Changing Out Breaker

[Bob Haskett]

It looks like all your existing 240 stuff is two slots.

It is. I have the Square D homeline panel if that helps.

[George Bregar]

And for further reference here is what could be on simultaneously.

Deep Freezer @ 5amps
Dust Collector @ 15amps
Table saw @ 15 amps
Air compressor @ 15.5 amps

If it were me, and assuming you are going to install a sub-panel, I would run seperate 20A circuits for the DC, TS, compressor. Also jointer and planer. These I assume are 100V but could easily be changed to 220V in the future withough changing the wiring (swapping breaker is easy and cheap). Seprate circuit for a few anks of outlets. Sseprate circuit if you are adding lights.

[Bob Haskett]

In my case where the main big breaker is not visible in the panel, where do I turn off my main breaker? Is it behind the panel?

[George Bregar]

In my case where the main big breaker is not visible in the panel, where do I turn off my main breaker? Is it behind the panel?

Main disconnect is external by the meter. There is a code requirement if the panel is more than x feet from the meter...I forget the distance. I personally would never have a panel, main or sub, that did not have a disconnect.

[George Bregar]

It is. I have the Square D homeline panel if that helps.

It doesn't for me. IIRC when shopping for mine they had panels that took double pole in a single slot...whether they all do I don't know. I opted foe a siemens 100A Siemens 20/20...20 slots 20 circuits. It allows more room for branch circuit wiring in the panel. Your panel may allow double pole in a single slot, and the electricain simply chose to put full size breaker in. As I said, someone may be able to tell from the pics...

[Richard Andersen]

I'm needing to run a small sub-panel also to my garage. All I really need is two 220V circuits, one for the tablesaw and one for dust collector. I was at Lowes and Home Depot looking at options, what's a good brand to get? options are: GE, Siemens, Eaton/Cutler-Hammer, and Square D "Homeline" or "QO".

[Don Jarvie]

If you want to do it right have an electrician run line to a new panel in the garage. This way you have plently of slots to put as many circuits as you like.

I put in a new panel in my garage and ran 6/3 from the house to the garage. Have a 50amp breaker in each panel this way I can shut off the power inside the house and at the garage panel.

If your friendly with an electrician you can run the line from the house to the garage and install the panel and the elec can make all of the connections. It would save a few bucks.

Call an electrician and tell him what you want to do, what kind of circuits you want etc and get a price. It may cost a few bucks but having plently of power is worth it.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Why don't you free up some slots in the breaker box by replacing some of the single breakers with what are called twins or half height breakers depending on where you live. Both 15 and 20 amp twins are available and you end up with 2 circuits in the space that is currently occupied by one breaker. Do this for 4 breakers and you now have 2 open slots for your double 50 amp breaker to run the sub panel.

[Bob Haskett]

I found out today that my sister actually works with a certified Electrician. I built a PC for him last year and he is going to come out on Saturday and get me going (back to bartering days). So what should I tell him? Basically from what I gather, I need to tell him that I want a 100Amp subpanel, with 5 separate 20Amp circuits (TS, DC, Compressor, Planer/Jointer, Misc Plugs)? With wiring that would support a change to 220v in the future? Do I have this right?

[Prashun Patel]

Lucky you.
I'd put in the 220v circuit now. It just involves getting the right breaker. There's no special wiring per se. The 'yellow romex' for the 20a 110v circs will likely be fine. In fact, what a lot of people don't realize is that higher voltage reduces your wiring constraints. Power=Voltage x Current. The wiring is limited by the current. At 220v, the tool draws 1/2 of the current than at 110v in order to deliver the same power.

Don't forget lighting on a separate circuit.

If you have kids, then consider a kill switch conveniently located.

To answer one of yr q's below: when I priced out a similar subpanel installation in NJ, the price was about $1000.

[Bob Haskett]

Lights are already on a separate circuit on my main panel. I also have a separate circuit for the garage plugs, which I am going to remove, since I need to have 2 open slots to run the separate panel I think.

So basically I need to wire a 100amp panel to the garage, have 4 20amp 110v circuits, and 1 20amp 220v circuit? Is that right?

[Jack Wilson]

You could also try finding some mini breakers, and that would open up some additional slots, then you could run power to a sub panel, leave your existing outlets as they are and then run new outlets off your sub panel. New lines could be surface mounted, making installation fairly easy.

[Bob Haskett]

Just got back from pricing out the materials at lowes. Looks like a 100amp homeline panel will be around $20 bucks with 6 slots capable of 12 circuits (accepts tandem breakers). Six 20Amp breakers will be around $20 bucks. To my knowledge there is no difference between 110 and 220v breakers it seems. So the $2.50 20amp single pole breakers should suffice I would guess. The grounding bar and B Hub are around $5 each (needed for the panel). The only piece I am unclear about is the wiring that I would need to run the 100amp subpanel.

This is what I will be using on it:

Deep Freezer @ 5amps
Dust Collector - HF 2HP DC @ 15amps
Table saw - Ridgid R4511 @ 15 amps (but converting to 220v)
Air compressor @ 15.5 amps
Jointer @ 14 amps
Planer @ 15 amps
I will also be adding a drill press and bandsaw in the near future.

The most that would ever be on at 1 time would be:
Deep Freezer + DC + Air Compressor + any ONE of the tools

Right now only the TS will be 220v. The circuits I am planning for are (220v Circuit for TS, 110v Circuit for DC, 110v Circuit for Compressor, 110v circuit for Planer/Jointer, 110v circuit for Misc Plugs, and a final 110v circuit for another group of misc plugs)

[Don Jarvie]

Here's more advice Bob... whether you want it or not

Put a full panel in the garage instead of a sub panel. It will cost around 100 bucks but will come with a selection of breakers. I bought a GE panel. Only down side is you need to use the same manufacturers breakers.

The reason for the full panel is more slots for circuits. My panel has 20 slots so I can run plently of circuits and add as I go along and not have to worry about running out of space.

Have a main breaker put in your existing panel and the same size breaker in the new panel. This way you can shut off the juice from the old panel or new panel. It's not required but nice to have.

Unless you plan to have more than one person working with you you only need 60 amps. 100 is nice but not necessary. 60 amps requires 6/3 wire and its around 2.70 a foot in my area. 60 amp will be more than enough.

Finally, draw a sketch of the garage and plan on where you would like to have your tools and outlets. Plan for 220 outlets as well as 110.
The electrician will be able to give you some ideas based on your plan of what you can and cannot do.

[Bob Haskett]

Here's more advice Bob... whether you want it or not

Put a full panel in the garage instead of a sub panel. It will cost around 100 bucks but will come with a selection of breakers. I bought a GE panel. Only down side is you need to use the same manufacturers breakers.

The reason for the full panel is more slots for circuits. My panel has 20 slots so I can run plently of circuits and add as I go along and not have to worry about running out of space.

Have a main breaker put in your existing panel and the same size breaker in the new panel. This way you can shut off the juice from the old panel or new panel. It's not required but nice to have.

Unless you plan to have more than one person working with you you only need 60 amps. 100 is nice but not necessary. 60 amps requires 6/3 wire and its around 2.70 a foot in my area. 60 amp will be more than enough.

Finally, draw a sketch of the garage and plan on where you would like to have your tools and outlets. Plan for 220 outlets as well as 110.
The electrician will be able to give you some ideas based on your plan of what you can and cannot do.

Sounds good. He only has 2 hours on saturday so I am trying to go ahead and get the supplies and run whatever wire I can run so we can get it done. So my plan was to buy whatever wire I need and run it from the location of my main panel to where I want my new panel to be. So sounds like I need 6/3. If I buy 6/3 I was going to go ahead and run it from my panel now, to the new spot, (not hook anything up but just get under the house and run it). To save us time.

So it sounds like I need:

• 60 Amp panel (need to decide what size panel).
• Around 30 foot of 6/3 wire
• A 60 amp 2 pole breaker for the main panel (to run to the new panel)
• One 240v 20amp breaker for the new panel
• 4 20 amp breakers for the other circuits
• and what size wire from breakers to the new outlets?