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Re: Upgrading power for new garage

To: Larry_Spector@NAI.com, Shop Talk <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Upgrading power for new garage
From: Rush <jdrush@enter.net>
Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2001 14:31:03 -0400
I'm surprised no one replied to you. Here's my take after discussing
similar issues with my electrician friends.

Larry_Spector@NAI.com wrote:
> 
> I'm in the process of having a second garage bay added (attached to my
> house), and I need to have the electric meter moved. While I'm doing all of
> this, should I go ahead and get the service upgraded and have a second 200
> amp panel put in the garage (+$820)?

Yes. More capacity in and around the box gives you more protection
against overloads and fires even if you never expect to use a lot of
power hungry stuff at the same time.

> I'm planning to install a lift, probably window A/C, compressor, heat of
> some sort...

All power hogs. If you plan to use any simultaneously, go for the
upgrade.

> If I don't upgrade the service, I'll go with a subpanel instead.

A subpanel probably isn't a good solution. All the juice still has to go
though the main panel and is still subject to the limitations therein. To
my mind it provides a false sense of security. "All the new circuits are
breaker protected, what can go wrong?" This ignores what happened
upstream of the breakers. A better solution that is still cheaper than
200 amp service is a power splitter sold be someone (Square D?) that
splits the incoming lead to two breaker boxes. Now each box is doing its
protection job at its rated capacity.

Jon

-- 
Yes, I know my message date is sometime in April 2001. Welcome to
my own personal version of the film Groundhog Day!

Babe! I got you Babe!

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