Question for the electrician's

[reddeerguy2015]

Had our house built in 2016 (an acreage).

Funds didn't allow at the time for a garage/shop, so we decided to wait a couple years.

Time has come and I'm a bit concerned about a possible (likely!) electrical issue...

Main power for the house comes from the pole 300' away. Underground burial, enters the south side of the house.

I roughed in the cable from our panel location in the laundry room through the basement and out the north side of the house, to supply power for the garage. Planned for 60amp service out there.

Tonight was looking at the panel, and it's rated at 100amps! Went outside, checked breaker on power pole - 80amps!! WTF????

I'm a bit peeved at this point - as when we built we discussed with the builder these exact plans of running power to the detached garage from the house. I was expecting to see 200amp service to the house!

So now what ?? If I have to run underground wire from the pole to the garage...it's over a 650' run! Thorough landscaped yard, driveway, etc.. otherwise it's less than a 300', direct (easy!) run from the house to the shop, the way I intended to do it.

My question is, since I've accepted that I'll have to upgrade to a 200amp panel in the house to supply the garage - how do I tell if the actual burial cable to the house is of a sufficient size to upgrade to 200amp service ??

The main wire going into the panel doesn't have any writing or markings on it. Just a decent sized black cable.... So how can I tell, short of calling an electrical company, if it's going to work with a panel upgrade ??

Current panel is completely full, as is. Air conditioning installation last summer filled final two spots. Not even room for a hot tub, let alone a garage!

Help!!!

[204ruger]

I’m not an electrician but my experience when I built my garage was similar.
100 amp panel in house which is full.
100 amp service to house
I thought I was screwed to add a 60 amp garage service
What they did for me was a 60 amp sub panel off my main house panel in the basement for the garage because my house panel was full then sent cable to garage and I have a 100 amp panel in garage (too big for the service sent there but that’s what I had).
It’s since been inspected that way and all is good.

[nick0danger]

Cause your a rural home 80 amps is typically what Fortis or the rural providers will give you. You can ask nicely for a bigger breaker from your supplier but they may say no, or tell you need a different billing system (peak vs demand).

You will not have any problems running 60 amps to your garage (get a sub panel installed), cause most loads (light and heat excluded) use a high amount of amps for a very short period of time (inrush current). Lots of home, have garages, hot tubs, and high load devices, on 100 amp and 80 amp services.

[sledn]

Originally Posted by nick0danger

Cause your a rural home 80 amps is typically what Fortis or the rural providers will give you. You can ask nicely for a bigger breaker from your supplier but they may say no, or tell you need a different billing system (peak vs demand).

You will not have any problems running 60 amps to your garage (get a sub panel installed), cause most loads (light and heat excluded) use a high amount of amps for a very short period of time (inrush current). Lots of home, have garages, hot tubs, and high load devices, on 100 amp and 80 amp services.

I am an Electrician-this is 100% correct.

[Swamp hunter]

You don't have to worry about the amperage rating on the pole....it is only to protect the service transformer on the pole. If you draw to much current for the existing transformer Fortis will just upgrade their transformer. Carry on and don't worry about it.

[reddeerguy2015]

Thanks guys!