Was wondering if the gurus can critique and/or provide recommendations on my plan to install two sub-panels in a (50'x100') 5,000 sq ft steel building that I plan to use as a hobby woodworking and welding shop.
I plan to install two sub-panels using two feeder circuits originating from the main panel (Square D Homeline 200 amp 30 space). One sub panel (metal shop) will be fed from a 175A Homeline (HOM2175BB) circuit breaker in the main panel. The second sub-panel (wood shop) will be fed from another 175A Homeline (HOM2175BB) circuit break in the main panel. Since it's a large building, it makes sense to install sub-panels off the main panel rather than running individual circuits originating off the main panel (due to NEC derating and conduit sizing restrictions/voltage drops on long runs). I'm not concerned about using two 175A feeders from a 200A main since I will not be running equipment simultaneously on both feeders. One feeder will be for a woodshop and the other feeder will be for a welding/metal shop within this large steel bld.
Although I plan to install two sub-panels, I'll just describe my plan for one sub-panel for now.
The steel bldg has four large steel posts/Trusses tied together with horizontal steel girts. The top girt is about 12 ft off the floor. I ran 96 feet of 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL SER cable on the top girt without conduit. My plan is to install two junction boxes at both ends of the top girt and splice 3/0 THHN copper wire with insulated Polaris connectors and run the 3/0 CU THHN wire through 2" Sched 40 PVC conduit into the main power panel. The same will be done on the opposite gable end sub-panel. I already bought the 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL SER cable and the 3/0 CU THHN wire. I bought the electrical wire off of Craigslist and got really good deals and paid a fraction of full retail prices.
I'm getting ready to splice the 3/0 CU THHN cable and run into the power panels, but am hesitant about the difficulty of pulling 3/0 CU THHN through 2" PVC conduit and terminating these thick cables into the Homeline 200A Main Power Panel via HOM2175BB circuit breakers. I know 3/0 CU wire is not the easiest to work with and I have to adhere to bend radius restrictions.
The 2" PVC conduit run will have two 90 deg bends so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll enter the main power panel through the top and then have to somehow run the 3/0 CU wires in the panel and terminate on a 175A Sq D Homeline HOM175BB circuit breakers. Here's what the 175A circuit breaker looks like.
My concern is about the difficulty of terminating 3/0 CU THHN wires into the main 200A Homeline panel where there's only 4" of space between the circuit breaker and the panel side. I haven't bought the 175A HOM2175BB circuit breakers yet. They are expensive ($250 each) so I need to ensure that the existing main 200A Homeline panel will work for my plan.
What do you think about the main 200A Homeline power panel for this application? Due to it's size, it's not ideal for running two feeder circuits using 3/0 CU THHN wire. Besides, the 175A HOM2175 circuit breakers are expensive ($250). Since it wouldn't be that difficult to replace the 200A Homeline main panel now, I'm wondering if there's a better panel out there that would be better for running large feeder circuits. I know Siemens makes 175A circuit breakers (QN2175) that are much cheaper than the Sq D Homeline (HOM2175BB) so replacing the Homeline panel with a Siemens panel now is an option. I welcome any critiques, comments, or recommendations.
I plan to install two sub-panels using two feeder circuits originating from the main panel (Square D Homeline 200 amp 30 space). One sub panel (metal shop) will be fed from a 175A Homeline (HOM2175BB) circuit breaker in the main panel. The second sub-panel (wood shop) will be fed from another 175A Homeline (HOM2175BB) circuit break in the main panel. Since it's a large building, it makes sense to install sub-panels off the main panel rather than running individual circuits originating off the main panel (due to NEC derating and conduit sizing restrictions/voltage drops on long runs). I'm not concerned about using two 175A feeders from a 200A main since I will not be running equipment simultaneously on both feeders. One feeder will be for a woodshop and the other feeder will be for a welding/metal shop within this large steel bld.
Although I plan to install two sub-panels, I'll just describe my plan for one sub-panel for now.
The steel bldg has four large steel posts/Trusses tied together with horizontal steel girts. The top girt is about 12 ft off the floor. I ran 96 feet of 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL SER cable on the top girt without conduit. My plan is to install two junction boxes at both ends of the top girt and splice 3/0 THHN copper wire with insulated Polaris connectors and run the 3/0 CU THHN wire through 2" Sched 40 PVC conduit into the main power panel. The same will be done on the opposite gable end sub-panel. I already bought the 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL SER cable and the 3/0 CU THHN wire. I bought the electrical wire off of Craigslist and got really good deals and paid a fraction of full retail prices.
I'm getting ready to splice the 3/0 CU THHN cable and run into the power panels, but am hesitant about the difficulty of pulling 3/0 CU THHN through 2" PVC conduit and terminating these thick cables into the Homeline 200A Main Power Panel via HOM2175BB circuit breakers. I know 3/0 CU wire is not the easiest to work with and I have to adhere to bend radius restrictions.
The 2" PVC conduit run will have two 90 deg bends so that shouldn't be a problem. I'll enter the main power panel through the top and then have to somehow run the 3/0 CU wires in the panel and terminate on a 175A Sq D Homeline HOM175BB circuit breakers. Here's what the 175A circuit breaker looks like.
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 120/240-Volt 175-Amp HOM2175BB Miniature Circuit Breaker 120/240V 175A - Circuit Breakers - Amazon.com
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 120/240-Volt 175-Amp HOM2175BB Miniature Circuit Breaker 120/240V 175A - Circuit Breakers - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
My concern is about the difficulty of terminating 3/0 CU THHN wires into the main 200A Homeline panel where there's only 4" of space between the circuit breaker and the panel side. I haven't bought the 175A HOM2175BB circuit breakers yet. They are expensive ($250 each) so I need to ensure that the existing main 200A Homeline panel will work for my plan.
What do you think about the main 200A Homeline power panel for this application? Due to it's size, it's not ideal for running two feeder circuits using 3/0 CU THHN wire. Besides, the 175A HOM2175 circuit breakers are expensive ($250). Since it wouldn't be that difficult to replace the 200A Homeline main panel now, I'm wondering if there's a better panel out there that would be better for running large feeder circuits. I know Siemens makes 175A circuit breakers (QN2175) that are much cheaper than the Sq D Homeline (HOM2175BB) so replacing the Homeline panel with a Siemens panel now is an option. I welcome any critiques, comments, or recommendations.
