Garage wiring advise

[Poppypop04]

Looking to wire up my new 22x25 metal garage and I think I'm going to run a 60a double pole from my outside house box to a 125a garage panel, it's only about a 15ft run of wire buried). Question though. Can I use well pump wire instead of thhn run in conduit? I have a 100ft or so of 10/3 submersible wire that I would think would work great.? Only looking to power about 4 led lights, air compressor and occasionally use of a mig welder.
My dad gave me some 1/0 aluminum that I would use but I have no idea how to connect the wire in my main panel(too big) .

 

[justsam]

No. Do not use cord for any type of permanent installation. Do not breaker any form of 10 ga wire with a 60 Amp breaker. Best to install a sub panel and feed with proper gauge wire like 4 gauge copper.

 

[Poppypop04]

So would thhn #6 be OK and is the 60amp feeder breaker fine?

 

[Shiftless]

So would thhn #6 be OK and is the 60amp feeder breaker fine?

As long as you are buying new wire and going to all the work to install it, go with #4 Copper. For such a short run, the difference in cost of the wire is minimal.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Looking to wire up my new 22x25 metal garage and I think I'm going to run a 60a double pole from my outside house box to a 125a garage panel, it's only about a 15ft run of wire buried). Question though. Can I use well pump wire instead of thhn run in conduit? I have a 100ft or so of 10/3 submersible wire that I would think would work great.? Only looking to power about 4 led lights, air compressor and occasionally use of a mig welder.
My dad gave me some 2awg aluminum that I would use but I have no idea how to connect the wire in my main panel.

is it 4-wire or 3-wire? what type of insulation does it have? (post a pic of the label on the cable)

regardless, #10 is too small for a 60a feeder

what type of #2 AL is it? have a pic of the label?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

No. Do not use cord for any type of permanent installation. Do not breaker any form of 10 ga wire with a 60 Amp breaker. Best to install a sub panel and feed with proper gauge wire like 4 gauge copper.

well pump wire is not the same as cordage....

 

[wyliesdiesels]

As long as you are buying new wire and going to all the work to install it, go with #4 Copper. For such a short run, the difference in cost of the wire is minimal.

#4 cu is a waste for 60a

 

[u2slow]

Does #2 not fit in your 60A breaker?

If not, get a bigger one that does.... Up to 90A max for that wire.

 

[Poppypop04]

#4 cu is a waste for 60a

So #6?

 

[Red 17]

Go bigger, 60A is too small. You may not be thinking this now, but if you end up with any kind of electric vehicle, you will need a 50A circuit to charge it. Ask the man who knows about his 60A garage.......

Or at least add another 2" conduit and cap it off if you don't want to go bigger now.

 

[Poppypop04]

Does #2 not fit in your 60A breaker?

If not, get a bigger one that does.... Up to 90A max for that wire.

Had to correct my initial post, but it's actually 1/0 service wire that he gave me. Unless there is a way to reduce the size down to fit the 60a feed breaker and 125a box I'll have to use some other wire.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Had to correct my initial post, but it's actually 1/0 service wire that he gave me. Unless there is a way to reduce the size down to fit the 60a feed breaker and 125a box I'll have to use some other wire.

yeah 1/0 is overkill

 

[Poppypop04]

Go bigger, 60A is too small. You may not be thinking this now, but if you end up with any kind of electric vehicle, you will need a 50A circuit to charge it. Ask the man who knows about his 60A garage.......

Or at least add another 2" conduit and cap it off if you don't want to go bigger now.

So what size feed breaker do you recommend?

 

[Poppypop04]

Ok so :
60a feed breaker in main panel, either 2-2-2-4 mhfw, or possibly #6 and is this panel box ok?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

You cant put more than 6 circuits in that panel because it doesnt have a main CB.

 

[Poppypop04]

You cant put more than 6 circuits in that panel because it doesnt have a main CB.

Whats a panel you'd recommend?

 

[Norcal]

Whats a panel you'd recommend?

A main breaker loadcenter.

 

[Poppypop04]

A main breaker loadcenter.

What brand, or do you have a link maybe to one?

 

[Norcal]

What brand, or do you have a link maybe to one?

Anything except Eaton BR, or GE, stay away from the BR in particular. Eaton CH, SQ D QO, or HOM, Siemens are all OK, although using the same manufacturer as your house panel is best.

 

[AntonLargiader]

I don't see Murray mentioned very much, but the supply house right down the street from work has their stuff. I'm not about to add anything to my mix (QO/HOM at my house, CH at my dad's) but what's the prevailing opinion here on Murray?

 

[Poppypop04]

Think im going to go with this one.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

what brand panel do you have in the house?

 

[Poppypop04]

Square D

 

[Norcal]

I don't see Murray mentioned very much, but the supply house right down the street from work has their stuff. I'm not about to add anything to my mix (QO/HOM at my house, CH at my dad's) but what's the prevailing opinion here on Murray?

Murray is no more, Siemens discontinued them a few years ago.

