Options for Shop Heat

[Jim Becker]

Power feed hasn't been run yet, I have some options

"More" is better when it comes to your shop subpanel. You don't have to fully use it, but that's a lot better than not having enough when you decide to buy a shiny new machine or run a dust collector, power tool and HVAC system while the compressor decides to kick on while you're doing that, not to mention lighting, etc., all at the same time. That's actually a real world example of my shop, leaving out the CNC machine that's sometimes doing its thing at the same time, too. Seriously, the largest part of the cost of installing heavier service to the shop is the cost of the wire. There's not a lot of difference in cost with the terminations including the panel and breakers. This is one of those things where investing up front can pay, even if you have to wait a little longer to fund something else that can be handled after the fact more easily because it's hard/expensive to change out that wire in the ground or however it's run.