I ran my whole shop on a 70 amp breaker,2 phase convertors, 2 cnc knee
mills, 5 hp lathe, 2hp tumbler, 5 hp fully auto cold saw, saws, drill
presses, compressor, 1200 watts of light. Did occasionally pop the
breaker. That is with 2 cncs running, the FA saw and compressor going
and the tumbler going

What I would have done different, which I don't see mentioned: much
bigger feed wire ga. try a 1/0 instead of 4 ga, you will be happier.

The power company replaced the wire from the pole to the house because
the other side of the 2 family the lights blinked when I powered up a
machine.

I now run my shop on a 175 amp breaker, 3phase, with 3 cnc mills, much
bigger compressor, tig welder, 80 kva VMC, 3 tumblers an tons more lights.


400 amps is nuts



Dave Lyon wrote:
"Adam" wrote in message
oups.com...

Here's my 2 cents FWIW:

How often are you going to be welding at full amperage? I would gues
very infrequently... so you will very rarely pull that kind of current.
Also, welding is an intermittent load... so, you can get away with less
current capacity, cause you aren't running continuously. And, anyways,
70A is plenty... you're not planning on welding at full current while
running a big lathe taking a .500" DOC, with a load of wash in the W/D,
the electric stove boiling spaghetti on every burner, and every light
in the house on, right? I'd suggest work with what you got if you can't
up your service easily. Get to buildin'!



That's pretty much what my power company told me when I told them 200 amps
wasn't enough.

I have 2 edms
1 cnc lathe
3 cnc mills
air conditioned shop (over 5 tons)
large air compressor to run the place
And multiple manual machines and welders.


They said to contact them when I noticed power problems....It's been 5
years, and I still haven't had to call them.