Power requrements

[taybrynn]

I agree that most of these temporary panel solutions I've seen ... seem really ideal for the hobby.

It seems like getting a portable panel or two which has tons of GFCI outlets on it ... is very flexible
and also can travel with you if you ever move.

I've seen pictures of these, but never quite understood how it all worked, so I'd like a link to a how-to
if anyone knows of one.

[caretaker]

For my portable setup I have a full sized (#4 AWG) cord which I am only feeding with 60 amps.  If you only need 50 amps you could get buy with a #8 AWG cord which would be much cheaper.  Here is an idea for costs of a "portable" panel:

Panel - 100A  Main Breaker - 20 space 30 circuit $49
Breakers 20 amp - $3.75 ea. 
GFI outlets - $14.48 ea.
50 amp range plug - $44.95
50 amp recpticle - $6.96
WP Boxes - $8.61 ea.
WP Covers - $7.37
50' cord #8-4 SJO  $150.00
Hand Cart - $85 or less 
Plus misc hardware and electrical fittings

Not a cheap project but work great for portable power and if you look around you can most likely get a lot of the stuff for cheaper that running out to the local Home Depot or Lowes.

[taybrynn]

Or just add a 50a or 100a subpanel off the main panel, and drop some 15a GFCI outlets directly below it and run cheap 13a cords.

Lowes did have some nice 15A 40' GFCI cords on clearance for like $12 each. 

[abrianbaker]

As far as making a diy sub panel.  Can that be run off the existing 200amp box with a 50 to 60 amp breaker.  Would that only allow for 4 15 amp gfci?  To get more power do I need an additional 200 amp box run from the utility pole?

 I don't want an   and have the neighbors all standing outside  

hmmmm...

[taybrynn]

Adding up the amps isn't quite accurate in sizing.   You do need to make sure the capacity in the main
exists and not just space wise, but power capacity wise as well.

Since you would hook up a subpanel by connecting a double pole breaker to the main (say a 50a @ 240v)
and then feed the new subpanel ... you would handle say 100a @ 120v, or maybe 6-8 15a breakers
in the subpanel.   You also have to make sure your feed wire size can handle it.

Again, I'm not an expert ... but the double pole feed breakers are crossing both legs, so your really at 240v
instead of just 120v ... and as such you could get around double the amps at 120v in the subpanel, which is what most of
your single pole 15a or 20a circuits will be using, since they tie into a single leg/pole only.

You could run a really small subpanel (like a 6 slot) and just full it with 5 15a singles and 15a double/twin breaker.
Those panels are like $30 at home depot ... and feed it with a 50a double pole in the main.

Again, get an expert  to confirm all your particulars for you.

[lineman]

Heres some pic,s. Using 100 amp in side house panel out to a RV 240 plug on house, ( you could plug in to a dryer plug or any 240 plug ) I use 50 ft on RV cord 30 amp to my portable power.  portable power has 4- 15 amp twin breakers 110 volt and 8 receptacles 4 per breaker.

[CaptKirk]

There is a brand new show that features a Canadian contractor names Mike Holms called Holms Inspections (he used to do "Holms on Homes").  They just had an episode where they could not figure out why someone had added extra capacity, breakers and outlets in the front basement area of a home that Holms inspected after other problems were popping up in the house.  They ended up ripping it all out even though it was properly installed.  I think we all know what THAT guy was doing with all those outlets....

[taybrynn]

Yes, I saw that episode, and thought the same thing!

lineman, thats a really slick setup you have there ... do you have any more pics of it?

[wwwgator]

The most comon mistake that home owners do when they terminate sub panels or remote panels is they bond the neutral bar to the panelboard. That means they put the green ground screw through the neutral buss "grounding" it to the equipment ground. YOU MUST NOT DO THIS. services require a single point of bonding and that has already been done at your main service panel. All subsequent feeders that go off to other panels, sub panels, or even recepticles must keep separate the ground and neutral wires. You may inadvertantly  send fault current in to your house, or out to your subpanel/outlets creating a hazardous condition.

You must use 4 conductor wire (2 hots, Neutral, AND ground) appropriately sized for the amount of over current protection you are providing.

They now have 240V/ 50A RV plugs to create a lot of portable sub panel capabilities.

Above all, be safe. When in doubt, ask a professional. 99% of the time, they will help and get hooked on the blinky blinky too.....I know, that's how I got hooked.

[cBell]

I'm doing something similar to lineman

I built a portable sub panel that I can roll out for the display, then put away afterwards. I have a 50A 220V RV plug on the back of the house that it plugs into. The Crydom SSRs allow me to turn the whole thing on and off with the timer at the bottom.

[lineman]

Yes, I saw that episode, and thought the same thing!

lineman, thats a really slick setup you have there ... do you have any more pics of it?

that is all for now if their is some thing you would like let me know and I will take a Pic for you, I will be making 1 more and will try to do a how to with Pics from the beginning to end. Glad you liked it

[mtxrooster]

Hey all - Wanted to thank you guys for the great info here.  Got caught up with work the past few days, but your words (and the photos) are really impressive, AND really got to exactly what I needed to pay attention and plan for.  To the first image poster, I'm curious/would like to see a couple pics of where it attaches to your house, and the the second image posting person, the cord wrapped around your panel (Connecticut electric box) where does that line run, it's not the same wire that's on the portable box, just wondering where the portable plugs into at the house..  (Guess I'm wondering if the two lines connect, I see some foam'ish stuff sitting on the box, suspect that it gets placed where the two connect)?

[cBell]

... and the the second image posting person, the cord wrapped around your panel (Connecticut electric box) where does that line run, it's not the same wire that's on the portable box, just wondering where the portable plugs into at the house..  (Guess I'm wondering if the two lines connect, I see some foam'ish stuff sitting on the box, suspect that it gets placed where the two connect)?

It's all one line.  The different pics just must make it look different.  Some of them were taken at different times with the box in different positions, so that may be why they look like different cords. The portable panel has 10' of 6/4 SOOW Cable that terminates in a 220V 50A stove plug.  The inside of the Connecticut electric box has a 220V 50A outlet where this plugs into.  The foamish stuff is for putting into the Connecticut electric box when there isn't a cable plugged into it to keep bees and other critters out of it.  There are a lot more pics of me building it, etc on my blog, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

[wbuehler]

Not as nice, but I did the same.

[abrianbaker]

Wow you guys are awesome.  I was wanting to do somthing like this I just could not visualize it.  Thanks for all the info and pics!!