I'm buying a new house w detached garage. I have 200A service from the electric company. There's 100A service to the garage, then from the box on the garage another 100A breaker feeds over to the house. This was all done by a professional electrician so I assume it's up to code. House and garage were built in 2000
I want to build another shop, and I want it to have 100A service.
Am I gonna have code issues if I only have 200A total service, but want three buildings with 100A service? I understand I won't be able to have EVERYTHING going in all three structures at once, but I'm not worried about that. Once the shop is built the garage will rarely have anything but an occasional light on, but I also dont' really want to reduce service to the detached garage 'cause ya never know.
Pretty much depends on local codes and such. Check with your local electrical inspector, usually under "Inspection Bureaus" in the Yellow Pages. They aren't going to appreciate a half hour of questions, but if you can lay your question out in a couple minutes with a simple answer they'll usually talk to you.
I'm surprised that a house built in 2000 only has 100 amp service (even with the 200 amp total). Around here 200 amp is pretty much standard for just a house and large houses or anything with any detached buildings is going to C320 - essentially a 400 amp drop. That is what I upgraded to so I have a 200 amp panel at the house and a second 200 amp panel at the shop.
good luck man. im dealing with that right now. anything over 200 amps you will have to get a electric engineered one line drawing. around 1500 bucks. also you will have to see what excl will allow you to have at your house. first off call excls builders hot line 1-800-628-2121 and ask them what can be done. if you go bigger then a 200 amp you will have to get a new meter housing and disconnect. you might be able to just get another drop to your house and add a 2 meter. were are you located? i live in arvada.
Hmmm... Around here they only allow one meter to a residential property, that is the reason that people go to the 320. And yes, it does need a new drop and meter. People get a shock when they see my meter base. The thing is huge! Then the house across the street still has a 60 amp meter base which is just the size of the meter itself!
Anyway, if you add a second meter here it is a commercial rated meter. Definitely gets expensive for you. I didn't have to go for the engineering since the meter serves two 200 amp panels.
Basically, as HomeGrown says, check with the local guys as things vary from place to place.
yea its a royal pain in my ass right know. i was going to do a 400 amp drop but after they said they needed a drawinig and all that bull. i desided to just run a 100 amp back to the garage for now. some areas will allow you to have a 2 drop. i was so hoping they would have allowed that for me cause that would have fixed everything.
I was going to go with a 320A service (i.e. 400Amp, but "rated" 320A for residencial areas), only to find out I would be billed at the higher rate! Yikes (basically they assume a business will use power during peak 8 to 5 hours, versus residential hours).
It was cheaper for a seperate 200 Amp meter to be installed for the shop.
$700 "line drop" charge!
Irony, haven't had the $$$ to finish out wiring (sigh), but they sent me my first "minimum charge" bill of $17.00 for service. (Meter is NOT in place!).
Tom :usa:
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