Dad's Shop Wall - Family Woodworking

Jim,
That is the main breaker for the sub-panel. It is fed by two 30 amp breakers in the Main Panel for the entire house. I'm not quite sure even I can understand what I just wrote. Therefore I will try again: In the main electric panel for the house are two 30 amp breakers, one from each leg in the box. These two 30 amp breakers are tied together. These 30 amp breakers feed the sub-panel. The sub-panel came with the 100 amp breakers already installed.

I think of the 100 amp breakers as part of the wire that goes to the real breakers (30 amp) in the original house electric panel. So, in effect, what I have is 10 gauge wire going from the sub-panel to 30 amp breakers in the main house panel. This is a good example of where a drawing would be worth a thousand words. Any way the result is that the sub-panel would trip if it received a 30 amp load....JimB

JimB,
I see two possible solutions to this situation:

1. Since the two panels are so close together, replace the 30 amp breakers in the sub panel and the garage panel with something larger than the 30 amps (like maybe 50 0r 60 amps?) and run appropriately sized wiring betwixt the two; or,

2. Just get rid of that 100 amp breaker in the garage panel and replace it with a dual 30 to match the other panel.

BTW, if I read you right, you don't have a double pole 30 in the sub panel - you have two separate 30 amp breakers? If that's true, you definitely have an illegal - and potentially dangerous - hook-up. The feeding breaker should be a double-poled one, not two singles.

As Rob has already said, though. 30 amps ain't really enough. Running lights and a tablesaw or an bandsaw or a planer, etc., and a dust collector at the same time will be pushing the limits of the 30 amp breaker(s) in the sub panel, and will also be affecting the performance of both running machines. Time to blow the cobwebs off that wallet and upgrade the electrical a bit, Jim.

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