Electrician, Cook Electric
Written by Larry Cook

Electrical Subpanels for Commercial Facilities – Part 1

As your company grows usually its power demand will grow also. You will need to consider both the power capacity and distribution of your electrical system. This is certainly true if the space of your facility quickly expanded or your electrical needs grew rapidly.

 

In both cases, the installation of an electrical subpanel should be considered to provide power more efficiently and conveniently. It is essentially a smaller service panel connected to your main service panel that will provide electrical service to a specific area inside your commercial premises.

 

A subpanel allows a facility’s electrical system to provide power to a specific area efficiently and manage the service conveniently, which can be important to a business. However, an electrical subpanel will not provide more electricity to a facility.

 

You should work with a licensed commercial electrician to confirm if a subpanel is needed and how it should be properly and safely installed in your building.

 

When Installation Needed

 

The needs of your business in the present and future will determine if a commercial electrical subpanel should be installed. There may come a time when a specific area of your facility needs substantial electrical power. A room or hall addition, an existing or new structure, or additional high-powered equipment may all require power, but the main service panel may be quite a distance away from their locations.

 

There are three other reasons an electrical subpanel should be installed.

 

1) Your company may be planning to install new powerful commercial or industrial equipment that require a lot more electricity.

2) If no more room is left in the main service panel to host more circuit breakers, an electrician may install a subpanel next to it, saving time, money, and effort.

3) A new subpanel may be needed if an existing subpanel is inadequate or not working properly.

 

Part 2 will discuss Subpanel Wiring, Subpanel Sizing, and Average Costs.

 

Electrical Peace of Mind

 

Providing professional electricians since 1988 in Maryland, Cook Electric is the company you can rely on for all your electrical service needs, including:

 

  • Commercial & Residential Electrical Installations
  • Marina & Residential Pier Wiring
  • Electrical Service & Repair
  • Specialty Electrical Services

 

For knowledgeable, fair, honest, reliable, and conscientious service, call Cook Electric today at (410) 266-9040. We will be very glad to help you.