Garage is up and I'm getting ready to run power from the house main panel to the garage sub- panel, the run will be 170ft +/- . Run will start in main panel, drop into the basement in pvc conduit and exit down the wall to 24" underground where it will run direct burial to the garage. My plan is fo a 60 amp breaker panel feeding 2 light circuits and outlets in the 30x40 garage. My feed from the house will be 2-2-2-4 AL MHF Southwire voltage drop calculator tells me 2-2-2-4 AL MHF will give me 2.49% voltage drop. So am I good going with 2-2-2-4 AL MHF wire ?
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Getting ready to feed my garage.
- Thread starter EXQQQQME
- Start date
pattenp
Well-known member
You're easily good to go at 60A.
Thanks. Is there room there to step up to 80 amps if needed in the future? I have no plan for any heavy draw items other than a window AC unit on occasion and a small air compressor.You're easily good to go at 60A.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
I would run conduit panel to panel. That way its easy to replace if something happens.
If you do go the direct burial route, you will need to run it inside conduit inside the shop
Dont forget ground rods, ground bar(s) and to isolate the neutral buss(es)...
If you do go the direct burial route, you will need to run it inside conduit inside the shop
Dont forget ground rods, ground bar(s) and to isolate the neutral buss(es)...
Terry D
Well-known member
I second the vote on conduit
BetterDays
Well-known member
Had a friend that ran cheap cabling through the conduit (and a second conduit) just as future pulls. IIRC, he ran three and said he would run more once on the second cable being pulled.Conduit…and run a couple extra in the trench for camera or whatever else may come up…like remote flood lights or similar…cable for TV…whatever.
So ground and neutral should not be bonded at the shop panel?I would run conduit panel to panel. That way its easy to replace if something happens.
If you do go the direct burial route, you will need to run it inside conduit inside the shop
Dont forget ground rods, ground bar(s) and to isolate the neutral buss(es)...
78SC4X4
Well-known member
Often what you read is not specific to your situation. @wyliesdiesels made this easy for us. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/electrical-faqs.356460/
klassenl
Well-known member
I understand and some what agree with this philosophy. I wouldn't classify pulling 170 feet of #2 as "easy".I would run conduit panel to panel. That way its easy to replace if something happens.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Unless youre in canada, code requires grounding electrodes at the detached structureWyliesdiesel,
I'm running 2-2-2-4 from the house, ground and neutral from the house, I thought I read here that you shouldn't have ground rods at the shop if running 4 wire from main panel. ??
Everything indoors will be in conduit runs.
Neutral should not be bonded at the shop. Ground is bonded to the panel enclosure.So ground and neutral should not be bonded at the shop panel?
Thank you for that, I'm in South Carolina, nowhere near Canada. I'll read through your post linked above before i ask any more questions.Unless youre in canada, code requires grounding electrodes at the detached structure
Neutral should not be bonded at the shop. Ground is bonded to the panel enclosure.
Innovate1
Well-known member
Not scrimping on conduit size makes it a lot easier. As I recall I used 1.5" pvc for 1-1-2-4 single strand and had no issues with 200' pull. Only had two 90s and they were long sweeps - that makes a huge difference. Still rigged up a pulley on a tall tripod so I could pull the rope down and not up - much easier. A little planning makes things much easier. MHF is twisted so is a slightly harder pull than single strands. Use plenty of lube. Maybe overkill but I rigged up a section of flex conduit to drop in the pulling end past the sweep to keep the rope from cutting into the conduit bend. You really need two people - one on each end.I understand and some what agree with this philosophy. I wouldn't classify pulling 170 feet of #2 as "easy".
pattenp
Well-known member
You'd be okay to use an 80A breaker. I wouldn't go any higher. Even at a full load of 80A the VD should be about 3.7V. Be mindful that you should try to keep max load to 80% of the feed capacity.Thanks. Is there room there to step up to 80 amps if needed in the future? I have no plan for any heavy draw items other than a window AC unit on occasion and a small air compressor.
My run will have 4 90° sweeps, the run is all downhill to the garage. The hardest part is that the panel in the house is in a back bedroom so i am going to need at least 3 helpers to control the cable as we feed it from the house end out.Not scrimping on conduit size makes it a lot easier. As I recall I used 1.5" pvc for 1-1-2-4 single strand and had no issues with 200' pull. Only had two 90s and they were long sweeps - that makes a huge difference. Still rigged up a pulley on a tall tripod so I could pull the rope down and not up - much easier. A little planning makes things much easier. MHF is twisted so is a slightly harder pull than single strands. Use plenty of lube. Maybe overkill but I rigged up a section of flex conduit to drop in the pulling end past the sweep to keep the rope from cutting into the conduit bend. You really need two people - one on each end.
I doubt I'll ever need the 80, I'm done doing heavy draw projects AFAIK . I had 100A in the last shop and never came close to maxing it out.You'd be okay to use an 80A breaker. I wouldn't go any higher. Even at a full load of 80A the VD should be about 3.7V. Be mindful that you should try to keep max load to 80% of the feed capacity.
Innovate1
Well-known member
That's a lot of bends. Better use long sweeps and be generous on the conduit size. Any chance you could use an LB for some of those? That's what I used for the bends near the panel where space was tight.My run will have 4 90° sweeps, the run is all downhill to the garage. The hardest part is that the panel in the house is in a back bedroom so i am going to need at least 3 helpers to control the cable as we feed it from the house end out.
If I have any say in the matter, I'll NEVER have an electric car. I put more long distance miles on my vehicles than I do local driving.People say they won't need more amps but then along comes electric cars.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Dunno about most of 'em.. But Tesla, you can control how many amps it pulls pretty well. Course depends on how much you're using the car.People say they won't need more amps but then along comes electric cars.
I'm solid in the "conduit" camp too. 2" conduit.
I have some concern about 4 x 90 sweeps. Might have to do it in two pulls.
Run a 3/4" PVC conduit beside it with a pull string. Trust us on this.
KPack
Well-known member
We pulled 2 x 2/0 aluminum, 1 x #1 aluminum, and a copper (can't remember the gauge) through ~180 ft of 2" conduit, with 3 x 90 degree angles. I hated every minute of it. 2-3 big bottles of lube, lots of grunting, and lots of breaks. If I were to do it all over again I would have used 3" conduit or done fewer 90 angles.
Definitely put a 3/4" in the trench as well.
Definitely put a 3/4" in the trench as well.
75gmck25
Well-known member
Also pay attention to which way the conduit sections mate together. Pulling in one direction it will be a lot easier to get over the junctions in the conduit, but pulling the other direction it may catch on the lip of the junction.
No problem with a powered winch!I understand and some what agree with this philosophy. I wouldn't classify pulling 170 feet of #2 as "easy".
klassenl
Well-known member
No doubt. But not everyone has a winch.No problem with a powered winch!
Weirth It
Active member
Ran 2-2-2-4 aluminum MFW in 2" conduit to 100-amp sub-panel fed with 90-breaker in existing garage panel. The distance between panels is about 60'. Code allowed grounding through a rebar stub up that was connected to the footing rebar.
The local L&I inspection supervisor was very helpful. Texted with him multiple times to ensure I was code compliant.
The local L&I inspection supervisor was very helpful. Texted with him multiple times to ensure I was code compliant.