Display power advice

[Scotty]

I was doing some quick power requirement calculations last night and discovered I'm way over budget for my proposed display expansion. I hoped to run 3-4 LOR controllers @ about what would have been 15-20 Amps each. I have 2 outlets on the front of the house on breakers that are rated at 25 Amps. Those breakers feed some interior circuits, but the loading is minimal and didn't interfere last season.

In your experiences, what could I expect to pay to have more power run to the front of the house? Or, can you folks offer alternative methods for temporarily powering the display?

TIA, Scotty

[wbottomley]

Scotty, this is what I done.

Check out these images...








I have a huge 50amp rv outlet on the house that I connect it to. I installed everything but it's recommend that a licensed electrician do the work if you don't understand the fundamentals of electricity or if you're uncomfortable with it.

In picture #2, the neutrals and grounds are seperated and not connected together!

[TGabriel]

Looks like William know a little about electricty. LOL Good job

[Brad Caudill]

Where does that plug into? Looks like a dryer outlet plug. Are those burn marks in your conduit? lol

[duke]

One way to gain two extra high amp circuits is to use a dryer plug and split it into two 120 volt lines from the 220 volt circuit that you use for your clothes dryer. Uplug you clothes dryer at night and plug in the cord. You can also use any other 220 volt circuit that you do not use at night.

As we decorate over two acres here, I had a 400 amp panel put in and then ran two 200 amp panels and one 100 amp panel two years ago. We have a walking trail through the woods in the back and I ran 42 water proof outlets on 8 20 amp circuits with 10-3 gauge wire so that the top plug is on one circuit and the bottom plug is on another circuit. Last year I ran undergroung circuits with water proof outlets to all the areas around trees and the house that I had to run extension cords to before. Just about all of my power is now run underground in the front yard and back yard and I turn them off and on from the breaker panels.

[wbottomley]

It's connected to an RV outlet which is 50 amps at 240V. In theory, it's 100 amps at 120V. I don't have an rv but it works flawless.

Here's an image of one:

[Jack Stevens]

Eelctrician Steve McCahill did an excellent job of upgrading my panel to 200 amps and running a couple of circuits for outside lights for me at 20 amps each. Fair price, excelent work, lives local. 919-542-0894 (Pittsboro area, s/w of Raleigh) cell is 919-259-3349.

He thought I was crazy asking for two additional circuits for lights outside; the first thought I meant two outlets, until I showed him my 2007 pictures. He then asked if two circuits would be enough. Now I wish I had him install more.......

[Al in Raleigh]

Some time ago an electrician told me that a outlet box should cost about $75 to $100 to install. That assumes a simple installation without any major fishing or complications. I do most of my own so I don't have any current data. Walter would know. Of course every installation is different but there are rules of thumb that generally apply. How much per outlet box Walter?

People in the Raleigh area might get Walter and the electrician he works for to install stuff for you. He understands our power requirements and needs. Walter is a helper for an electrician, and I will pester him to no end until he sits for the exam..
Al

[Scotty]

Thanks all. I ran my outside outlets myself, but did a lousy (reaaaally sure it's not code worthy) job. Spent part of the holiday rerouting satellite and phone wiring under the house. Since I've used cordless phones for years, I forgot bell wire carries a bite. I received a nasty reminder. Maybe I'll work my way back up to 220 when the smoke clears.

[duke]

Here are some pictures of my electric service.
I had the power company upgrade my service to 400 AMP and an electrician put in three breaker boxes and then I wired the pigtails and underground service to about 70 Waterproof outlets around the yard and house. The power company provided the 400 AMP box free of charge. Before I upgraded my service I used my outside main house breaker box added 20 amp breakers and ran ten 20 amp pigtails out of the bottom of the box. If you have a 200 AMP main on your house you have 200 AMPs on each leg of the breaker box and unless you run all of your 220 amp appliances at night you will have plenty of power. I use 50 and 100 foot 10 & 12 Gauge extension cords run from the pigtails.

[briancadman]

Do you really need 15-20 amps continuous for each LOR controller though?
Considering the intermittent operation of the controllers, you might have enough capacity.