the load really is in a one-person hobby shop: My entire garage is run from a single 120 volt, 20 amp breaker. Never tripped it, but I can't recall ever having more than 1 tool + 1.5 hp dust collector running at the same time. Well, maybe a fan in hot weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 You will never run all your tools at once so 110 amp is plenty and even if for some reason you exceeded the 100 amps you would kick the main breaker and that would shut you down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazi Kuni Posted April 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 Curious since it has to do with power? What do you guys heat your shop with and why? I am thinking of 3 portable zone heaters that are oil filled and sealed for safety. They put out enough heat for 300sqft each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Moore Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 My take on this has been the ability to find a panel box with enough slots to do what I want. I have never been able to find a box smaller than 150 amps that would handle the number of 220 outlets and the 110 outlets. I admit I have a tendency to over wire but with a table saw, dust collector, band saw and jointer on 220 and 12 110 outlets plus lights all on separate circuits. I can't run 150 amps at once but I have not found a 100 amp box with that many circuits l emphasis I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG-Canada Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 For my shop I installed a "200A" panel. At least that as the value of the breaker pre-installed in it. What really matters is the size of the breaker installed in the main panel which in my case is 60A. Without looking, I think my panel has 32 spaces on it. That's lots more space than I need even though I ran each run as it's own circuit (just because I could mostly). I currently have 4 x 220V 20A, 10 x 110V 20A and 3 X 110V 15A circuits with lots more space if I even needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted April 4, 2015 Report Share Posted April 4, 2015 I have a 100 amp sub panel for my shop and it is more than i will ever need. I had an electrician do it and thats what he recommended. I also have two other 100 amp sub panel coming off of my main 200amp for two different extensions of the house done over the years. I have never had an issue and it was all done by qualified electricians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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