Hey guys,
Let me describe the scenario first:
I have an attached garage that I am wanting to add additional circuits to:
On the outside of the garage there is a main panel that contains a single 200 amp breaker, and thats it. This feeds a sub panel that is inside the garage where all of the wiring for the house & garage resides.
I want to add the additional circuits receptacles pretty much on the other side of the wall of the main panel. So it got me thinking... instead of pulling 100 feet of wire from the sub panel in the garage, up into the attack and across the entire garage, and back down the wall on the other side.... why not just add the additional circuits to the main panel since all I would need to do is run 10 feet of wire to the other side of the wall?
Is this possible to do?
Here are some of my questions:
1. If I add breakers to the main panel, there would now be these breakers in the panel:
1x 200 amp breaker
1x 50 amp breaker
3x 20 amp breaker
So those extra breakers would be in parallel to the original 200 amp breaker. The entire sub panel is protected by the single 200 amp breaker, but what would be protecting the now 310 amps worth of breakers? Something doesn't seem right here....
2. How do I know how much additional breakers I can add to this main panel? Does this depend on the "amp service" that was installed for the house? Or capabilities of the main panel? I took some photos of the panel and I was not able to determine any of this.
3. In order to keep it to code, I am under the impression that I can use UV resistant water proof PVC conduit right out the side of the main panel, along the outside of the house (only like 10 feet) into a waterproof receptacle box that is mounted to the side of the house and sealed with silicone. On the other side of the wall would be another receptacle box, and below that would be all 4 of the new circuits. Is this a process that makes sense? Would it be better to run the conduit straight down and 12" into the dirt along the house, then span the 10 feet, then straight up into the receptacle box?
And just so you know, although I don't fully know all of the processes and codes, I do know how to be safe when working with mains power.
Thanks and any help/advice is greatly appreciated!
I uploaded photos of the main panel, the 2 stickers on the main panel, the main panel with the cover off, and the sub panel with the cover off.
Let me describe the scenario first:
I have an attached garage that I am wanting to add additional circuits to:
- 1x 50 amp 220v
- 3x 20 amp 110v
On the outside of the garage there is a main panel that contains a single 200 amp breaker, and thats it. This feeds a sub panel that is inside the garage where all of the wiring for the house & garage resides.
I want to add the additional circuits receptacles pretty much on the other side of the wall of the main panel. So it got me thinking... instead of pulling 100 feet of wire from the sub panel in the garage, up into the attack and across the entire garage, and back down the wall on the other side.... why not just add the additional circuits to the main panel since all I would need to do is run 10 feet of wire to the other side of the wall?
Is this possible to do?
Here are some of my questions:
1. If I add breakers to the main panel, there would now be these breakers in the panel:
1x 200 amp breaker
1x 50 amp breaker
3x 20 amp breaker
So those extra breakers would be in parallel to the original 200 amp breaker. The entire sub panel is protected by the single 200 amp breaker, but what would be protecting the now 310 amps worth of breakers? Something doesn't seem right here....
2. How do I know how much additional breakers I can add to this main panel? Does this depend on the "amp service" that was installed for the house? Or capabilities of the main panel? I took some photos of the panel and I was not able to determine any of this.
3. In order to keep it to code, I am under the impression that I can use UV resistant water proof PVC conduit right out the side of the main panel, along the outside of the house (only like 10 feet) into a waterproof receptacle box that is mounted to the side of the house and sealed with silicone. On the other side of the wall would be another receptacle box, and below that would be all 4 of the new circuits. Is this a process that makes sense? Would it be better to run the conduit straight down and 12" into the dirt along the house, then span the 10 feet, then straight up into the receptacle box?
And just so you know, although I don't fully know all of the processes and codes, I do know how to be safe when working with mains power.
Thanks and any help/advice is greatly appreciated!
I uploaded photos of the main panel, the 2 stickers on the main panel, the main panel with the cover off, and the sub panel with the cover off.