To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Power from disconnect to shop ?s

hevnbnd

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
Ok I have a Square D rc816f200c disconnect on my house. All that it has now is a 200am disconnect breaker at the top that feeds my panel inside my house. I have buried 1.5" pipe to the shop that is 110 feet away. I am trying to figure out what size wire to run (I am thinking 1awg) and what size breaker or breakers to install in the branch circuits. I guess I am also a little confused on how the circuits below work. Any help would be great.


I am not doing the install my father in-law is. He is a master electrician and I just don't want to sound like a complete idiot when he shows up to do the install.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Charles (in GA)

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
12,489
Location
50 mi south of Atlanta
1.5" conduit won't allow for very large wires and will make pulling extremely difficult over that distance.

Your wire size is based on your amperage you intend to supply to the garage. If you plan on 100 amp, then #1 AL looks like it should do it and indeed 1.5" RNC (PVC conduit) is an acceptable size (just from glancing at the charts but I didn't do any calculations). You will be wishing you had used 2" or more when you are finished pulling.

In a garage for receptacle and lighting circuits, it makes no sense to use 14 gauge, so if you use 12 gauge wire, you will be using 20 amp breakers in the subpanel at the garage. Don't forget, you have to have a disconnect on the garage also, and you will be carrying FOUR wires out to the garage, two hots, a neutral and a ground, in addition to putting ground rods at the garage if you do not have a rebar pulled up out of the slab to tie to (ufer ground).

Charles
 
OP
H

hevnbnd

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
I do have rebar pulled up out of the footing, but only one stick. I have a nice hilt avr-1500 that with the right attachment should drive another if I need it.
 
OP
H

hevnbnd

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
Well just got done pulling the 1 AWG wire and man was it fun. Really not that bad until the final 90 out of the ground up into the shop. So now I have ONE working outlet in my shop. :) Thanks for the info.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Charles (in GA)

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
12,489
Location
50 mi south of Atlanta
If you ran THWN according to the charts its good for 150 amps with 75°C connectors. Given the distance and the fact that breakers that size are hard to find and expensive, I'd reduce it to 100 or 125 Amps.

It does depend on what type of wire you ran. Did you use that 1½" conduit?

Charles

Charles
 
OP
H

hevnbnd

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
213
Location
Arkansas
I used 2" pipe and ran THWN wire. Found a 150amp breaker for around $70 bucks. Hard to find too.
 

Norcal

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
13,767
I used 2" pipe and ran THWN wire. Found a 150amp breaker for around $70 bucks. Hard to find too.

Now to verify that the panel is rated to accept a 150A breaker, most bus stabs are only rated for 100-110A per bus stab, plus does the panel have the required bending space?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom