thunderhawk6630
New User
- Location
- Vancouver WA
- Occupation
- Estimator
I have a house with 200amp service. We are planning on a full gut of the house, down to the studs, as well as doing an addition. There have been some less than ideal modifications done to the existing electrical (see attached, red square), and with us gutting everything and moving everything around, it made logical sense for me to want to just replace the panel from 1983 and add a second panel in the addition. We also have an existing detached shop being fed from the main panel via a 60amp breaker.
I would like to do the following:
When doing so, I am trying to understand the best way to feed the new panel and the existing shop. I already have (2) QO Load Centers with No Main Breaker. I do have a Exterior Circuit Breaker Enclosure (Q22200NRB) with a 200 amp main breaker. The original plan was to have that exterior breaker panel feed the garage panel, then the garage panel would feed the sub panel on the addition using a 4 slot 200 amp breaker like a Square D QO2200 Circuit Breaker with the appropriate service entrance cable. Then the existing 60amp shop would also just feed from that garage panel.
My other thought was to get a Meter Main rated for 200amps and then feed the garage panel. Then the new sub panel on the addition would feed from the Meter Main, as would the 60amp shop. I like this approach as it frees up space in the garage panel, makes it easy to add an exterior EV charger if we need to. But I cannot seem to find a 200amp Meter Main that allows for feeding a 200amp sub panel. Some seem to be only allow up to 50 amps.
If this was up to you how would you best tackle this?
Thanks
I would like to do the following:
- Upgrade the existing panel in place
- Currently located in the garage on a slab
- Install a secondary panel in the new addition
- Benefit to this is it will be closer to the end of the house with the laundry, HVAC and water heater.
- Will also allow me to easily add more circuits if the need arises as it is over a crawl space when the main panel is in the garage on slab and in the very corner making it really difficult to fish a new line to.
- This panel would also be closer to the back patio where a future hot tub or additional garage would go.
When doing so, I am trying to understand the best way to feed the new panel and the existing shop. I already have (2) QO Load Centers with No Main Breaker. I do have a Exterior Circuit Breaker Enclosure (Q22200NRB) with a 200 amp main breaker. The original plan was to have that exterior breaker panel feed the garage panel, then the garage panel would feed the sub panel on the addition using a 4 slot 200 amp breaker like a Square D QO2200 Circuit Breaker with the appropriate service entrance cable. Then the existing 60amp shop would also just feed from that garage panel.
My other thought was to get a Meter Main rated for 200amps and then feed the garage panel. Then the new sub panel on the addition would feed from the Meter Main, as would the 60amp shop. I like this approach as it frees up space in the garage panel, makes it easy to add an exterior EV charger if we need to. But I cannot seem to find a 200amp Meter Main that allows for feeding a 200amp sub panel. Some seem to be only allow up to 50 amps.
If this was up to you how would you best tackle this?
Thanks
