electrical breaker box questions

[jfart]

have a trailer id like to set up but im not sure if the breaker box lead will support what i want to do. the wires are not labeled. i have breaker panel in the trailer and one in the garage. i am not sure if the panel in the garage is a sub panel or a regular. i believe its a regular. this trailer and garage i have no use for so would like to make them a nice size grow op.

this is the breaker panel in the trailer. the two bigger wires are the lead coming into the trailer all. all of the breakers are 20amp breakers. the only breaker i need to leave is the one under the the lead because its the furnace and well pump.


this is the breaker panel in the garage.



this is the box under the meter outside between the trailer and the building.




eventually i would like to be able to run 4 1000 watt lights, ac, pumps, fans, and such all at the same time.

can anyone tell me what size wire is coming into the breaker panels and how big of a set up i could have now?

what size lead and breaker panel i would need to get ran to do what i want too do?

does anyone know how much it cost to get a new lead and panel ran to building from the meter?

i know this is isnt much info but i dont really know where to start. what info would you need to tell me more.

thanks

 

[CmdrAppleton]

Danger Will Robinson.

Get an electrician over there. That service at the pole is wired in a grossly incorrect manner.

 

[Guest101]

I agree with CmdrApple.

Also the panel in the garage is wired incorrectly as well. Main lugs not fed by an OCPD, rather back fed using a load breaker.

Overall the wiring is wrong in so many ways. You would do well to get an electrician to do it properly.

 

[jfart]

thanks for the honest answers

i knew that looked messed up. im pretty sure they ran 2/12 inside a black garden hose from the meter to the garage. that explains a lot. anyone have a estimate of how much something like that cost.

when i call an electrician what should ask him to do? basically rewire everything from the box into the buildings? i can run the circuits once i have a proper panel installed.

question is how big of panel do i want installed for to be able to power the trailer normally, run 8 1000 watt lights on a flip flopped 4 by 4, fans, pumps, ac unit, and be able to run a average sub panel to the garage as well?

 

[Guest101]

Your best bet is to ask an electrician all these things.

It's impossible for me to estimate without being there. There are so many variables involved. The absolute best thing to do is have a licensed electrician look at the situation, evaluate loads and determine required labor to bring it up to a minimum safe standard. Know they do have to fix code violations on something they touch for liability reasons.

For your grow, at 240 vac (north america) 4kW draws about 20 amps. So ideally one would have a 30 amp dryer receptacle installed (four prong with neutral). Your lighting controller can plug into this.

For fans, pumps and dehumidifier ask for a couple 20 amp 120 volt circuits.

The other load requirements should be assessed by hour electrician due to the number of variables involved.

 

[Marshall]

Lol when I saw that panel being fed through the breaker I was like wtf. And that pole does look like a mess.

Electric is the one place not to skimp. Lives are on the line. And your security. You would feel pretty shitty coming home to the fire department hosing down your shed and the local drug task force there grinning at you

 

[Guest101]

Its common to feed a gridtie inverter in via a load side breaker. Definitely not primary power though.

 

[il19z8rn4li1]

WHOA.. look at that panel on the pole ... WOW lol


That needs 100% rewired lol...

sry to just jump in without any useful info... was just reading the threads lol

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Garden hose as a conduit? Come on man!

 

[nukklehead]

whats wrong with garden hose as conduit.....

dude that pole looks gnarly... take above advices.. good luck..

show us the finished product if you can

peace and good vibes

Nuk

 

[fandango]

Do a meter upgrade to 200amp service
trench new lines to the garage and run some 1 1/2" conduit to a new 100amp sub panel
branch off from there with conduit
only use romex wire if it is covered.

Total cost with permits material and labor...$2200.00

 

[the gnome]

oh moma! that pole needs to be the poster child for...... ?...... SOMETHING TERRIBLE

 

[Jhhnn]

I passed the test & wired my own house, had it inspected, & worked on electrical equip for years, which makes me an educated layman, I guess.

That wiring is a mess, although the electrical panels may be perfectly serviceable. If you've never delved into this stuff, you need an electrician.

An electrician may advise just replacing everything, from the pole on out.

Can you get pics of the labels in the boxes? Are there numbers on that big top breaker in the garage box? Anything on the box in the trailer? What else might be fed from the pole, or the panel in the garage? Fuses or breakers in the box on the pole? The better you understand it, the better you'll be able to work with an electrician.

 

[jfart]

you guys are great thanks for the advice.

Jhhnnn i will look at the boxes again and see if i can get top breaker numbers and such. i dont live there so il get them tomorrow.

at this point i think im going to get an electrician to run all new from the pole to both buildings. then i will run the interior electrical from the panels on. the pole to the trailer.

this entire place is a mess. iv been turning over properties for years and this is by far the wost property iv ever worked on.

 

[Jhhnn]

Seems reasonable. Your electrician may recommend running from the pole to a main panel in the garage, then running a sub panel in the trailer from there. That's also good technique.

 

[jfart]

i showed a electrician the other day to get some advice. im going to have to get the place inspected eventually because obviously this set up isnt safe and i need a much bigger panel.

1. fuck the trailer. it would cost way to much to meet code and a inspector would fall over dead being inside that shit hole. im claiming its just a place to store stuff and there will be no power.

2. the pole the meter is on is no where near code. so im going to fix the garage up to the point it will pass a inspection and get the new meter installed on the back of the garage.

3. get inspected.

4. on the inside of garage, opposite side of the meter, i will put my new 200 amp breaker 6' up the wall.

Problem: my gas line is from the same energy company as my electric. the gas line is on the outside wall of the trailer. if they know im not supplying power to the trailer they will want to move my gas line at the border of the property and that's 1.5 acres away from my garage.


answer: hide my meter with some recycling bins/trash cans. hopefully out of sight out of mind.

5. once my breaker is hooked up i will install a few 20 amp breakers run some wire for outlet and basic lighting.

if all goes well i will insulate, run my gas line for co2, install furnace and run some circuits for my real setup of fans, lights, and so on.

thanks for the help guys. il try to remember to update over time. if anyone has any questions or advice speak up!

 

[Jhhnn]

The utility co & the building inspectors don't really share information. Well, not around here, anyway. All Xcel cares about is that they're getting paid & that nobody is messing with their shit- stealing power, jimmying the meter. You know- stupid shit.

What about the furnace & well pump you mentioned earlier? run circuits from the garage?

Just sayin'.