OP
Hondaracer2oo4
Well-known member
Update on this with a question. No where local has 2-2-2-4 Mhf. The local supply house can get 2-2-4-6 in the morning. Is this ok?
Detached garage feed
- Thread starter Hondaracer2oo4
- Start date
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Depends on what your loads are.
larry4406
Well-known member
Bringing this back up again as running power to the barn is this summer's project.
Any idea where I can get 2/0-2/0-2/0-1 mobile home feeder by the foot? Home Depot only lists a 500' spool for $1288! I will need about 205'.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwi...tranded-AL-MHF-USE-2-Cable-28713601/202316460
Also, I found this thread and wanted to confirm that a 12x12x6" junction box will be proper for 2" conduit. I would have one of these boxes at the house band board level to transition from SER to the MHF. Also I am thinking of putting one of these boxes at an intermediate location on a wood fence. The intermediate location would allow me to splice for a future detached garage.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371643#post6749509
m32825
Well-known member
These guys did better than HD for me: Wire and Cable Your Way
I don't see the MHF you're looking for listed, maybe just a Southwire product? They do list 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL MHF for $1.54 a foot. How about upgrading size, getting it by the foot, and cheaper than HD all at the same time?
-- Carl
I don't see the MHF you're looking for listed, maybe just a Southwire product? They do list 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL MHF for $1.54 a foot. How about upgrading size, getting it by the foot, and cheaper than HD all at the same time?
-- Carl
larry4406
Well-known member
These guys did better than HD for me: Wire and Cable Your Way
I don't see the MHF you're looking for listed, maybe just a Southwire product? They do list 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 AL MHF for $1.54 a foot. How about upgrading size, getting it by the foot, and cheaper than HD all at the same time?
-- Carl
Carl - Check the link again - the OD is 1.54" while the price is $3.28/ft. Still cheaper than buying a full roll from HD of the 2/0-2/0-2/0-1 at the 205' I need. I would have to think it will be a witch if not impossible to put that in a 2" conduit though. I'm committed at 2" slab has been poured.
m32825
Well-known member
Good catch, rookie mistake, sigh... got to read all the columns! Would pulling individual conductors help? Once I transition from SER in the attic I'm going to individual XHHW conductors in conduit for the run down the side of the building and underground to the detached garage. My run is only 50' though, you've got a monster run...
-- Carl
larry4406
Well-known member
I think the individual conductor route for 2/0 XHHW would be way more expensive as I would have to buy two 500' spools (see Home Depot as an example)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-500-ft-2-0-Black-Stranded-XHHW-Wire-11301905/202316311
I need to call an electrical supply house to see if they sell 2/0-2/0-2/0-1 mobile home feeder by the foot.
Still open to suggestions.
I am having a hard time paying $1288 for 500' of wire when my barn build costs to date are $8100.
Attachments
pattenp
Well-known member
Wire and Cable Your Way has MHF in 2/0-2/0-1-4. That will work with the reduced neutral as long as you don't have a huge imbalance of 120V loads and that typically would be a hard thing to have.
The aluminum 2/0 XHHW at Wire and Cable is $0.57 a foot. That XHHW wire at HD you are looking at is copper.
The aluminum 2/0 XHHW at Wire and Cable is $0.57 a foot. That XHHW wire at HD you are looking at is copper.
Last edited:
75gmck25
Well-known member
I used 2-2-2-4 AL SER inside my house, and then transitioned to 2-2-2-4 AL MHF at the exterior wall, for the underground run to the garage. The SER cable was in stock at the local HD (either Alexandria or Annandale), but MHF was harder to find. I ended up buying 60 feet of dual rated MHF (USE-2, RHH/RHW) from an online supplier, and I think it cost me about $100 with shipping. The dual rating allows it to be used outside/underground, and also use it inside the building in conduit. I rented a trencher (not self propelled) and put the conduit 18" in the ground, which was definitely the hardest part of the job.
I bought a 12"x12"x3" box for the transition from SER to MHF. I was told this size box was required because I was connecting to to 2" conduit. I bought some insulated wire connectors from Amazon (look like Polaris, but another brand) that were rated for AL wire.
I bought a 100 amp Square D main breaker panel for the garage, since it matched my 200 amp main panel. I used a 60 amp breaker for the subpanel connection, since it was in stock and relatively cheap. I don't really need the full 90 amps for now.
You need two 8 foot ground rods and clamps, and then buy the package of copper wire (6 gauge?) that is used to connect them to your sub-panel. You will also need a separate grounding bar for the sub-panel and some larger wire lugs to make the connections at each panel. If you want to be completely compliant, the conduit that is exposed above ground and subject to damage should be schedule 80 PVC, not the more common Schedule 40. However, inspectors don't seem too concerned about it. I think you would have to go to an electrical supply house to get schedule 80 gray PVC.
Bruce
I bought a 12"x12"x3" box for the transition from SER to MHF. I was told this size box was required because I was connecting to to 2" conduit. I bought some insulated wire connectors from Amazon (look like Polaris, but another brand) that were rated for AL wire.
I bought a 100 amp Square D main breaker panel for the garage, since it matched my 200 amp main panel. I used a 60 amp breaker for the subpanel connection, since it was in stock and relatively cheap. I don't really need the full 90 amps for now.
You need two 8 foot ground rods and clamps, and then buy the package of copper wire (6 gauge?) that is used to connect them to your sub-panel. You will also need a separate grounding bar for the sub-panel and some larger wire lugs to make the connections at each panel. If you want to be completely compliant, the conduit that is exposed above ground and subject to damage should be schedule 80 PVC, not the more common Schedule 40. However, inspectors don't seem too concerned about it. I think you would have to go to an electrical supply house to get schedule 80 gray PVC.
Bruce
Last edited:
pattenp
Well-known member
From Wire and Cable, Three 205' pieces of #2/0 AL XHHW and one 205' piece of #1 AL XHHW is $442.80 plus shipping. Shipping may be the killer.
m32825
Well-known member
Might be worth checking with Wire and Cable Your Way to see if they ever deal with the Southwire product you were originally looking at from Home Depot. Maybe they do sometimes, maybe they do all the time but it's just not posted on the site...
larry4406
Well-known member
Thanks PattenP.
How difficult will pulling the separate strands be in a 2” conduit? Do you pull one at a time or make a bundle?
pattenp
Well-known member
Pull all 4 at same time.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Make a bundle and stagger the ends when tapping the head to the pull line...
3rdgendslmech
Well-known member
I just purchased 400ft of #2al xhhw-2 and 130' of #4 Al xhhw-2 for $160.00 through a supply house for my feed.