Another "Electrical Plans for the Barn / Workshop" question...

[STx]

I leased a 40 x 75 shop that I was running a welding business out of and it only had 100A service. The guy that was in it before me was also a fabricator/welder and had more machines running than I did.

Honestly, 100A is a LOT of power for one guy to use up in a shop. We have a 200A service to our house in the suburbs with 5 tons of A/C, electric oven, couple of freezers and I've run the welder and a 220v air compressor there at times. Never even came close to using it all. You can size the service for everything at once but, it'll never actually happen. I'd say double the size of your welder would be safe, which would probably put you at 100A service. If it's close enough, there's no real reason not to spend the money for a 200A service but, you'll probably never need it. I would run 200A service lines to the house and both shops from a 400A meter without a 2nd thought. They'll all be protected by a breaker and truth is, you're probably never going to come close to running 400A all at once.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Rule of thumb - go bigger than you ever think you will need. I would pull 200A, frankly, if you can.

I agree 100%. You will not regret going too big.

You will bitterly regret going too small.

 

[BHD]

what in the world are you guys running that you need all that power,

I have a demand meter and the most I have ever pulled in the last 5 years is 60 amps, three fans on the grain bin, walk in freezer, and walk in cooler, three chest freezers, 260 amps welder, two refrigerator, electric clothes dryer, 5 hp AIr compressor, air conditioning on the house, deep well 300' submersible,, jet pump, and more tools I would want to list, yard lights, (the highest amp pull item is most likely the welder, as it was suggested for a 60 amp breaker).
but the time I did pull the 60 amps was hot summer, AC running grain bin fans running and using the welder, and with the normal house hold loads and shop loads),

what are you needing the High amps entrances for?

even if you were all electric heating most would not need more than 150 amps, on any normal rural building site,

I would guess that most of you do not pull over 40 amps under normal conditions, unless your on electric heating systems,

 

[Argonne]

...You do realize that each meter will have a monthly service fee, right? The more meters, the more fees you pay.

And it could get worse. I don't know where you are in Texas, or who maintains your service, but I recently had an issue here near Paris.

I had 2 meters, one for the house and one for the out-buildings. They just switched to electronic meters. When they did, they said they had to re-classify my shop service as "commercial" because only one meter per customer could be classified as "residential" and get the sweet rate. As a result of that change, I was paying 3 times as much for the shop's electricity as I was for the house.

The lineman who came out to replace the meter was very apologetic about having to register the shop meter as commercial, and he was dreading going around to all of the other customers and doing the same. He said some customers have many meters all over their property, and their bills would skyrocket because, until then, they were allowed the residential rate.

After getting a couple of bills for the shop, I figured "screw this", and measured how much direct burial lead in I would need to get from the house to the shop. Before I purchased it and started digging, I got a phone call from the shop energy supplier. She stated that there had been an "error", and that I could use a residential rate for my shop meter. On the spot she re-wrote the rate and credited my account for the difference based upon the kwh I had used.

So my story had a happy ending, but I went and researched the law, and it turns out that per the agreement between the electric suppliers and the public utilities commission here, the providers DO have the option of only granting the residential rate to one meter per address. They obviously tried to leverage that loophole with the installation of the new meters, but for some reason, backed-off. I suspect that their minds were changed by a bunch of linemen refusing to shaft all of their rural customers, or perhaps to avoid all of the Rube Goldberg cross ties that would result (or both).

So, since you have nothing else to do, here is another thing to research for your place. Call your electric supplier and ask about what rates will be available for multiple meters. I guarantee they are going to try to pull the commercial rate crap again because thars GOLD in them thar extra meters, but hopefully not now, for you.

 

[Reload5]

Update: After meeting with local electrician as well as the Co-Op for bringing in the primary service, we have decided to run just a 200amp service to the barn workshop and then run a separate underground primary service down the far property line that will feed the main house 200amp service as well as give my neighbor on that other side access for power as well. He'll split the cost of that build/install with me so he will have power when he decides to start building his place in a couple years.

So now I just need to buy some bulk cable to get the 200amp service from the rack over to the barn which is 170' distance...

Guidance please -

 

[MossRoad]

Does that mean you'll have two meters?

 

[dstig1]

Voltage drop calcs say 2/0 min but 4/0 is my recollection of the standard minimum for 200A service. Copper, in both cases. Voltage Drop Calculator JavaScript. i would pull it in min 2" conduit, and it would be a lot easier in 3". If you go to a real electric distributor, then you should be able to find 20' sticks, which is half the joints. Make sure you have a helper for this, and ease the inside leading edge of the conduit before sliding it on the wire to avoid damaging the insulation. If you have one of those metal burr removers that swivel as you pull them around, those work perfect. Like this: McMaster-Carr A quick spin or two, and you are good to go.

 

[STx]

I'd use 4/0-4/0-2/0 aluminum service cable in a 2" conduit. Al is a LOT cheaper than copper and commonly used in service entrances. Over 170', going with Al will save you several hundred dollars. Just be sure that the lugs on both sides are rated for Al and tighten them down fully. In about 6 months, check them and re-tighten if needed.

 

[Maxcustody]

Just finishing up mine....I have a 30x50. We ran 100 amp service to the barn from our 200 amp service at the house. I used copper, as others have said a little more expensive, but I wanted to do everything right the first time. We installed 10, 4 bank outlets on the long walls, outlets on each end, dedicated Compressor, 20 amp, outlets in each corner in the ceiling, outlets on each exterior wall, 20/30/50 amp Rv box, switches on each and I have drive thru doors. I put 6, 48 inch 6 bank LED lights for the ceiling interior and a dusk to dawn flood on each door outside the barn on switches as well. Also an outlet dedicated for my garage Openers. Also go with a large panel, so you have plenty of space. Everything is ran is metal conduit for protection. The reason I added some many outlets, etc. Is due to my thread on here asking the same thing a few weeks ago. The best as others have said as well, is do it now. Get everything you could need in the future and do it once. Yes it costs more on the front end, but I should never have to upgrade......good luck. I am in West Texas.

 

[Maxcustody]

Figured I would add, I got my lighting from pro lighting in Michigan.
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Shipping costs were high but saved money on all the lights ordered. Delivered in 3 days to West Texas. Also going with side mount garage-door-openers, liftmaster 8500.
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