Finally Running Power to the Barn

[ITSWILL]

I have read a few posts here about putting a service in the garage and just want to make sure I am on the right track.

So far I have spoken with the power company and it looks like the best way to have a 200 amp service on both my house and the garage is to swap out my 200amp meter box on the house for a 320 which I have purchased. The meter box has dual service lugs. Also I have installed the 200 amp breaker box in the garage and wired up a few circuits.

At this point I am trying to figure out the 125 ft in between the meter on the house and the panel in the garage. I have heard that running wire in conduit is the cheapest option.

From what I have read I need 250 ft (2 conductors) of either 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum wire.

Is there a certain specification for this type of wire? I have seen URD spec but I dont think that is appropriate for conduit.

And then I am gathering that I need a ground rod at the garage meter and a bare 4 gauge wire connecting the ground rod at the house and the ground rod at the garage? Is this copper or aluminum? Any other specs on this?

Thanks

 

[Aceman]

You need to verify with whoever does your inspections if they are okay with you running 125' of unfused conductor from a meter on your house over to your garage.

Once a person knows that, then the rest of the questions can be answered.

 

[theoldwizard1]

So far I have spoken with the power company and it looks like the best way to have a 200 amp service on both my house and the garage is to swap out my 200amp meter box on the house for a 320 which I have purchased. The meter box has dual service lugs.

GET THAT IN WRITING ! Most PoCos or local inspectors will NOT allow a double tapped meter pan !

I have heard that running wire in conduit is the cheapest option.

No. Cable rated for direct burial is cheaper. Make sure to put a marker ribbon at least 12" above the cable in the trench.

From what I have read I need 250 ft (2 conductors) of either 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum wire.

It has to be at least 3 conductor (4 if you are coming off of a combination meter pan/lead center with a ground).
MHF (aluminum) is rated for direct burial and is usually the cheapest solution. It must be in conduit above the ground or inside of a building.

And then I am gathering that I need a ground rod at the garage meter and a bare 4 gauge wire connecting the ground rod at the house and the ground rod at the garage?

Grounding rods are copper and usually installed in pairs (long story) and yes, you need a pair at the house and at the barn.

Things get "fuzzy" with grounding if you are double tap a meter. I believe the rule says you must have "bond" the neutral to the ground at the first disconnect. This goes back to the 3 wire/versus 4 wire discussion (I do not believe that a double tapped meter pan counts as a disconnect)
.

This is how it would be typically done

View media item 16967

 

[theoldwizard1]

So far I have spoken with the power company and it looks like the best way to have a 200 amp service on both my house and the garage is to swap out my 200amp meter box on the house for a 320 which I have purchased. The meter box has dual service lugs.

Its you money but ...

Unless you are running a dairy farm or are planing on having a few buddies bring their welders over for a welding party I can not imagine WHY you would need 200A service in the barn ! Most people get by with 60A (yes, even welding). 100A is a luxury !!

Wait until you start pricing the cable ! 4/0 is about 3 times more expensive than #2 which would probably be fine for 60A at your length,

 

[ITSWILL]

Nothing exceeds like excess! I have a few wild ideas for a 5 axis CNC, chassis dyno and even a little apartment for guests. All of this is likely an issue with the township.

As far as using a dual service meter, that was the suggestion of the power company. Makes sense to me.

Looks like 4/0,4/0,4/0,2/0 MHF will be the way I go. I will continue the 2 hots and the neutral from the meter over to the barn on the 3 4/0s and I will use the 2/0 to connect the earth ground at the barn to the one at the house.

 

[ITSWILL]

Also, I have another garage on my property that I work out of now that is wire with a 60 amp sub panel just as you have shown. Works nicely for that.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I have read a few posts here about putting a service in the garage and just want to make sure I am on the right track.

So far I have spoken with the power company and it looks like the best way to have a 200 amp service on both my house and the garage is to swap out my 200amp meter box on the house for a 320 which I have purchased. The meter box has dual service lugs. Also I have installed the 200 amp breaker box in the garage and wired up a few circuits.

I would NOT run an unfused service entrance wire that far. You would have no way to shut it off. Instead, put a disconnect at the house, after the meter, and run 4-wire to the garage.

However, if you DO run unfused wire to the garage, then you would run 3-wire from the meter pan to the garage panel.

This means the garage panel will need to be a main service panel and have a bonded neutral bar. The GEC/ grounding electrode conductor would go to the neutral bar.

At this point I am trying to figure out the 125 ft in between the meter on the house and the panel in the garage. I have heard that running wire in conduit is the cheapest option.

From what I have read I need 250 ft (2 conductors) of either 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum wire.

Is there a certain specification for this type of wire? I have seen URD spec but I dont think that is appropriate for conduit.

URD can be ran in conduit, however it is NOT permitted indoors no matter if its in conduit or not.

If you use URD, you will need to transition to an indoor permitted wire on the outside in a box.

And then I am gathering that I need a ground rod at the garage meter and a bare 4 gauge wire connecting the ground rod at the house and the ground rod at the garage? Is this copper or aluminum? Any other specs on this?

Thanks

Ok now youve confused things here. Originally you said you were going to come off the meter at the house.

now here youve mentioned another meter at the garage.

Either way, you need 2 grounding electrodes min 8' in the soil, spaced min 6', on BOTH buildings. Connect them with bare solid #6 copper.

Not sure where you got #4....

GET THAT IN WRITING! Most PoCos or local inspectors will NOT allow a double tapped meter pan!

You're just adding confusion here.

He did NOT say double tapped meter pan. He said DUAL LUG meter pan. BIG DIFFERENCE and it IS allowed! Go back and reread the OP.

Things get "fuzzy" with grounding if you are double tap a meter. I believe the rule says you must have "bond" the neutral to the ground at the first disconnect. This goes back to the 3 wire/versus 4 wire discussion (I do not believe that a double tapped meter pan counts as a disconnect)

If he runs straight off the meter lugs then the feeder to the garage will need to be 3-wire and the garage panel will need to have a bonded neutral. It would then be a main service panel.

No a meter pan is not a disconnect.

 

[bamawildcat]

When I ran power out to my shop, we replaced the meter pan on the side of the house to one that had breakers... commonly used for mobile home applications. It has a clean installation look, with one conduit up, one down, and no LBs. House panel became subpanel, workshop became subpanel. I only drug 100 amps out the shop. The Y in the yard is where a seperate communications conduit splits off to the crawlspace.

I recommend wire in an oversized conduit. That way if your needs change, or there is a fault, things can be replaced much easier, and thus cost less. Like above, I also recommend if you cut a trench to run another conduit for phone/cable/internet, etc.

 

[ITSWILL]

Sorry for the confusion, when I said garage "meter" I should have said "breaker panel".

I will add a 200 amp circuit breaker near the meter on the house.

 

[ITSWILL]

I drew up a schematic of what I am thinking.