Don’t you just love Star Trek?  Cheesy lines, trouble with tribbles, and bad acting.  It was great!  First, there was no power, now there is no easy access to power.  The main power pole to Boxes in Fields is less than 20″ away from the man door.  To have power into the shop, an extension cord must be run outside.  This has been working just fine and would probably work just fine for most situations.  However, in a shop of this fashion, one extension cord will not cut it.  There are welders, plasma cutters, drills, jigsaws, and grinders to name a few.  Having to stop to unplug one power tool to plug in another power tool is just crazy.  Also, with all the rain, the extension cords were getting covered in muck and being drug into the shop.  Mud and metal shavings do not mix.

Why struggle with an extension cord when a subpanel can be easily installed?  The Doubter came down to help with this endeavor.  Notice the lack of pictures?  This is because I had to work this weekend and was not there to take pictures, feed, and water.  These grown men worked and worked until death was at their door.  Why could they not stop to eat you ask?  Because there was work to be done.  Now I feel like a nag.  “Honey, drink your water.”  Honey, drink your Gatorade.”  “Honey, eat your lunch.”   Not that I ever say those things.  As in E.V.E.R. I just show up with the needed object and it is consumed without complaint.  Love these hard working men.  They are easy to take care.  Feed and water.  Simple enough.

By the time I returned home close to 3 pm the work was almost done but these hard working men were ghosts.  Once immediately feed and re-energized with electrolytes, they were once cheerful again and ready to complete the project.   In order to install power in the shop a new trench was dug, conduit was laid, electrical lines were installed using the same process as in Electrical Wire and a Vacuum, and a subpanel was placed.

The main panel is a 200 amp service from the local power company.  The sub-panel is a 200 amp panel with the ability to have 40 electrical breakers.  Is this an overkill for one shop of this size?  Yes and no.  It is always better to have more power than not enough.  It is a long term goal to have everything but the Shop Box off the grid meaning there must be enough power to handle all of the power intensive tools.  Besides, why buy one when two is better.  It is easy and cheaper to install more now and not need than have to redesign later when needed.  With that thought, more was installed. Now there is power in the Shop Box and power outside.  Next, power to the house.  Hmm, guess we need the house first.  Come on September…..