From meter to shop question

[mkbrower]

To supply power to my shop, I want to install a disconnect panel at my house meter base and then run cable from the disconnect panel to a load center inside the garage. Do I need to run the grounds as if I am coming off the house main load center or run the grounds as if coming straight from the meter base.

If I run the ground as if I am coming off the house main load center, do I have to have ground rods at the shop connected to the shop load center as well as the ground coming from the meter base via the quick disconnect.

Any help will be appreciated!

Mark

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The disconnect at the house becomes the Main and thus you have to run four wires to the shop panel. Your meter may or may not have double taps to allow you to do this. Many 200 amp meter sockets or cans only have one set of taps.

Charles

 

[mkbrower]

This is how my old outbuilding is run. Four wires from the meter to a fused disconnect and 4 wires to my out building to a small load center. All this was done a very long time ago with the meter supplying the ground to the out building via the disconnect. I guess what I am asking is "can I run the wires the same as my outbuilding or do I need ground rods at my new shop?" This set-up has been run this way for the last 40 years without any problems but I know the codes have probably changed since then.

Mark

 

[mrb]

you need 4 wires to the subpanel, and you need ground rods at the detached structure.

 

[mkbrower]

Thanks MrB. Thats good to know cause I went ahead and put in the ground rods this afternoon. My gut told me I was going to need them, I just knew they were going to be alot of work putting them in and I wanted to be sure.
Thanks again!

Mark