adding a sub panel?

[yamaha_1fan]

Well my main panel is maxed out and I want to add another panel.

i talked to my BIL whos an electrician and he said it shouldnt be hard. he said i could do it a couple ways depending on setup. problem is hes in another state or i would have him do it. hes hard to get a hold of so i am posting this here

My meter and 200 amp breaker seem to share a box. there is a seperate access panel to each, but they are in the same box. theres 2 hots coming in to the top of the breaker, and then 2 hots coming off the breaker. Then just to the left of it is a silver bar with some wires attached to that, i think thats the neutral? I dont see anywhere where I can attach the hots. I cant put 2 wires in the same hole/connector in the breaker can i? Theres no spot for an additional breaker in that panel.

He also told me I can pull the meter and there may be a aspot there I can run the sub panel off.

what cha think?

I'll post a pic of it tomorrow.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

If your main panel is full, about all you can do is remove a lower amperage breaker and make a new circuit to a subpanel using the room you freed up in the main panel and a new run of wire - then you can move the circuit that was removed from the main panel to the subpanel. The other option is finding some 1/2 width breakers and replacing an existing breaker with one of these as well as using one for the subpanel's circuit.

Unless you can counterfeit those tags they put on the meter, do NOT pull the meter. There is no place to add a circuit in there as they are not normally accessible by the occupant.

Get a pic up and I'll help ya with the other stuff...(make sure to remove any serial #'s on the meter or other incriminating stuff when you post the pics)

 

[imnotcrazy]

Yeah definitly can do it with half width/piggy breaker or as MTF said, remove a circuit in the panel and ues that space to feed the subpanel. Replace the removed circuit in the subpanel. And DO NOT put multiple circuits on one breaker, definite violation of code and asking for problems

 

[Guest]

Your BL an electrician or apprentice?Sure you can run straight from the meter to a subpanel,and have no overcurrent protection on that subpanel.A subpanel MUST be fed by a breaker or fused disconnect,no exceptions.Just for fun,tell him you pulled the meter and set off the ampolice alarm lol.Seriously,you have no business in the meter period.By code you can kill power to the main panel either by the main breaker on top/bottom of panelbox or if a main lug panel,there will be a fused disconnect between it and the meter.

 

[yamaha_1fan]

heres the pics

He told me hes pulled the meter on hundreds of jobs and the tag has never been an issue.

Obviously if we ran the wires from the meter, to another panerl, we would install a disconnect.

But if i can run it from the other panel, I am golden. The main panel is already in the "to be grow room" so the wiring would be cake. I probably can pull my 220 breaker for my air compressor and just put that in the sub panel, it needs to be extended anyway. Can I put in a 100 amp breaker into my panel? do they make that size for a normal panel?

keep in mind it will be a 6-7 KW grow, thats about 30 amps on 220, then a big wall unit A/C, some pumps, and exhaust fans so 100 Amp panel is what I am aiming for

 

[Guest]

what a shabby job w/ the mail breaker.
the SER connector is installed inside out.
what a douche move!

 

[Guest]

I cant blow these pics up,you mean the locknut belongs on the inside Thorodee lol?I'd go with a 60A subpanel man you're not getting close to 100A.

 

[yamaha_1fan]

I cant blow these pics up,you mean the locknut belongs on the inside Thorodee lol?I'd go with a 60A subpanel man you're not getting close to 100A.

you mean, you dont think I'll be pulling close to 100 amps or that i wont be able to get a 100 amp breaker to fit in my panel?

I may not be getting close to a 100 but 60 may be cutting it close. I'll be running 30 amps in lights, plus a big 220 A/C. and 3 or 4 exhaust fans since I'll be aircooling the lights. I just dont want to cut it too close. The extra cost of a 100 amp panel is no biggie. I amy also add a light or 2, and i may need an extra A/C so i want the room to add it

 

[Guest]

I meant your actual load,physically a 2 pole 100 isnt any larger than a 2 pole 60 in the panel.You'll need much larger wire though.Maybe you're right.You should do a total load count in amps and if it doesnt exceed 54A,you're good with a 60.

 

[Hydropimp]

I'd say go with the one hundred just because you know couple of run's and you want to expand the wire is what is going to cost though but if you are doing a 7k grow fuck it just rember all house have certain limit on power the electric company will provide if you are going to fuck with the meter that shit is live you ground ou t you will live in the ground be safe let a brother know how it goes and you main wires are going down not up so you will have to do alittle digging

 

[Guest]

And thats why I quit drinking..Just kidding bro lol

 

[Guest]

can anyone say run-on sentence?

 

[yamaha_1fan]

i got a Siemens panel. I went to the Depot and they have the 100amp breaker for like $35. so i am golden. I am going to add the sub panel right off that. works out better than dealing with the main box

and dude, do you seriously think i was going to fuck around near the meter w/o pulling it out? NO WAY

if i pulled the meter, I would have called them and said, my main breaker went bad (which has happened in the past in another location) and i pulled the meter to replace it. It was Sunday blah blah and couldnt call an electrician


Thanks peeps