Sub-panel to Shop again - pls help.

[Tom.Trout]

Please look at the picture of the main service panel (100a)
There is a large gray cable (lower left connected to a 60A breaker)that is the feed to the fused shop panel (the one I don't know what to do with...[?][?][?]

Whatever advice you can offer from the pics would be appreciated.

Also I have BX cable in the old house, should I replace the branch circuit breakers with GFI[?][?][?] Anyone have experience with this, (Note clicking on the pics makes them bigger) Thanks!

[Hellrazor]

If it was me, I would remove that fuse box and install a new service panel.

[gjat]

Tom,
The gray cable looks like it is aluminum wire. I see what looks like a silver (alum) bare wire, a gry with black trace and two black wires going to a double pole breaker. That is providing 220v to you sub panel. If you trip the 60aDPcb, that should shut the feed to the sub panel. I would definitely replace your sub panel with thermo breakers and get rid of the fuses. Personally, I would have either a main CB on your sub panel or another means of disconnect but I don't know if that is neccessary. You definitely want to get a panel that does not have open holes in it like you have now. I would not replace your main panel's branch circuits with GFCI breakers, but would use GFCI receptacles in the bathroom or kitchen. If your shop is susceptible to flooding, I would consider GFCI breakers. I would also neaten up the wires and use cable staples to keep things neat and protected. PVC conduit is not that expensive and is a good idea in a shop area. Avoid splices with wire nuts and you can do a nice and safer job. What is running off that sub panel now?

[Hoover]

Just looked it up, you need to have GFCI in outbuildings:

All existing outlets in unfinished basements as defined in NEC Section 210-8(a)(5), outdoors, and outbuildings, shall have ground fault circuit protection

[maxparot]

Tom,
The simplest thing to do would be to replace the fused box with a 60 amp subpanel with breakers. This would allow you to switch the existing circuits to breakers and add new circuits. It is unlikely that you'd overload a 60 amp panel in a 1 man shop.
The use of aluminum wiring although not something I would want is consider acceptable if already installed. But if you were to consider upgrading to 100 amps for the shop it would need to be replaced.
Also in that upgrade either an upgrade to the main or turning the shop into a main with it's own service and meter would be required.
For the above reason it would be simplest to just swith to a 60 amp breaker panel in the shop.
As for GFCI breakers they are not required but the outlet circuits in your shop/outbuilding, Your home's garage, outdoor and any outlets that are within 6' of a water source (kitchen and bath outlets)this can be done with either a GFCI outlet as the first outlet on each of these type of circuits or by the use of GFCI breakers.

[monte]

At least replace the fused sub panel with a breaker panel.

[stewchi]

Yep, sixty amp subpanel is the way to go. Is you shop attached to the house or is it a detached structure?