Subpanel versus running separate branch circuits?

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aelectricalman

aelectricalman

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I am in a delema where I have a really long home (120ft) and the panels are on one side of the home and the two 4 ton air conditioning units, a bedroom circuit, master bath circuit, steam shower circuit, fireplace blower circuit, and office circuits are all on the opposite side of the home. I would like to hear some pros and cons on whether on not I should put a sub panel on the other side of the home. Does anyone have any good experience with this? One thing that cant be done is moving one of the 200amp panels to the other side. Too much cost.
 
I have no doubt that a sub panel on the far end is well worth it IMO. I design my home to have a panel as close to the branch cir. as I can get them. I may have 3 or 4 sub panels in a 3 story home. I like one on the top floor as well where it is accessible for future circuits.
 
aelectricalman said:
Too much cost.
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According to who? Bid it both ways. I'm constantly amazed at the stuff customers bite on, that I personally thought seemed expensive to me. Let the customer decide what's too expensive.
 
Judging from that laundry list of circuits ~ IMHO, a sub-panel is in order.
The labor savings alone justifies it.
 
I, too, am a fan of sub-panels. (Just ask I-wire ;)). Not only for labor savings, but load diversification can allow for lower overall costs.

If you're going to need more than one panel anyway, due to the sheer number of circuits, why cram them all into one place in the house?
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I may have 3 or 4 sub panels in a 3 story home.
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Thats because your an electrician. :D

Just like I have $500 worth of controls running a $39 attic fan.:D
 
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LarryFine said:
I, too, am a fan of sub-panels. (Just ask I-wire ;)).
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The moment I read the threads title I knew I would find you here. :cool:

Not only for labor savings, but load diversification can allow for lower overall costs.
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That might be true in dwelling units but for commercial work IMO that argument fails.
 
Just be aware that Table 310.15(B)(6) can not be applied to downstream panelboards in a dwelling unit unless it serves as the main power feeder. :smile:
 
iwire said:
The moment I read the threads title I knew I would find you here. :cool:
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But of course! :smile:
LarryFine said:
Not only for labor savings, but load diversification can allow for lower overall costs.
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 That might be true in dwelling units but for commercial work IMO that argument fails.
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I'm looking at it from the "the main breaker need not equal the total of the individual branch-circuit breaker ratings" point of view. A 100a feeder can supply more than 100a worth of branch circuits. Twenty 20a 120v circuits would require ten 20a home-runs, but they would not necessarily require a 100a 240v feeder. They might, but they also might not.
 
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I'd be inclined to go for the subpanels scattered around the house. They seem cheap to me, compared to doing homeruns all over the place.
 
petersonra said:
I'd be inclined to go for the subpanels scattered around the house. They seem cheap to me, compared to doing homeruns all over the place.
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As far as costs assume that your already going to be buying the panel and breakers so the only cost factor is the cost of the large AWG feeder compared to multiple branch circuit homeruns.

But, I would not want to look at electrical panels scattered around the home. Unless you can find a good place to hide them as a homeowner I would rather the panels where located in the basement or other mechanical space.
 
100 amp sub panel fed with aluminum wire say 120ft would be much cheaper in materials and labor compared to all those circuits you listed in copper price and individual home run labor. Are you bidding this job or do you already have it?
if you own it already, I'd go the sub panel route.
Bidding off prints? -maybe not if it doesn't call for it. bid it as is. - ask to change to sub panel after get the job and you will make more money.
Design/bid/build? - if you need to be low to get the job - sub panel - and reflect the savings in your lower bid.
 
aelectricalman said:
I am in a delema where I have a really long home (120ft) and the panels are on one side of the home and the two 4 ton air conditioning units, a bedroom circuit, master bath circuit, steam shower circuit, fireplace blower circuit, and office circuits are all on the opposite side of the home. I would like to hear some pros and cons on whether on not I should put a sub panel on the other side of the home. Does anyone have any good experience with this? One thing that cant be done is moving one of the 200amp panels to the other side. Too much cost.
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I would think a sub-panel would be the best way to go but why would you have a dedicated circuit just for a fireplace blower? Those don't use much juice at all.
 
Just do the math.

Add up the 120' runs of you AC's and other dedicated circuits and compare it to your 120' of feeder plus a panel.
 
steelersman said:
I would think a sub-panel would be the best way to go but why would you have a dedicated circuit just for a fireplace blower? Those don't use much juice at all.
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maybe so it can be shut off without affecting other circuits?
 
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