Feed via Extension Cable; then switch over to Main Panel?

[BigSur]

I’m planning to wire my 16x12 shed/shop for electric and seeking advice about the input as I’m a novice.

Ultimately I’ll run cable underground but that won’t happen for a while. What is the best way to construct this so it can be fed via an extension cable now, then easily switched over to a feed from the main panel?

My home has 15amp service and a don’t foresee the need for more than 1 circuit in the shed.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

so you want to run an extension cord for temp use? just plug into an outlet at the panel and run it to the shed.

im not quite sure what youre looking for other than that

 

[Bert_]

Wire the shed and stick a male cord out of the panel. Pull it out when you run permanent power

 

[The Cobbler]

.....

My home has 15amp service and a don’t foresee the need for more than 1 circuit in the shed.

Undoubtedly the "15" is a typo

 

[quickfarms]

I have several portable shelters and each one has a 30 amp 240 generator inlet plug on the side connected to a regular small panel inside to distribute the power

 

[BigSur]

Wire the shed and stick a male cord out of the panel. Pull it out when you run permanent power

Hey Bert, thanks for your reply. I’ve learned so much from reading your previous posts! This “stick a male cord out of the panel” part is where I get confused.

I’ve never wired a panel from scratch and I’m watching YouTube videos trying to find what I’m looking to accomplish. Your description is accurate but I don’t know what that wiring would look like.

If I understand correctly you are describing wiring a male cord into the red hot and white neutral in this image and plugging that into an extension, then just swapping them out when the permanent lines are run:

 

[BigSur]

I have several portable shelters and each one has a 30 amp 240 generator inlet plug on the side connected to a regular small panel inside to distribute the power

Yes, that would work! What does that look like? Is there a specific name for this so I can research further?

 

[Bert_]

Hey Bert, thanks for your reply. I’ve learned so much from reading your previous posts! This “stick a male cord out of the panel” part is where I get confused.

I’ve never wired a panel from scratch and I’m watching YouTube videos trying to find what I’m looking to accomplish. Your description is accurate but I don’t know what that wiring would look like.

If I understand correctly you are describing wiring a male cord into the red hot and white neutral in this image and plugging that into an extension, then just swapping them out when the permanent lines are run:

White to neutral, green to ground, jump both hots to the black in the cord.

I wouldn't bother with an inlet. It's a nice way to do a permanent install for something portable like a trailer. To much stuff to buy and put together for a temporary install.

 

[BigSur]

White to neutral, green to ground, jump both hots to the black in the cord.

I wouldn't bother with an inlet. It's a nice way to do a permanent install for something portable like a trailer. To much stuff to buy and put together for a temporary install.

Got it. Thanks for the advice!

 

[quickfarms]

Yes, that would work! What does that look like? Is there a specific name for this so I can research further?

This is the plug, you can also get it with the weather cover and box if needed. Reliance controls sells them as accessories to transfer switches and they can be found at Lowe’s and Home Depot

https://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-WORK...30P/305436661?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US

 

[Sumboodie]

I think you should consider hiring an electrician. It sounds like you are way over your knowledge base on this one.

Wiring something wrong can easily cause a fire or kill someone.

 

[Metal-Marc]

I've never wired a panel from scratch and I’m watching YouTube videos trying to find what I’m looking to accomplish. Your description is accurate but I don’t know what that wiring would look like.

You should hire an electrician before you kill yourself or burn the place down.

 

[BigSur]

I think you should consider hiring an electrician. It sounds like you are way over your knowledge base on this one.

Wiring something wrong can easily cause a fire or kill someone.

Indeed. When the time comes I have family with more experience helping me on this one. Right now I’m researching so I’m more informed and have a general plan.

 

[BigSur]

This is the plug, you can also get it with the weather cover and box if needed. Reliance controls sells them as accessories to transfer switches and they can be found at Lowe’s and Home Depot

https://www.homedepot.com/p/AC-WORK...30P/305436661?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US

Thank you. This is making much more sense.

 

[quickfarms]

Since you said shop and shed I have to ask what you are doing in the shop that requires electricity?

If it was just a shed I could see the one 15 amp 120 circuit feeding it working as long as nothing else was on that circuit.

Since you mentioned shop, in my mind I added chargers and a few small power tools and then you have exceeded the 15 amp capacity and that is the reason I recommend the 30 amp 240 feed.

I have used the 30 amp 240 for everything from this to spider boxes for decades and rarely have an issue.

The only issue is the cost of the extension cord will not be cheap with today’s wire prices. I have multiple heavy extension cords in the shop now and have found the cheapest way is to make your own. I have over the years purchased many spools of wire

 

[logical]

How far is the shop from the existing electric panel?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[BigSur]

How far is the shop from the existing electric panel?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

About 40 feet distance.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Sumboodie]

Since you said shop and shed I have to ask what you are doing in the shop that requires electricity?

If it was just a shed I could see the one 15 amp 120 circuit feeding it working as long as nothing else was on that circuit.

