Electrical sub-panel questions

[J.A. Michel]

Hi, I am getting a new manufactured home delivered soon. I intend to build a nice double car garage on it myself once it arrives. Because I want to finish the basement at some point in the future, I'd like to leave as many spots in the house's main 200A panel open as possible. So, that leads me to the use of a sub-panel for the garage.

I intend to install a 100A main lug load center in the garage, and feed it with a 60A breaker from the main, with #4 AWG wire.

As for loads, this is what I intend to run in the garage:

220V air compressor that draws 15A 220V air conditioner that draws 20-30A (not sure about an exact rating, I haven't bought it yet) 10-12 fluorescent light fixtures 3 light fixtures with 75watt bulbs (outside lights) 1 refrigerator 2 garage door openers Various 120V outlets (about 14)

Is a 60A breaker and #4 wire sufficient for a setup like this? The wire runs to the sub-panel would be fairly short - 30 to 40 feet.

[SQLit]

Manufactured Home and BASEMENT?????? New type of installation to me. Please post pictures.

Manufactured home equals on wheels not prefab.

[zxcvbob]

Your subpanel will probably be rated for 100A anyway. I think your 60A breaker is fine, but I might use a 70A breaker if I could find one just because your wire and box can handle it and it'll only cost another couple of dollars. (The price takes a big jump when you go higher than

70A.)

I have a similar circuit to my garage with a 60A breaker and a mix of #6 copper wire and #4 aluminum triplex cable. Or maybe the aluminum was #3, I don't remember, it's something called "periwinkle". Anyway, it works just fine -- but I haven't fired up the arc welder yet. I have run the air compressor and the table saw and a bunch of lights at the same time without any problems.

I really doubt that the air conditioner is gonna draw as much as you think.

Best regards, Bob

[RBM]

[J.A. Michel]

I'm getting a Wardcraft home.

These are just like any other stick-built home, it's just built on a skid instead of a foundation. These homes are excellent quality, and a good value compared to some of the alternatives we looked at. This house will be delivered to my site nearly completed, and in one piece. (I'm not sure how they drive a 28 ft wide by 56ft long house down the road, but they do!)

I will have the site prepped with a 9ft basement with poured walls, garage foundation and driveway ready to go. After it is set, the house is bolted down to the foundation as any other house.

[RBM]

In the Northeast, they build them as "boxes", transport the boxes on trailers, then lift the sections onto your foundation and bolt the sections together. They also pre wire each section and have quick connects that go between the sections and generally a circuit breaker panel dangling from the bottom, all wired and ready to go

[gfretwell]

Nope, 4/3 Romex is only good for 70a. You use the 60c column for Romex. If it is THHN you can use the 75c column 85a) Don't get confused bu that table for "dwelling feeders". If you read that carefully you will see it only applies to the "main feeder" for the whole house, not a sub panel.

[J.A. Michel]

[Amun]

I've heard of these too. Was watching some show on tv that they were putting one of these up (together ?) Never seen one actually built though.

My guess is that cost to truck in the ready made pieces would still be higher than standard construction for most areas. And there are only so many shapes that could work, eg "ranch style" but not "split/multistory"

The time factor of having everything done (and painted) in a day or two on site, might appeal to a lot of people.

But I do have to ask the original poster. If you have a problem,......who pays for the shipping back to the factory to get it fixed ?

AMUN

[RBM]

You are absolutely correct, I was thinking main feeders

[RBM]

Mostly I see two story colonials in the NE. They come in four parts and they usually stick build the garage butt up to it. They're very nice and solid. Pain in the butt for us electricians to work in after the fact though

[Toller]

The sub-panel should be fine; but are you sure your panel has the capacity to add all that? Probably does, but you might want to check it out first.