 

[Norcal]

Square D

QO or HOM? I recommend sticking to whatever is existing.

 

[75gmck25]

I haven't researched wire prices in a while, but 2-2-2-4 AL MHF that was dual rated (burial or conduit) used to win out for cost/amps most of the time. Its good for up to 90 amps, but works fine with an easy-to-find 60 amp breaker in the main panel. Use a 100 amp subpanel with a main breaker and at least 12 circuits and you have a very versatile setup.

It should be run it in conduit anywhere its in a building or exposed, and that is usually required to comply with code. I also prefer conduit when buried, but its not required for MHF if its buried at the proper depth. You can also use a junction box to transition from 4 wire MHF to 4 wire SER cable once you are inside the dwelling, and SER does not require conduit in the building.

 

[PCustoms]

QO or HOM? I recommend sticking to whatever is existing.

I never understood this recommendation.

What circumstances occur where I absolutely need to steal a breaker out of my other panel immediately?

 

[mike93lx]

I never understood this recommendation.

What circumstances occur where I absolutely need to steal a breaker out of my other panel immediately?

I agree. I can't come up with a situation. If the breaker for your fridge dies, swap it from any other circuit in the same panel. Most people have no need to keep spare breakers on hand

 

[PCustoms]

I agree. I can't come up with a situation. If the breaker for your fridge dies, swap it from any other circuit in the same panel. Most people have no need to keep spare breakers on hand

Most people will need to call an electrician.

Hell, I'd just run an extension cord until I could get to a store.

 

[Wiz02]

I never understood this recommendation.

What circumstances occur where I absolutely need to steal a breaker out of my other panel immediately?

Well here's a scenario, my home has a heat pump, with electric resistance heat for backup. I had a new heat pump installed when the old compressor died, but I switched to an LP gas furnace for emergency heat. I removed the 2 pole 60 amp breaker that fed the old resistance coils and will be using it for my 240V air compressor in the garage, because I went with the same CH breakers when I wired the garage.

Admittedly it's not a compelling use case, but I only have to stock a single breaker style.

 

[AntonLargiader]

I'm sticking with the same brand for my dad's house because I can re-use some breakers.

I split away and went HOM for my own sub (QO main) because I had a few of those breakers already and the PON stuff was really easy.

 

[mike93lx]

I'm sticking with the same brand for my dad's house because I can re-use some breakers.

I split away and went HOM for my own sub (QO main) because I had a few of those breakers already and the PON stuff was really easy.

Not sure on your circumstances, but IMO, if there is enough reason to replace a load center everything in it should be trashed too unless it was recently installed.

 

[Norcal]

I never understood this recommendation.

What circumstances occur where I absolutely need to steal a breaker out of my other panel immediately?

Because it's moronic to put in a hodgepodge of panels, unless the existing is obsolete.

 

[AntonLargiader]

Not sure on your circumstances, but IMO, if there is enough reason to replace a load center everything in it should be trashed too unless it was recently installed.

There isn't. This is an added sub, with some breakers being freed up in the process.

 

[mike93lx]

Because it's moronic to put in a hodgepodge of panels, unless the existing is obsolete.

Two brands on a property is hardly a hodgepodge. Besides what practical benefit does interchangeability give? No one is swapping breakers around between panels.

I have two homelines and a Siemens. Partly because the Siemens is what was available, partly because it just doesnt matter

 

[ddurrett896]

That short of a run, I’d do 100amp to detached with a standard panel (with disconnect).

 

[u2slow]

Two brands on a property is hardly a hodgepodge. Besides what practical benefit does interchangeability give? No one is swapping breakers around between panels.

I sure am...
My own stuff is never done and always changing, so one brand/type is ideal.

A contractor doesn't care because they simply buy whatever a job requires and walk away at the end.

 

[Poppypop04]

Ok so following up on some things.
I've got some 2-2-2-4 and my 100 amp service panel and I'm almost ready to run the wire. I had to add a ground bar to my new panel but have a few questions.
Being such a short run of 10 ft do I really need the additional 2 ground rods?
Also I'm attaching a pic of my outdoor main panel with an illustration of what I think I need to do, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[mike93lx]

If it is in a detached structure, the rods are required. Your wiring proposal looks fine for a main panel since that is the only place neutrals and grounds can be connected

 

[dcg9381]

Two brands on a property is hardly a hodgepodge. Besides what practical benefit does interchangeability give? No one is swapping breakers around between panels.

I have 2 "mains" off a split meter.
The house currently has 5 panels.
The shop has 5 panels.
ATS, generator, and solar, and RV panels... So you end up with a lot of electrical. We've expanded the shop twice.

Sounds excessive, but quite a few of these panels are Siemens Talon panels that have the receptacles that I use commonly - they allow future expand-ability downstream.

I absolutely have moved breakers around and reconfigured things over the years... There's a big advantage for me to keep all the breaker types the same.. I have a box of spare dual pole breakers as well as 20A single poles.