Running electric to new garage

[L321]

I am having a garage built soon and have a few questions on the electrical. First thing I have to get the conduit for the builder before the concrete is poured. The garage will be less than 60 feet away and plan is to add 90 amp breaker in the house and run direct burial aluminum from house to 100 amp sub panel in garage.

What size wire would be recommended and what size/schedule conduit to have for entry through the concrete floor?

Also want to have another conduit entry for ethernet cable and anything else that may need to be ran later. I am assuming that 1 to 1 1/2 inch conduit would be fine for this?

Thanks!

 

[Aceman]

Why not run conduit? #2 mobile home feeder will fly through 1.5" conduit at 60 feet.

 

[u2slow]

I had my shop built to lockup without electrical. Builder was really efficient, and I didn't want to slow him down, which would cost me more.

No regrets doing the electrical later. Easier on the finances. I used direct-burial cable too. (MC style cable with PVC coating.)

 

[L321]

Why not run conduit? #2 mobile home feeder will fly through 1.5" conduit at 60 feet.

I was mainly thinking direct burial for ease of installation and cost savings. At a previous home I had ran electric to the garage and ran copper and it had to be in conduit. Is there any advantages to running conduit besides protection? I don't see any damage issues between the house and the garage. I would prefer copper wire the the last time I looked it was quite a lot more than the direct burial aluminum.

 

[pattenp]

Use 2-2-2-4 MHF for the 90A. MHF is direct bury but putting it in conduit is insurance against damage, plus if there ever is a problem the cable can be removed and replaced. 1-1/2 inch PVC conduit is good for the #2 MHF and another stub up of 1-1/2 inch should cover any future use.

Edit: Direct bury needs 24 inches of cover, in conduit it needs 18 inches of cover. So it saves a little digging using conduit.

 

[L321]

Thanks for the responses. So now I am thinking 2-2-2-4 MHF in 2" conduit as I will have several bends in it to clear obstacles.

One more question, can I use schedule 80 above ground and schedule 40 underground? I have a dog that likes to chew and don't think he would chew the conduit, but he has surprised me on other things...

 

[pattenp]

Yes you can use sch 40 underground. Sch 80 is only required if subject to damage. I don't assume your dog's name is Damage? Make sure the sum of the bends don't exceed 360deg between pull points.

 

[spudley]

I'll be dipped. Just ran 60' of 2-2-2-4 MHF to my detached garage today. It did not fly thru 1 1/2" conduit but we got it done. Buried at 18", used scd 40 below ground with scd 80 above ground. Using a 90 amp breaker to feed the 100 amp sub panel in the new bldg. Sounds eerily familar...

 

[Jim greengo]

I'd use 2" pvc myself,but I prefer to make things easy for pulling wire.

 

[nadogail]

Conduit is like Ice Cream Cones; Bigger is better.

 

[L321]

So garage is mostly done, still waiting for the garage door to come in. I have two 2 inch conduit entries. With some other projects I have to finish, it will be a little while before I get the electric ran, but still runs through my mind on best path to run it. I am going to have to go under my deck and not looking forward to digging a deep trench under it. Would it meet code to bring the wire up out of the ground just a little ways under the deck and run it above ground next to the block foundation in schedule 80 conduit before coming up through the deck to enter the side of the house to connect to the main breaker box?

 

[75gmck25]

Its up to the inspector, but Schedule 80 should always be sufficient to provide physical protection above ground and strapped to a solid surface (wall, etc.). In my experience the problem comes when someone else (?) does not like the way it looks and/or thinks the above ground conduit is too visible. However, sometimes a little paint can make it blend in better.

Bruce

 

[cdestuck]

When I did my garage, buried 2 pvc conduits. Each one 2”. Stuff isn’t that expensive and didn’t want to look back and be sorry.

 

[dcg9381]

POC requires Sch 80 here in a few cases.. You can't go wrong with 2" in general for an out-building...

 

[L321]

The box below my meter looks like it has space for a couple of breakers. Is it possible to come off of this to the garage instead of the main box inside the house? It would be a lot easier to run the wire to the pole instead of inside.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CBo1ShXJqjdTgLdKA
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kz3kLPbqkuGWYUZb9

 

[mike93lx]

When I did my garage, buried 2 pvc conduits. Each one 2”. Stuff isn’t that expensive and didn’t want to look back and be sorry.

Unless it is under a slab, it isn't exactly like raising the titanic to add another conduit run. People around here act like it can only be done up front.

A long run of 2" conduit is a good chunk of money buried under the ground if it is never needed