All due dilligence on code complaince will be done, just wondering about high level changes here.
My main panel (150a breaker) is overly full, eventually it needs a replacement or subpanel. At the moment I was leaning towards putting in a subpanel.
Needs:
-There are two tandem breakers in my panel where they shouldn't be so (+2) 120v circuits needed for those.
-I have a wire pulled already to my basement for a 20a 120v circuit for outlets down there, no space currently so (+1) 120v circuit
-I'd like to add a 240V EV circuit, initially 20a with a nema 6-20 outlet (kid has a PHEV limited to 16a @ 240V, already have a dual voltage charger) but I'll pull wiring to handle 60a if doing the work. (+1) 240v circuit
-I should future proof and add space for solar feed, (+1) 240v circuit
We actually have a gas range but I don't want to remove that circuit on a future proofing basis.
According to classic load calculations all this (with my current multiple 50a breakers) would be too much for my panel, however historical data is allowed by NEC and while I haven't searched it fully over 12mo I don't think I've ever pulled over 40amp at any one point (frankly can't find anything over 30a yet) so there is plenty of capacity in my 150a service to add even a 60a circuit (that EV one that will just be 20a for now). If someone was really butt hurt over things an interlock could be placed on the garage and RV breakers so neither could be on at the same time. I think my feed may handle 200a, there is 2" conduit coming into the meter (obviously would need to be confirmed), if I were to consider a full panel replacement but that is quite the hassle and since I don't pull that much power seems unjustified, I just need more space for circuits because I wanted alot of outlets for options on where to plug things in (RV plug, welder plug, dual 20amp ciruits in the garage) and I also hate when circuits wander all over the place (ie I don't want to feed my basement off the garage 20a circuits even though I probably could).
Initially I was thinking put in 100-120a subpanel, put the EV circuit in there and maybe the two 50a circuits (garage and RV) which would free up 2 spaces in the main panel (it would be full again but compliant). The new 20a basement circuit and future solar input could go into this also. This would be the most straight forward.
My brain wandered though wondering if I should instead make the sub panel a critical loads panel with a generator input and just keep the 240V stuff in the main panel. I would need to be strategic about which leg the various loads were on to account for my current 120V generator output (I don't plan to buy a larger generator, we hardly ever loose power) but that wouldn't stop someone in the future from changing the generator input to 240v to power up both legs in the critical panel. I'd likely need to extend some wires but extending 14ga and 12ga wires isn't that clunky.
Ideas / thoughts / suggestions on how you might reshuffle things in ways I haven't considered that might offer some benefit?
My main panel (150a breaker) is overly full, eventually it needs a replacement or subpanel. At the moment I was leaning towards putting in a subpanel.
Needs:
-There are two tandem breakers in my panel where they shouldn't be so (+2) 120v circuits needed for those.
-I have a wire pulled already to my basement for a 20a 120v circuit for outlets down there, no space currently so (+1) 120v circuit
-I'd like to add a 240V EV circuit, initially 20a with a nema 6-20 outlet (kid has a PHEV limited to 16a @ 240V, already have a dual voltage charger) but I'll pull wiring to handle 60a if doing the work. (+1) 240v circuit
-I should future proof and add space for solar feed, (+1) 240v circuit
We actually have a gas range but I don't want to remove that circuit on a future proofing basis.
According to classic load calculations all this (with my current multiple 50a breakers) would be too much for my panel, however historical data is allowed by NEC and while I haven't searched it fully over 12mo I don't think I've ever pulled over 40amp at any one point (frankly can't find anything over 30a yet) so there is plenty of capacity in my 150a service to add even a 60a circuit (that EV one that will just be 20a for now). If someone was really butt hurt over things an interlock could be placed on the garage and RV breakers so neither could be on at the same time. I think my feed may handle 200a, there is 2" conduit coming into the meter (obviously would need to be confirmed), if I were to consider a full panel replacement but that is quite the hassle and since I don't pull that much power seems unjustified, I just need more space for circuits because I wanted alot of outlets for options on where to plug things in (RV plug, welder plug, dual 20amp ciruits in the garage) and I also hate when circuits wander all over the place (ie I don't want to feed my basement off the garage 20a circuits even though I probably could).
Initially I was thinking put in 100-120a subpanel, put the EV circuit in there and maybe the two 50a circuits (garage and RV) which would free up 2 spaces in the main panel (it would be full again but compliant). The new 20a basement circuit and future solar input could go into this also. This would be the most straight forward.
My brain wandered though wondering if I should instead make the sub panel a critical loads panel with a generator input and just keep the 240V stuff in the main panel. I would need to be strategic about which leg the various loads were on to account for my current 120V generator output (I don't plan to buy a larger generator, we hardly ever loose power) but that wouldn't stop someone in the future from changing the generator input to 240v to power up both legs in the critical panel. I'd likely need to extend some wires but extending 14ga and 12ga wires isn't that clunky.
Ideas / thoughts / suggestions on how you might reshuffle things in ways I haven't considered that might offer some benefit?
