House to Garage 50ft What Wire?

[SLAUGHTERHAUS FAB]

I'm looking into running wire from the main panel or possibly having the city splice into the meter which is on the outside of my old house. I need to go to my garage, which is about 50ft away and wire a sub panel in the garage. I can do this two ways above or underground. Our town is pretty relaxed when it comes to building codes as long as it is safe and sturdy.

I need to know what wire I need to run from the main to the sub. I am planning on having a 220v 30amp outlet for an air compressor, and a couple 220v 40amp outlets for welders, and as many 110 outlets as I can for lights, stereo, and tools. Any other good info or advice from someone with knowledge or experience in residential and commercial wiring that pertains to this post would be appreciated.

 

[pattenp]

Direct bury Quadruplexed type USE-2. AL #2-2-2-4 can be protected at the main panel up to 90A. Use a 100A main breaker panel for the sub.

You can also get by with AL #2-2-4-6. This wire is also known as mobile home feeder.

 

[Falcon67]

Home Depot sells the 2-2-2-4 USE-2. I just bought some at 1.47/ft but the newer is 1.69/ft. They may be able to sell you what you need - some stores won't cut a 500' spool.

I don't think your city will touch the meter. That will be up to the local POCO as to whether they will double tap the meter or not.

 

[pattenp]

Go to a electrical supply house. They should cut what you need and the price most likely will be less than the big box stores. The last AL 2-2-2-4 I purchased was a little over a $1.00 per foot and the last 2-2-4-6 was less than $1.00.

 

[SLAUGHTERHAUS FAB]

Home Depot sells the 2-2-2-4 USE-2. I just bought some at 1.47/ft but the newer is 1.69/ft. They may be able to sell you what you need - some stores won't cut a 500' spool.

I don't think your city will touch the meter. That will be up to the local POCO as to whether they will double tap the meter or not.

Double tapping the meter is up our town employees, all electrical, sewer, and water service is handled by our town, they purchase the electricity from the power company but do the connecting, disconnecting, new hookups of meters and such. Small town with old ways of doing things.

Thanks for the replies and info on wire and such, I'll have to see if the city will double tap the meter and go from there.

 

[SLAUGHTERHAUS FAB]

Checked with the city today, no problem on double tapping the meter as long as I put the new main close to it and run my wire to my sub panel from there.

I know now thanks to the replies that I need 2-2-2-4 wire, should I run this above or below ground, and if below ground, what conduit do I need and how far down should I bury it? Also, what about grounding?

 

[pattenp]

I like the clean look of it being under ground. If you use USE-2 it can be directly buried but has to be 24" deep. In rigid metal conduit I believe it's 6" and nonmetallic is 18". You need to check with your local inspector as to what depths they may require.

Overhead is less work and mess.

Oh and the grounding.... be sure to keep the neutral and ground isolated from each other in the sub and run #6 solid copper from the sub to two ground rods driven at least 6' apart from each other at the garage. The grounding wire should also be protected by placing it in conduit if subject to damage where running to the rods and in between the rods .

 

[SLAUGHTERHAUS FAB]

Thanks for the info pattenp, just looking for the best and safest way of doing things, like I said earlier, codes and inspections are very loose around here, so it is kind of up to me from beginning to end, but I want it right and want it to outlast me.

 

[bmcdowell40]

I would definitely recommend putting it in conduit. I would use 2" conduit. If you direct bury it, you run the risk of nicking the insulation while backfilling, which will cause the wire to get wet and eventually corrode and burn off. I've fixed countless burnt off undergrounds and I can tell you they're not fun and it costs more to fix it later than to put it in conduit now.

 

[pattenp]

If you use nonmetallic conduit use sch 40 below ground and sch 80 on above ground runs if exposed to possible damage. NM conduit not subject to damage as in a wall can be sch 40.

 

[Falcon67]

I used Schedule 40 non-metallic for the 18' underground from the house to the shop. I went 12" in hard ground and put concrete over it which allows the 12". If you just bury the conduit, NEC requires 18" and a trencher would make quick work of it. I did mine by hand because of the short run. USE-2 can be direct buried, but because I have sprinkler lines in the yard that may require service I put the wire in something to help reduce the tendency for me to hack into it with a pick LOL. Metal can go 12" but once you price it, you'll be back in the plastic aisle.

Checked with the city today, no problem on double tapping the meter as long as I put the new main close to it and run my wire to my sub panel from there.

How mine is set up - box right off the meter with a breaker in that, then 100' run to the shop. Interesting that your city handles that. One stop shopping so to speak.

For grounding, if this is an existing building I think that 2 8' copper clad rods driven 6' apart and tied into your garage panel with #4 or #6 copper would be appropriate. (I now see that posted above) If there is steel in it, you could hammer into the slab and tie on to that, but that's pretty destructive. If it's new construction, what I did was 20' of #4 copper laid in the foundation so that the concrete fully encased it. I just bought 30' of it and brought it out of the slab next to the incoming power conduit.

 

[Aceman]

If it's new construction, what I did was 20' of #4 copper laid in the foundation so that the concrete fully encased it. I just bought 30' of it and brought it out of the slab next to the incoming power conduit.

That's perfect.

It's way easier to use rebar or lay your own copper ufer than drive rods....but it seems like a lot of members always miss that step? Only takes 5 mins to do it.

 

[SLAUGHTERHAUS FAB]

It's old construction, so I am pretty much stuck driving rods in, that's ok, I'm good with a BMFH.

Thanks to everyone for all the help, now I just have to get the funds in order and get going. Was working on funds for a door, but m uncle just gave me one today, so now I can jump on electrical instead. Oh, and my wood stove.