I don't have a clue :)

[troyzstang]

Good morning,
Can one of the experts write me a materials list for power to my panel.
I will be shopping at Lowes.
Power coming off the meter base. This base has 200 amp service with a breaker and additional lugs .
The garage is 90ft away and i want to install 100 amp dervice there. What wire size? Do i need a drop box disconnect below the meter base ? If so which one?
Thank you so much.
I want to move forward but neef help.

Troy

 

[laser3kw]

welcome to GJ!
I edited my post because it is early and I haven't had coffee.
I didn't read your post right and posted some erroneous babbling.
Although it contained some useful information, it did not address your core inquiry,
I am sure one of the true experts can guide you in how to tap a multi lug meter base.
carry on

 

[Bert_]

#2 aluminum is common and cheap, it's good for 90 amps. #1 is good for 100a but not quite as much bang for your buck.

Need more info about meter box before I comment on that. Pics would be nice.

 

[pattenp]

Are you planning to run conduit from panel to panel? One typical wire Lowes sells is 2-2-2-4 Aluminum Mobile Home Feeder (MHF). As Bert mentioned #2 Al is good for up to 90A. The MHF is direct bury but it's best to place in conduit for protection and ease of replacement if necessary. I take it that you will be using a 100A main breaker panel in the garage, do not use a main lug panel without a main breaker. The disconnect will be the main breaker at the garage. You can add a disconnect back at the house if you like but it's not required. One clarification is needed. Are these lugs on the meter base unfused or is there breaker space to add a breaker at the meter pan for this feeder?

 

[mc4life27]

Sounds to me like you don't want to pay an electrician to write up a materials list and you have no clue what you need.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[kd3pc]

location and soil type would help...those are often deal breakers or costly in labor (trench/poles/aerial/etc). As McLife indicates, this is a case where a licensed/capable electrician can tell you in a few minutes what you need, as he looks the project over. Anything we do here is pure speculation

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Sounds to me like you don't want to pay an electrician to write up a materials list and you have no clue what you need.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

bingo

 

[BajaScout]

Risky, but you can see what someone else did to pass inspection. Add a little extra to be sure.

If you live in San Diego, I would do like the others advise and hire an electrician.

If you are out in the country and nobody is going to care, then a little research and a DIY job may work.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

A good introduction to diy electricity may include replacement of a light switch or a receptacle. Bringing in a new service with no practical experience may be a tad risky. Sounds like someone is checking prices to make sure the electrician isn't making too much. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

A good introduction to diy electricity may include replacement of a light switch or a receptacle. Bringing in a new service with no practical experience may be a tad risky. Sounds like someone is checking prices to make sure the electrician isn't making too much. Wouldn't be the first time.

Defining too much is a fools errand. What is the definition of too much.... and thats a rhetorical question....

 

[troyzstang]

Thanks for the members that took the time to contribute your experience. As for the few that like to throw stones, i did have a skilled electrician on site. $800 dollars to land a few lines is well above my paygrade. He also considered his wealth of knowledge to be top secret and certainly not willing to simply help me without me coming out of pocket to the previously mentioned $ 800 bones.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thanks for the members that took the time to contribute your experience. As for the few that like to throw stones, i did have a skilled electrician on site. $800 dollars to land a few lines is well above my paygrade. He also considered his wealth of knowledge to be top secret and certainly not willing to simply help me without me coming out of pocket to the previously mentioned $800 bones.

What do you mean by land a few lines?

What is the scope of work for $800?

 

[The Cobbler]

or did he get the feeling you were using him for a materials list & then you buy the materials & do the work yourself?

 

[troyzstang]

Let me explain my project.
New garage on site. I have installed the 100 amp panel in the garage and trenched the 90+ feet from the garage to the power pole / meter base. Now i want to buy the materials to power the garage. I will then lay the conduit with sweeps and feed the wire. But i will not land said line in either location. That's where the licensed electrician comes in. Seems pretty straight forward to me. So what is a fair rate for that work?

 

[xyster101]

An electrician should be ok with you doing the grunt work of trenching, laying wire, and purchasing materials. Then they show up and make the final connections and charge you by the hour for explaining things to you and doing the hook ups. No one likes to dig trenches.
As for a rate, well where are you located?
Around here in central NY the electrician was roughly $90 an hour to do work. I did it myself with mobile home wire in a conduit trenched 4 ft (water line too).

