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Advice for how to do feed wire

G

gearheads78

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 23, 2010
Messages
187
Location
DFW TX
My old shop I just tore down had a 50A breaker inside the main house panel with 6/2 copper out to the shop through 1" Sch40 PVC. the run was about 50-60ft. I work by myself so I never had any problem with power. The new shop will be much larger and have more stuff but other than more lights my doing things at once power use should not change much. That being said I want to be prepared for 100A future use.

The new run will be about 40-50ft if I can go the same way or about 65-75ft if I have to go around the house outside.

So what is the best way to go about getting 100A to my shop with leaving the single residential meter? #2 cable probably what I need to use? If so what size conduit do I need for that? Any tips greatly appreciated
 
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MrMark

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Joined
Jan 25, 2010
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4,626
Location
Southern Cal.
2 inch PVC is plenty big and what I would use. You are talking individual wet rated wires, correct? #3 copper is rated right at 100 amps for that application. #2 copper is a little extra, of course.
 
I

ishiboo

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2010
Messages
9,481
Location
Oshkosh, WI
gearheads78 said:
My old shop I just tore down had a 50A breaker inside the main house panel with 6/2 copper out to the shop through 1" Sch40 PVC. the run was about 50-60ft. I work by myself so I never had any problem with power. The new shop will be much larger and have more stuff but other than more lights my doing things at once power use should not change much. That being said I want to be prepared for 100A future use.

The new run will be about 40-50ft if I can go the same way or about 65-75ft if I have to go around the house outside.

So what is the best way to go about getting 100A to my shop with leaving the single residential meter? #2 cable probably what I need to use? If so what size conduit do I need for that? Any tips greatly appreciated
Click to expand...

Best is relative. Best what?

Aluminum URD (#2, or 2-2-2-4) is the cheapest and does not require conduit. Aluminum is 100% fine when used for feeders like this, and VERY common. Anti-oxidation compound on the exposed wire. You may be able to find this for ~$2.50 a foot.

Copper I believe you could get by with #4. It would be much more expensive than the aluminum. Grab an amperage chart to double-check.
 
M

mrb

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 31, 2008
Messages
3,734
Copper
#4 - 85 amps
#3 - 100 amps
#2 - 115 amps

Aluminum
#4 - 65 amps
#3 - 75 amps
#2 - 90 amps
#1 - 100 amps
 
C

Charles (in GA)

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Messages
12,489
Location
50 mi south of Atlanta
ishiboo said:
Aluminum URD (#2, or 2-2-2-4) is the cheapest and does not require conduit. Aluminum is 100% fine when used for feeders like this, and VERY common. Anti-oxidation compound on the exposed wire. You may be able to find this for ~$2.50 a foot.
Click to expand...

URD is not code compliant for use in a building, it must junction outside the building with something else, Most quadplex or "mobile home feeder" is URD and also marked XHHW, RHW, RHH-2, RHW-2 and needs to be marked with one of these ratings to be legit for in building installation.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=75484

attachment.php


Charles
 
N

Norcal

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
13,752
People keep using the table for residential service entrance conductors where it is allowed to UNDERSIZE the conductors, they do not apply to subpanels nor outbuildings. the column in 310.16 for 75 degree conductors is what is required.
 
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