Cost for Electrical hookup

[brownbox]

So I have decided upon using the diy still dragon controller kit for controlling my hlt and my brew kettle. I am just using one controller that I plug/unplug the hlt and brew kettle when needed. So all i really need is 1 gfci protected 240v outlet and I will be ready to go. Conveniently we remodeled my kitchen last year and switched from a electric range to a gas range so I have an open 50amp breaker in my breaker box. The previous electrician left the cord as well incase we wanted to use it later so that cord reaches about halfway to the desired spa panel location.

I got a quote from an electrician yesterday to install a spa panel in my garage and it was a little bit higher than i was expecting. $650-750 for a spa panel install. I thought it was going to be less than that considering we already had a 50amp breaker available. He said he would most likely have to pull the old wire and replace w/new due to its age and the fact that it most likely didn't have a ground.

My question is since all I really need is one 240 outlet is it really necessary to put in a full spa panel? I know nothing about electrical work but couldn't I just have the current breaker replaced with something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N7KN/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 and have a regular 240 outlet in my garage for my elements? Just don't really have that kind of money to drop on electrical work right now especially since i still have to buy all the fittings/elements/cords/plugs etc. for the rest of my build.

Here are some photos of my house's breaker box currently. The open 50a breaker is the one labeled range.


Thanks in advance...have a taco.

 

[303Dan]

I just had my 240v 30a circuit put in recently. I had a 2-pole GFCI breaker put into my main breaker box, so no spa panel. That cost me $575 with about a 25-30 foot run from the box to the outlet, including labor. Just to give you something to compare your quote to. I don't know where you live, but I think prices vary quite a bit based on location. My wife's cousin owns an an electrician business that does mostly commercial work, but I ran that quote by him and he told me it was pretty low and to jump on it.

That breaker you linked COULD work, but it depends on some other factors, including the make/model of your breaker box. Also, they're wired differently in the box than a non-GFCI breaker. It would be easy to screw it up if you don't know what you're doing. I'm no expert, either, which is why I just bit the bullet and hired a guy. It ended up being the most expensive single component I bought in my entire new eHERMS system, but it's worth it to me for the piece of mind. That type of current in proximity to so much liquid is no joke. I like being alive.

 

[hio3791]

I also had space in my panel, which is also in the garage. I got the model number of the panel and found a 30A GFCI breaker for the panel at Home Depot for around $60. I hooked it up myself, pulled a 10/3 line and wired an outlet. Ali done was under $100.

I'm not an electrician but I feel confident working with electricity and following code. It's not difficult but it is dangerous and I would recommend you get an electrician if you have any doubts.

If the electrician is recommending a new line, could you run the line yourself and pay him to simply hook up the breaker and wire it for you?

 

[BrunDog]

How old is the wire? I don't know the wire would be "aged" unless it's really, really old. Might be worth another opinion on that.

 

[Bobby_M]

That's an insane quote. Cost of materials, $60 spa panel, 6/3 non metalic cable with ground, $180 for 125 feet. 1 hour job max so what, $500 an hour labor? Even if it took 2 hours, $250 an hour?

Pulling the cover off the panel would let you see if the existing cable is hot/hot/ground or hot/hot/neutral/ground. If it's me, I'm going with the 4 wire so I can run 240/120 in the panel for future expansion, pumps, etc.

 

[matt2778]

Sounds like an I don't want to be bothered quote to me. Have to agree with Bobby on this one.

Is there a reason you're going with 50 amp over 30? You could just use a 30 amp gfci in the panel and pull new 10/3.

 

[ajdelange]

So all i really need is 1 gfci protected 240v outlet and I will be ready to go. Conveniently we remodeled my kitchen last year and switched from a electric range to a gas range so I have an open 50amp breaker in my breaker box. The previous electrician left the cord as well incase we wanted to use it later so that cord reaches about halfway to the desired spa panel location.

I suppose the first thing to do is go look at the distal end of the existing cable. At best there will be three insulated wires (colored red, black and white) and a bare wire.

I got a quote from an electrician yesterday to install a spa panel in my garage and it was a little bit higher than i was expecting. $650-750 for a spa panel install. I thought it was going to be less than that considering we already had a 50amp breaker available. He said he would most likely have to pull the old wire and replace w/new due to its age and the fact that it most likely didn't have a ground.

If there are less than three insulated wires in the cable to the panel then indeed a new cable will have to be pulled unless there are no 120V loads in the equipment you want to install.

My question is since all I really need is one 240 outlet is it really necessary to put in a full spa panel?

No - no 120V loads in that.

I know nothing about electrical work but couldn't I just have the current breaker replaced with something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N7KN/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 and have a regular 240 outlet in my garage for my elements?

You can't just buy any two pole GFCI with the current rating. It needs to be compatible with your existing box. But you should be able to install a junction box at the old range location, do the splice in there and run two conductor (plus ground) from there to where the 240V outlet is installed.