Boss Hog

Currently building a house. My contractor just gave me the option for either 200 Amp or for $1500 more 400 amp elecrical service to the main box. My plans are just a 3 car garage with flourescent lighting, Air Compressor, 2 Fridges in the house, all of the other home appliances, a hot tub out back in a 3000 sq foot house and really thats it. Do I need 400 Amp service or can I get by with 200 Amp.

ROCNDAV

iTrader: (100)

presonally I'd do it. More power, ho ho ho ho

Wicked ls 1

Must be nice my house was built in 1960 and has 100 amp service . One day 200 Hopefully before Im to old to work in the garage.

Silver LT

I would check with your local power provider and see if they would give you a 400 amp drop, before investing in a higher ampere service; not all will do it. I upgraded to a 200 amp panel and PGE refused to change the drop. I guess the wiring will have to melt before they will do anything.

If your major appliances are gas, the 200 amp should work fine. If you have all electric, there may be a little concern. I would recommend putting a sub-panel in the garage if you ever intend on using higher power toys (MIG, TIG, woodworking, etc.)

v8pwr

iTrader: (19)

Take a look @ your elecrical demands realisticaly . 200 amps is plenty for most homes and 400 is way overkill unless you use alot of power all the time . My tigs don't even require that much current @ full output .

1BADAIR

iTrader: (1)

I didn't even know residential went that high

kellam

iTrader: (1)

i would do a 200 amp service and a 100 sub panel in the garage. that is all you should ever need and it will cost less. plus if you were ever to upgrade your set up in the garage the change would be simple. if you do a 400 amp service that is 2 200 amp panels side by side. doesnt realy make any sense if your garage is the high demand factor. im an electrician and i only see that in houses 6000 sq. ft and up

04gtoBMXracer

iTrader: (26)

^^^^^ listen to the man 200 is just fine

Boss Hog

My electrical demands should be fairly simple. 2 full size refrigerators, heat pump, 50 gallon electric water heater, all electrical appliances, probably 3 entertainment centers with TV's, stereos, and 3 computers. Garage will have flourescent lighting, 200+ volt Air compressor. No welding or anything like that. No plans for electric lifts. And a Hot tub out back + low voltage lighting in the back yard.

The Alchemist

iTrader: (19)

As some others said, see if they will do 300 amp service, 200 for the house and another 100 for the garage / hot tub. I currently have 200 service with a 5-ton central air compressor and nothing dims or dips when it kicks on. I do have a gas stove and hot water heater, but I have an extra 220 line that was routed for the stove that I'm going to route out to the garage this fall to get ready for the 4-post lift.

Ideally, I'm probably going to be putting in another panel to service the current garage and the new garage addition in 2-3 years. I plan on upping to a 60-gallon compressor which will be 220v, as well as the lift, plus having a refrigerator in the garage. I never hurts to have sufficient electrical supply.

redbandit98

iTrader: (13)

you need to have someone do an actual load caluclation of everything that you will have. A 400 amp service is nice, mainly due to the extra panel space should you want to add several things later. Just by glancing at what you will have, 200 would be fine. The thing about the 100 amp subpanel is you will haev to have a seperate meter for the garage. I dont know if they poco will want to run you a drop or not. The main reason for them not wanting to run you a 400 amp service is the amount of materials it cost them to run that much to you. If they think you wont ever use that much, then you are just wasting their transformer and wiring. 1500 sounds a little steep just for the 400 amp from 200 amp service upgrade. How far are they having to trench? Are they doing the electrical work or is that just to install the panels?

edit:also forgot to mention. You're probably not going to install one, but if your planning on using a tankless electric water heater anytime, you may want to consider the 400 amp service. I do, however think that these things kind of "tanked" so to speak. No one really uses them due to their insane amount of amperage they pull.

Jon5212

iTrader: (2)

^^^ I've never heard of an electric tankless water heater, only gas. My dad has a gas tankless heater in his basement, think its 120 or 150,000 BTU's, works great. And to OP I would see about 200 amp service to the house and a 100 amp sub-box for your garage, but really 200 should be fine unless you've got every appliance and light on in your house all at the same time along with a compressor and a welder lol.

redbandit98

iTrader: (13)

Get a price on the 200 amp service and them running you a 100 amp subpanel in the garage. It will still only be a 200 amp service but will be plenty for what you have. Make sure you get them to put in a fullsize subpanel in the garage, they arent but a few bucks more expensive than those smaller 6 space units. If in the future you HAD to have more power, you could simply put a meter on the subpanel in the garage seperating it from your house and having that extra 100 in your main. ASSUMING that you have a substantial load from the panel in the garage. All the shop and the hot tub, maybee a few outside circuits etc. I highly doubt you would ever need to do this though. People think they will overload their panel, but it takes a LOT of **** to overload a 200 amp panel.

george88gta

iTrader: (3)

I have an all electric house ( heat included) It has a 200 amp service and I never had a problem when I was using my 8hp compressor or stick welder. When I built my garage ( separate from the house), I used a 200 amp service as well. I have a lift, 2 welders and a plasma cutter as well as lights etc. never even come close to the 200 amp capacity. I would leave the house at 200 amp service and either a 100 or 200 amp service for the garage ( depending on cost). Hard to see how you would need 200 in the garage.

bgblockelcamino

iTrader: (9)

I have 400 amp coming into the house. 200 amp panel in house with a switch for the shop and a 200 amp panel in shop. The shop has a lot of equipment. the Welder uses 90 amps alone lol
depending on your needs it is def cheaper to do it the first time.

toplessHO

iTrader: (25)

200 amp main service with 100 amp subfeed to garage should be fine.
Take the extra money you saved and have them put all copper wiring.
The note about doing load calcs is true as well as the one about power company
hookup.
Normally they look at the a/c that needs to be combined at over 5 tons to warrant
a larger service.Several homes in our area have 400amp but they are 5000 sq ft or larger.
Ive hooked up many welders and never seen a unit used in residential that draws 90amps. Are you sure its not 90amp output?Or is this a carbon rod machine?

bgblockelcamino

iTrader: (9)

it is an old lincoln electric idealarc 300 it is about 35 years old
i picked the machine up for a good price but didn't realize the power needed. a new machine would require half the amps this one does. When welding aluminum it draws A LOT of juice.

81LS1Camaro

iTrader: (1)

I have 100 amp service with 70 amp sub panel in the garage, lol. I just cant run the dryer, welder and compressor at the same time.

Boss Hog

Thanks for all the input. Sucked it up and went with 400 Amp service. The wife wanted a hottub and maybe someday I will want a separate garage!

redbandit98

iTrader: (13)

Good deal man, you will NEVE Run out of panel space or power. 200 would have worked, but you can never go wrong with having more than you need.