Getting power to the Garage

[SPDMETL]

You guys might remember the idea of moving this building. Bah ! I'm gonna leave it where it is and maybe expand it. And on to the question...the Garage is about 150 feet from the house and has only 1 120v circuit going to it. There's a 250v/50 amp plug outside. Four choices !

1-Big rubber extension cord going into a breaker box.

2-Bury Romex meant for burying (remember it's winter...)

3-Bury conduit with romex

4-Hang it in the trees

Have you priced 6/3 cable lately ? I think I found where all the Gold jewelry is going...

Do I need three or four conductor cable ? (250v)

 

[mrb]

you need four conductors, plus grounding electrodes at the building.

price direct burial aluminum cable, the cost wont be too bad. (i prefer conduit)

 

[Grumpy365]

3-Bury conduit with romex

Not that it really matters, but you are not suppose to run Romex in conduit. (it would be ok if it was direct burial, but not standard romex)
Also pulling romex in conduit is a lot of work. It is way easier just to buy 3 rolls of stranded THHN wire and pull it. (you may be able to buy just three 175 ft pulls of wire)


For a 220 volt plug you need 3 conductor or 2 conductor with a ground. (two 120 volt legs and a ground)

If you are feeding a sub panel OR a 220 plug & a 120 plug, you would need 4 conductor or 3 conductor with a ground. (two 120 volt legs, a neutral & a ground)

(Romex the ground isn't considered a conductor
SO cord I think the ground is counted as a conductor)

 

[mrb]

yes, so cord counts all the wires. 150ft of 6/4 soow is going to cost more than installing a #4 AL feeder and subpanel

 

[Gary S]

I've done 2 garages this way over the years. Both times I buried conduit and pulled in copper conductors. If I ever do it again, I'd make no changes. I'm old fashioned and prefer copper over aluminum.
I figure you pay now or pay later.

 

[mrb]

I've done 2 garages this way over the years. Both times I buried conduit and pulled in copper conductors. If I ever do it again, I'd make no changes. I'm old fashioned and prefer copper over aluminum.
I figure you pay now or pay later.

properly installed aluminum will last as long as the building........

 

[Gary S]

properly installed aluminum will last as long as the building........

You are probably right, but I've redone aluminum that failed, but never had to do copper that failed yet.

 

[numbah9]

Not that it really matters, but you are not suppose to run Romex in conduit. (it would be ok if it was direct burial, but not standard romex)

Why is this a bad idea? (I am genuinely curious, not trying to be smart.)

 

[Gary S]

Why is this a bad idea? (I am genuinely curious, not trying to be smart.)

I believe it has to do with the spacing of the conductors. When Individual wires are pulled into a conduit, they end up with air between them to help cool them. When romex is pulled in, the individual wires are locked together by the romex sheath.
It is something in the code, and many times we just have to accept that even when we don't understand the "why", there is a good reason behind it.

 

[Addrock]

I would and have contacted my electrical utility to have THEM put in a new service. It was free to my pedestal on my new garage. I had to buy the new panel and pedestal, and wire it. And I have a 200 amp that is totally separate from my houses circuit (no blinking lights in the house when I turn on a big motor).

 

[Rosco]

I would and have contacted my electrical utility to have THEM put in a new service. It was free to my pedestal on my new garage. I had to buy the new panel and pedestal, and wire it. And I have a 200 amp that is totally separate from my houses circuit (no blinking lights in the house when I turn on a big motor).

Same here except the utility company charged me $600 for the feed and I had to have a licensed electrician install the box and wire it. Power was not turned on until the county inspected it. It cost me more that way, but I have a stand alone 200 amp panel done by the professionals and inspected. Since I have "altered" my original use for the garage and bonus room I am damn glad I listened to people on this board and planned for expansion!!! There is no way I could power my garage now with less than a 200 amp panel.

 

[Motofixxer]

I would recommend a minimum of sub panel in garage, usually required. Then trench some 2" burial PVC at least 2' down with 2-2-2-4 Service alum cable, has different names depending on where you are. I bought the cable for about $1\ft. Even if you only run a smaller breaker supplying it. You have room for expansion. This was after I consulted a Certified electrician that said I could just run some 10ga with a 50a breaker, for my shop. I said "What the %^*#" I mean I thought that in my head. I thanked him for his time and moved on.

 

[Aceman]

I believe it has to do with the spacing of the conductors. When Individual wires are pulled into a conduit, they end up with air between them to help cool them. When romex is pulled in, the individual wires are locked together by the romex sheath.
It is something in the code, and many times we just have to accept that even when we don't understand the "why", there is a good reason behind it.

Please stop posting any more electrical info about this topic. What you're posting is false and only confuses the members on here. There is absolutely nothing in the code book that doesn't allow Romex in conduit(aboveground). Underground conduit is considered a wet location so Romex is not allowed. UF cable is okay.

Putting Romex in conduit is treated exactly the same as individual conductors when derating for current carrying conductors. Conduit fill is treated a bit differently though, since the code book tells you to measure flat cables(12-2's, 14-2's etc) at its WIDEST dimension and figure it as a circular cable.

 

[numbah9]

Please stop posting any more electrical info about this topic. What you're posting is false and only confuses the members on here. There is absolutely nothing in the code book that doesn't allow Romex in conduit(aboveground). Underground conduit is considered a wet location so Romex is not allowed. UF cable is okay.

Putting Romex in conduit is treated exactly the same as individual conductors when derating for current carrying conductors. Conduit fill is treated a bit differently though, since the code book tells you to measure flat cables(12-2's, 14-2's etc) at its WIDEST dimension and figure it as a circular cable.

Out of interest, is there any way to use Romex underground (in conduit) and still be in code? Watertight conduit, etc.?

 

[mrb]

Out of interest, is there any way to use Romex underground (in conduit) and still be in code? Watertight conduit, etc.?

nope. if its in the ground its a wet location.

 

[rockwithjason]

Out of interest, is there any way to use Romex underground (in conduit) and still be in code? Watertight conduit, etc.?

only if said cable is rated for wet locations, most romex is not rated for wet locations. uf cable is rated so no issue there

 

[numbah9]

nope. if its in the ground its a wet location.

Thanks!