 

[mm08822]

Let me explain my project.
New garage on site. I have installed the 100 amp panel in the garage and trenched the 90+ feet from the garage to the power pole / meter base. Now i want to buy the materials to power the garage. I will then lay the conduit with sweeps and feed the wire. But i will not land said line in either location. That's where the licensed electrician comes in. Seems pretty straight forward to me. So what is a fair rate for that work?

Get 2 more estimates and understand what is covered in each. Then you can pick the best value between the 3.

Last thing any contractor wants is to arrive at a job and find out it isn't what was expected. Then the job scope blows up and a ******* match can start. Sometimes the "so simple" job is the biggest PIA.

BTW, are you knowledgeable and capable of safely pulling conductors into an energized meter pan? Blowing up the meter pan or lighting yourself up isn't a good risk - only you know that answer.

**************

Best yet would be to get a price for the entire job delivered. With trenching completed (and you backfill) the worst of the job is eliminated. Drive 2 ground rods if needed so that possible PIA is also gone.

Conduit, wire and permit costs aren't going to be that different regardless of who makes the purchases.

This larger job scope would put the termination costs back into a reasonable price.

 

[redneckcharlie]

How much does his license, bonding, and insurance cost? I left out experience on purpose. Does your municipality have a homeowner test for you to pull your own permit? If it does, go take it. If it doesn’t or your not capable of passing it(sorry but with the questions you asked I doubt you will), pay the man. I’m all for some one doing diy if they want, but have no patience for a homeowner that wastes my time with the sole intention of poachimg my knowledge and experience at my expense to save themselves a couple bucks. I guarantee you would be upset if your employer didn’t pay you for your time. I’ve also left out his liability on his permit for your work.

Let me explain my project.
New garage on site. I have installed the 100 amp panel in the garage and trenched the 90+ feet from the garage to the power pole / meter base. Now i want to buy the materials to power the garage. I will then lay the conduit with sweeps and feed the wire. But i will not land said line in either location. That's where the licensed electrician comes in. Seems pretty straight forward to me. So what is a fair rate for that work?

 

[Toomanytools?]

Good morning,
Can one of the experts write me a materials list for power to my panel.
I will be shopping at Lowes.
Power coming off the meter base. This base has 200 amp service with a breaker and additional lugs .
The garage is 90ft away and i want to install 100 amp dervice there. What wire size? Do i need a drop box disconnect below the meter base ? If so which one?
Thank you so much.
I want to move forward but neef help.

Troy

I did something similar, but the way you go about is what can cause problems. It's fine to get 2 or 3 bids but be up front with what you want to do. Like "hey I'm trying to save some money so I want to hang the panel and dig the trench and lay the pipe." Some guys will bid the whole job and give you an itemized bid, 1.install panel 2hrs, Dig trench 4 hrs and so on. I know I don't like to itemize a bid it takes longer and digging the trench might take me 6 hours and not 4.
Find someone you can work with, and they may be willing to work with you.

I set my panel, dug the trench and ran the conduit 90' to the meter base, made a panel that would hold the meter, CT can and disconnect. I knew what needed to be done, I left about 8 feet of conduit off so it would be easier for the electrician to make up his connections. All went great.
You also need to realize if you screw up and he has to fix it your going to pay by the hour above your bid.
Good luck

 

[troyzstang]

Thanks guys,
I had another guy out and he was more helpful by far. Took the time to write a material list that he would need.
Also quoted me $150. - $200. For his time. He explained what was expected when he arrived to finish the connections. Any other concerns would cost me more. Just to be clear; I never mislead anyone or expected to get off cheap or steal there knowledge. I am more then capable to prep said job and then step away and pay to have a pro finish up.

 

[Scrivyscriv]

Hope you get everything squared away. Roughing in your own wiring gives a lot of satisfaction

 

[alfredeneuman]

If a permit is taken out the permit holder is held responsible for the entire job.
Owner/builder permit holders are required to do the entire jobs themselves, without any outside help.

Digging and backfilling excluded, most electrical contractors shy away from jobs where the homeowner wants to perform the work and just have the electrician hook up already completed work, because most (not all) DIYs make so many mistakes it's not worth risking their liability for unseen errors.
Water plumbing is different from electrical work in that leaks show up right away, whereas electrical can fail months, even years later as loose connections fail gradually (and can start a fire.)

 

[troyzstang]

I agree 100%. Not sure what can fail though. I am digging a ditch and pulling wire through conduit. No permit being pulled . We are off the grid so to speak.

 

[alfredeneuman]

No permit being pulled . We are off the grid so to speak.

You're obviously on the grid or you wouldn't be asking these questions.
Where are you located that no permit is required, or are you just not willing to get one?