Need Help Wiring Breaker Panel

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

"Im So Confused Now LOL"

Ok to clarify here a bit, the electric company buried our power line's and in the process of doing that knowing we needed more power they installed "Giant" feeder lines "Not sure of the sizing but they were twice the size of my thumb" to the new double lug meter base. One side of the meter base is feeding the house 200 amp breaker panel and the other side of the meter base is for feeding the new shop 200 amp panel "They said going this route verses adding a separate meter would be cheaper" He recommended adding a small outdoor 200 amp panel directly under the meter base and feeding the shop panel from this. I really don't care how its done so long as its done right the first time and done safely.. I just need to know the best all around course of action to solve this mystery



For the record the 2" pipe is already buried and covered as per the electricians/power companies recommendations.

If you post a pic of what's there I can tell you exactly what to do. It sounds like they brought a 400a service to the house. Is the breaker box for the house located by the meter or is it in a different location?

[Ol Thumper]

I'd mount a 200amp fuse able disconnect or 200a 2pole breaker at the meter and run 2/0 copper to a breaker panel in your shop.

Why would you use copper when the electric company uses aluminum?

[Ol Thumper]

If you post a pic of what's there I can tell you exactly what to do. It sounds like they brought a 400a service to the house. Is the breaker box for the house located by the meter or is it in a different location?

I can get a picture up tomorrow and the house panel is a good distance from the meter.

[FLASH_OUTDOORS]

You def cannot come straight from the meter with the feeders to the house panel. You must put a disconnect with a main breaker for protection and over current protection. For example: what happens if something goes wrong with those feeder wires? There's nothing to trip and protect them. What happens if you wanna service the panel? There's no way to kill it. The right way to build it would be come out of the meter with a gutter and mount 2 main disconnects. One 200 for the house and one 200 for the shop. There's more work involved but everything is protected that way. Also neutrals and grounds must be separate in the house and shop. Both those locations are subfed from the first means of disconnect which is at the 2 main discos. When you post the pics I will see but, based on your comments it sounds like they went straight into the meter with the subfeed wires that go to your house panel. If that's the case the meter and underground will need to be moved over to accommodate the gutter and disconnect.

[Sparkman]

need help wiring breaker panelyou

You do need a main for your house and also a main for your shop. How big is your shop? 200 amps is alot for a shop,you may be able to get by with maybe a 125 amp service for your shop. If that's the case you have other options on how to do everything. I'm an electrical contractor in central Texas and deal with this quiet a bit. If you have a 125 amp service, you actually have that amount on both hots. Just fyi,a main breaker is rated at 80% of the rating,where a fuse is rated at 100%. Either way aluminum is alot cheaper!!!

[Texas Grown]

I'm sure if Ol Tumper thinks he needs 200 amps for his "shop", he probably needs 200 for his shop . Heck, my 100% duty cycle Tig welder requires 100 amp service alone. And Ol Thumper likes tooling machines, real welders, and all kinds of such toys . And through in a hired hand or two, and I'm sure he'll say open the bay doors when they yell for A/C .

[super_dave]

What flash is suggesting is a real good way of doing it. Safest and easiest to separate.

I like copper. No other reason

[Ol Thumper]

I'm sure if Ol Tumper thinks he needs 200 amps for his "shop", he probably needs 200 for his shop . Heck, my 100% duty cycle Tig welder requires 100 amp service alone. And Ol Thumper likes tooling machines, real welders, and all kinds of such toys . And through in a hired hand or two, and I'm sure he'll say open the bay doors when they yell for A/C .

You pretty much summed it up lol, The power company was giving the exact machines being used and ran the power lines to the house to support the 2 200amp panels. I've given up the ghost and just letting the electrician do all of it and be done with it. Im not sure how he's going about it but its a large company so hopefully they know what their doing

[Texas Grown]

I just realized, I misspelled "throw" with "through" . I'm calling the english spelling/grammer police !...uh......wait........never mind!!! I don't need any tickets .



How ya been Brother?