paul2112
Well-known member
Im running wire to my smaller shed out back and need 30 amps there (water well and shed lights etc, nothing major.. Its 150 , and was told #10 would work fine for this.. Any comments? Thanks guys
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30 amp wire size
- Thread starter paul2112
- Start date
sberry
Banned
Agreed, how big is the motor?
structures282
Active member
check out this website, it lists a lot of good wiring info and references NEC 2002.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/home...o-dwellings/wiring-a-detached-garage-2002.php
Short story 10/3 is prob okay. You should read through the diff scenarios to be positive though.
Oh also just a thought but what's the cost per foot for 10/3 copper vs 2-2-2-4 aluminum? Here in Oklahoma it's like 1.72 a foot for the 2-2-2-4. Where as copper is outrageous. I was thinking about running 6/3 to my shed for 60 amps and then I noticed it was around $3.50 a foot.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/home...o-dwellings/wiring-a-detached-garage-2002.php
Short story 10/3 is prob okay. You should read through the diff scenarios to be positive though.
Oh also just a thought but what's the cost per foot for 10/3 copper vs 2-2-2-4 aluminum? Here in Oklahoma it's like 1.72 a foot for the 2-2-2-4. Where as copper is outrageous. I was thinking about running 6/3 to my shed for 60 amps and then I noticed it was around $3.50 a foot.
sberry
Banned
Yes, the alum is a bargain and what we use on long circuits. I mostly use a 60 breaker on them but like the 90A wire, at 200 ft I think it is still near 2% V drop at 50A. Up sized wire is a great asset for motor starts and you can weld from it should the need arise.
rickairmedic
Well-known member
We usually spec #10 for AC units but with the length your looking at I think I might go with #8 just to be safe.
Rick
Rick
nate379
Banned
Don't know where you are buying your wire, but I bought some 6/3 a couple days ago and it was $1.45/ft. 6 guage is only rated to 55 amps BTW.
check out this website, it lists a lot of good wiring info and references NEC 2002.
http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/home...o-dwellings/wiring-a-detached-garage-2002.php
Short story 10/3 is prob okay. You should read through the diff scenarios to be positive though.
Oh also just a thought but what's the cost per foot for 10/3 copper vs 2-2-2-4 aluminum? Here in Oklahoma it's like 1.72 a foot for the 2-2-2-4. Where as copper is outrageous. I was thinking about running 6/3 to my shed for 60 amps and then I noticed it was around $3.50 a foot.
structures282
Active member
Don't know where you are buying your wire, but I bought some 6/3 a couple days ago and it was $1.45/ft. 6 guage is only rated to 55 amps BTW.
Well it's one of those deals where if I buy a 500' spool it's 50% off. But I've never needed 500'.
Well it's one of those deals where if I buy a 500' spool it's 50% off. But I've never needed 500'.
alot of time, if you need 200 or 300ft, its cheapest to buy the spool, use what you need and sell the rest.
If I was doing this job, i would look into the cost of runnning pvc conduit and buying a 500ft spool of #8.
Well, lets look at that -3/4in sch40 pvc conduit = $1.80 a stick, so $27 plus fittings so call it $40, plus $117 for a 500ft roll of #8 THHN. So $157 for the whole thing, #8 copper in PVC conduit, so $1.04 per foot. Not bad.
Oops, i screwed up you need a little over 600ft of wire. So buy a spool of 500ft #10 for $90 and sell the leftover 8 and the 350ft spool of 10, or buy #10 by the foot, and you still come out pretty good in the end.
Last edited:
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
alot of time, if you need 200 or 300ft, its cheapest to buy the spool, use what you need and sell the rest.
If I was doing this job, i would look into the cost of runnning pvc conduit and buying a 500ft spool of #8.
Well, lets look at that -3/4in sch40 pvc conduit = $1.80 a stick, so $27 plus fittings so call it $40, plus $117 for a 500ft roll of #8 THHN. So $157 for the whole thing, #8 copper in PVC conduit, so $1.04 per foot. Not bad.
Oops, i screwed up you need a little over 600ft of wire. So buy a spool of 500ft #10 for $90 and sell the leftover 8 and the 350ft spool of 10, or buy #10 by the foot, and you still come out pretty good in the end.
Problem is, conductors of #6 or smaller cannot be remarked on the ends to distinguish the neutral (grounded conductor) NEC 200.6(A) .......... and NEC 200.7(C) doesn't allow the use of a remarked white wire as a hot, unless it is in a "cable" (such as Romex)...... So you would have to buy spools of white and black, both.
Charles
BoydS
Well-known member
Paul ... for service to the shed that only will supply power for a 6 amp (220V) water well pump, light (lets say 200 watts) and one receptacle for power tools (receptacle at 180 watts) the #10 would work just fine. This is assumed the feeder would be installed in PCV conduit underground. With a 150 foot run voltage drop (3%) needs to be consided and a #10 would work just fine in this situation.
Problem is, conductors of #6 or smaller cannot be remarked on the ends to distinguish the neutral (grounded conductor) NEC 200.6(A) .......... and NEC 200.7(C) doesn't allow the use of a remarked white wire as a hot, unless it is in a "cable" (such as Romex)...... So you would have to buy spools of white and black, both.
Charles
oh yeah, forgot about that. I still vote for PVC in the ground vs cable.
Thanks , that's what I was thinking.. Yes , we plan on using 1" PVC and the wiring will be underground rated as well. Was digging yesterday and found my old old septic lines, and they were full of ground water,great, what a mess now... Thanks guy for the info.Paul
if youre running it in conduit, you dont need to (nor do you want to) use any sort of cable or 'underground' wire. The wire just needs to be listed for wet location (all underground conduits are considered a wet location) which all THHN/THWN is. So you just need normal wire.
RoadBeater
Well-known member
I ran #10-3 uf-b out to my shed, aprox. 100ft. No problems running a compressor and lights. I think you'd be fine.