Adding Service to Attached Garage

SyracuseSteve

I want to add a 100A service to my attached garage and had a couple of questions. I currently have a 100A service in my basement which is maxed out (definitely problematic). I had a thought I'd like to run by the group. I was contemplating adding a 200A box in the garage next to the meter where the service for the existing box in basement enters the house. From there I would like to move the existing lines to that 100A service to make it a pony from the new 200A and tie the 200A to the external cutoff box (right below the meter). I could then tie my existing garage outlets, lights, hot tub, etc to the new 200A box and free up some capacity in the basement.

Is this feasible? How easy would it be? Is there a easier way? Am I oversimplifying this?

TIA
Steve

J. V.

I am not sure I understand exactly what you propose. But here goes anyway.

Upgrade the existing 100 amp service to 200 amp. The meter and disconnect will feed the 200 amp new panel. Feed the existing 100 amp panel from the new 200 amp service. This will allow you to put the 100 amp sub anywhere you want it.
If you use the 100 amp panel as the service, you only have 100 amp capacity. Of course you will have many more breaker spaces than you have now, but still only 100 amp capacity. You will most likely need a new meter can, disconnect and larger wire. Is this why you want to keep the 100 amp as your service panel?

You will need to involve the utility and the codes dept in your area. Get a permit first and talk to the inspector for his requirements.

PaliBob

Ditto on J. V.'s advice. When I upgraded to 200 Amp, I had to go through both the Los Angeles City DWP for meter placement rules and the Building & Safety department for the permit that had to be submitted with a specific plan.

Call the Building dept and get their permit requirements first.

Good Luck and report back on your progress. There are a lot of knowledgeable sources like J. V. that can help with advice.

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SyracuseSteve

The purpose is to add additional capacity to the house by the easiest means possible as the existing panel is full and I'd like to add 220 service in the garage for a welder. My thought was that I could reterminate the garage lights, outlets, and hot tub in the garage's new panel to free up capacity in the house for other projects later. My end goal was to have 100A in the garage and 100A in the house, but I was thinking that the easiet/least expensive way would be to slave the 100A panel in the basement off of a new 200A panel in the garage (leaving 100A for the basement and 100A for the garage) because I could just backpull and re-run the existing feed lines to the 100A basement panel to the new 200A garage panel instead and avoid having to pull or replace any new wires into the house. With the new 200A panel going only a few feet from the meter in the garage I thought that would also help cut expenses as the only things I would need right off the bat are the box, 200A main, 100A breaker for the basement to feed from, and the new lines (3') to the outside disconnect. Am I way off base here?

Would it be easier/cheaper to just replace the outside box with a doubletap and put a new 100A box in the garage?

NolaTigaBait

so, you have a panel in the house and in the garage?...

SyracuseSteve

No, I have a panel in the basement that everything is hooked to but I want a panel in the garage.

NolaTigaBait

oh ok...well i think jv's advice is good...

J. V.

Yes and no. Get a 200 amp meter main panel. Meter socket and load center in one. I would also get a 200 amp lug panel to take the place of the 100 amp service panel. You now have 40 breaker spaces, 200 amp capacity and all your existing branch circuit cables should reach easily into the new 200. You can use the existing 100 amp sub panel for the garage.

The meter main type of panel has a few breaker slots outside. That gives you the ability to run circuits outside if needed. It will also make your 200 amp lug panel a sub panel, requiring no main breaker. The meter main will have the disconnect/breaker and lugs already installed.

Good idea. Make sure you get a permit. Believe it or not, some inspectors will help you out. Not physically for sure.

SyracuseSteve

Thanks for the help and advice. I e-mailed the inspector yesterday (couldn't reach him by phone). If I don't hear back by Tuesday I'll try to call him or catch him in his office.

J. V.

Good Luck Steve. Keep us posted and ask questions.......John

hayewe farm

All the above is good advice but to answer your question yes you can up grade to a 200 amp service in the garage and use the 100 amp panel in the house as a sub panel. You may have to make some grounding changes. Because it is all one structure you will probably have to disconnect the ground wire from the sub to the ground rode and run a wire from the ground rod to your new panel. The inspector should be able to supply the information you will need.

J. V.

I think we are saying the same thing you are. Did you actually read all of our post's?

Ground wire? If he upgrades to 200 amp, he's going to have to upgrade everything, and maybe even drive another rod.

hayewe farm

Yes I did but wonder if you did. You said "You can use the existing 100 amp sub panel for the garage" The op wants to leave the 100 amp panel in the house and put the 200 in the garage converting the 100 amp panel to a sub feeding the house not the garage. Once converted to a sub panel the ground to the rod should be removed from the sub-panel and a new ground would have to be installed to the new main panel. And the common and ground would have to be seperated.

J. V.

You may be correct. My bad sometimes. But, he does say his main service is in the basement. What I am saying is to upgrade the 100 amp to 200 amp in the basement and run a feeder to the old 100 amp panel in the garage.
If he wants to re-use the 100 amp panel that is.