Calculating Amp Panel SIze

[Anonymous]

I am building a train room behind my garage and the electricians want to install a 50 amp panel to supply all the power needed. I think I will need more. I plan to use 2 Z-4000's, 1 older ZW, and 2 - LW's. The layout will have 5 separate longer loops and i short reversing trolley line. There won't be much in the way of operating accessories. Currently I am planning on using track lighting to illuminate the layout which will be 15' X 18'. Any suggestions on how I fugure out how power much I need for this room? Thanks[:)]
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[lionelsoni]

Fifty amperes is 12 kilowatts. That should be a considerable overkill for running trains and lighting. Are there any other loads, like heating or cooling?

[spankybird]

Most houses only have 100 to 120 amp serve total.

[lionelsoni]

Also, remember that the 50 amperes is at 240 volts; so it amounts to 100 amperes of 120-volt circuits.

[Big_Boy_4005]

I have a very large house, and installed a 300 Amp service. The utility company had to place a transformer on my property, for which I had to pay part of the cost. It needed to be placed fairly close to the house. This was to ensure that there wouldn't be a significant voltage drop at the service entrance.

My train room is in my basement, and is almost 2000 square feet. From the main panel there is a 100 Amp sub panel, but that also runs the well pump, heating, and air exchangers for the whole house. The lighting is a much larger load than the trains.

Keep in mind that even though a ZW can deliver something like 13 Amps to the tracks, that is on the secondary side of the transformer. The line voltage is about 6 times that of the track voltage. So doing the math, the max draw from the house circuit is a little over 2 Amps per ZW. You should be able to have 6 fully loaded ZW's on one 15 Amp house circuit, and still not pop the breaker.

Like Bob said, heating (if electric), cooling and lighting will be the largest loads in the space. The trains don't really use that much power. I would say that the electricians have you pretty well set, but you might want to ask them about the entire house service. I'm guessing that they are taking a drop from your house main panel to bring 50 Amps to the new space. Does your existing service have enough capacity, or does this addition take a new drop from the power company?

[Anonymous]

Welcome Toneek!!!!!!!! I have done a lot of electrical work over the years. I have always wired my own houses, that I have built. I think if I were in your situation I would go with a bigger panel, perhaps 100 or 125 amp. The panel is the least expensive part of the operation. For instance there probably isnt 20.00 difference between a 50 and a 125 panel. A 15 amp breaker will operate all your trains as described. The reason I would go with a bigger panel is for future use. You never know what youll have in that room in 10 years, so I would spend a few extra dollars now, because the most expensive part (labor) will be even higher in the future.The thing I dont know in your situation is whether the new room will have its own service, or will be sub panelled off your main breaker box? If it is a sub panel you may be limited by code to that size, so as not to overload your main breaker/panel. I hope this helps.....Tim

[Big_Boy_4005]

Tim, power requirements are more closely connected to square footage of the space. I don't know the exact size he is talking about, but if the layout is 15' x 18' then 50 Amps should get the job done. He didn't say that he was planning a smelting operation, or a welding shop. Millions of homes still have old 100 Amp services, though 150 and 200 are becoming standard.

By the way, I wired the house I live in too. All 8900 square feet feet of it. [swg]

[eZAK]

[#welcome]toneek

Considering most houses built before 1960 had only a 60a service.
And most homes from the sixties thru the mid ninties had a 100a service.

I would say that 50a in a garage is plenty.
I have a 60a sub-panel in mine. 200a main in the house.
I have various wood working saws, a welder & a window AC unit in addition to the layout.
Never blown the 60a main breaker.

If you do want to calculate your potential load you can go here;
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Bowden/ohmslaw.htm

[eZAK]

Elliot,
Just what does one do in a 8000 sq ft home with 300 amps available and no running trains. [:D][:D][(-D][(-D][swg][swg]

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by eZAK

Elliot,
Just what does one do in a 8000 sq ft home with 300 amps available and no running trains. [:D][:D][(-D][(-D][swg][swg]

He searches high and low for something he's misplaced, and if he doesn't find it he goes to the store and gets another one. When he returns from the store the original item magicly jumps from it's hiding place, as if to mock him. I haven't forgotten Pat. [swg]

I am however on the verge of resorting to the aforementioned solution.

[Anonymous]

WOWOW....

[:)]Thank you all for your replys....I really appreciate what everyone wrote....The additon is 499.25 square feet (if you add 500 or more in my Calif county you have to pay a $3000 school bond)...again I really thank you all for taking the time to give me advice...I think 100 amp is what it will be...
Tony Kirkpatrick

[Anonymous]

Tony,

What part of California are you from?

Mike

[eZAK]

QUOTE: He searches high and low for something he's misplaced, and if he doesn't find it he goes to the store and gets another one

I have offten done that exact same thing.
I know you will find it now!
b/c I just picked some up at a garage sale[:)]

Thanks anyway Big_Boy_