Since you mentioned shop, in my mind I added chargers and a few small power tools and then you have exceeded the 15 amp capacity and that is the reason I recommend the 30 amp 240 feed.

I have used the 30 amp 240 for everything from this to spider boxes for decades and rarely have an issue.

The only issue is the cost of the extension cord will not be cheap with today’s wire prices. I have multiple heavy extension cords in the shop now and have found the cheapest way is to make your own. I have over the years purchased many spools of wire

I ran a 30amp 240v feeder to my shed. Have my 60 gallon air compressor for the garage in there. Otherwise it's lights and a few outlets, as well as 8 solar panels that feed to the house. (About 12 amps at full power)

 

[BigSur]

Since you said shop and shed I have to ask what you are doing in the shop that requires electricity?

If it was just a shed I could see the one 15 amp 120 circuit feeding it working as long as nothing else was on that circuit.

Since you mentioned shop, in my mind I added chargers and a few small power tools and then you have exceeded the 15 amp capacity and that is the reason I recommend the 30 amp 240 feed.

I have used the 30 amp 240 for everything from this to spider boxes for decades and rarely have an issue.

The only issue is the cost of the extension cord will not be cheap with today’s wire prices. I have multiple heavy extension cords in the shop now and have found the cheapest way is to make your own. I have over the years purchased many spools of wire

Exactly your second description. Mostly lights, battery chargers, perhaps some small hand tools. It would will have a dedicated circuit.

 

[quickfarms]

Exactly your second description. Mostly lights, battery chargers, perhaps some small hand tools. It would will have a dedicated circuit.

Your use could easily exceed one 15 amp circuit

In my shop every outlet is on a separate breaker and the garage has 5 15 amp circuits and one 240

In your future do you envision having either an RV or welder?

 

[Sumboodie]

Your use could easily exceed one 15 amp circuit

In my shop every outlet is on a separate breaker and the garage has 5 15 amp circuits and one 240

In your future do you envision having either an RV or welder?

I have 1 15 amp circuit for the lights and 1 for the outlets in my garage.
Never been an issue.

 

[BigSur]

Your use could easily exceed one 15 amp circuit

In my shop every outlet is on a separate breaker and the garage has 5 15 amp circuits and one 240

In your future do you envision having either an RV or welder?

Thanks for the heads up. I don’t expect an RV or welder. Perhaps it’s time to start adding up all the things I could foresee using at once and do some math.

 

[MatBirch]

I spent the last 12 years wiring up panels with temporary pigtails. We built portable buildings of variuos configurations. Most were destined for an on-site permenant shore power connection, but during the build, we needed temporary power for lighting and circuit testing. One thing we often ran into, and thankfully nobody was ever injured or killed...
The "standard" when I arrived was a male cord end cut off from whatever was handy. Usually a couple feet long, stripped back and wired into the panel. Depending on need, we would add a jumper for the second leg or even jump 3phase panels.
Problem with this is someone gets a little over-zealous on shipping day, and pulls the wires out of the panel... with the other end still plugged in!!!! now you're holding onto a widowmaker in one hand, and may not even be able to get it unplugged without help.
One guy did this with a 460v cord. Late in the evening, in fact, rushing to make it to the company Christmas party. There were 5 people in the unit, standing on a steel diamond plate floor. Although it burned a hole in the floor, it still tripped the breaker, and no one felt anything.


We minimized the situation by
1- ONLY allowing the electricians to connect/disconnect.
2- Rather than using a cord, we went to using a male cord cap wired directly to the lighting circuit WIRES. Makes the lighting circuit just one big, plug in light... nothing able to be disconnected! The panel was then ONLY heated up for testing by one of us, and those temp cords kept under lock and key.

 

[CJ7VFR]

so you want to run an extension cord for temp use? just plug into an outlet at the panel and run it to the shed....

This.

Do you have a receptacle in the house, or somewhere outside the house, that you can plug an extension cord into?

If so, why not buy yourself a 50 foot long heavy duty 12 gauge outdoor extension cord and plug it into the receptacle, and then run it out to the shed until you get the permanent wiring in place?

Since you said you only want something that is temporary, and that eventually you will be running a real cable out to the shed and wiring everything up correctly, you could get away with the heavy duty outdoor extension cord for awhile. Don't try to cut up the extension cord to wire it to a panel in the shed. Just use the extension cord as is to power things in there as needed.

I did this with my shed, which is about the same distance from the house as your shed. I have an outside receptacle on the corner of the house that faces the shed. I bought a heavy duty 50 foot long outdoor extension cord and ran it to the shed for temporary power.

I used that for one whole season before I ran the permanent power out to the shed.

And now I have a really good outdoor extension cord that I use for all kinds of stuff outside. And I use it all winter long on our bird bath heater!

Jim

 

[slow]

The post 2 above gives a great reason not to use a cord in the panel. If it was my place, I would likely just wire in a generator inlet, likely a 5-15 and plug a regular extension cord into it. This removes the change of a cord getting yanked out and bare wire exposed.