Looking for confirmation - 100 amp sub-panel wire

[Ecreps]

Hello All,

My pole barn was started today; so I am looking to trench power out to it in the next week or so.

My plan is the following:

100 AMP breaker in my home's panel. -> buried conduit to 100 AMP sub-panel in pole barn.

I have been researching; and it looks like I can use the following cable?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwi...Gray-Stranded-AL-SER-Cable-13103799/205001799

It is an AL 1-1-1-3; it appears to be rated at 100 amps up to 70*C.

I plan to bury it in 2" conduit. Is it acceptable to just drill a hole above the foundation and use a LB fitting?

 

[brewchief]

SER cable can't be used underground in conduit or not in conduit.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

 

[mike93lx]

MHF is a great solution for this. Good for underground (unlike SER) and direct burial and can be brought into the structure (unlike URD).

2-2-2-4 gets you a 90a feed, length permitting.

You can step up if that 100a is really important, but if it is a home shop, it is incredibly unlikely the extra 10a will ever matter

 

[pattenp]

If you want the full 100A you can use three conductors of #1 AL XHHW-2 in black taping the neutral ends as white and one #6 in green of AL XHHW-2 for the EGC. This wire must be in conduit from panel to panel. Some missing info from you is the distance.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Hello All,

My pole barn was started today; so I am looking to trench power out to it in the next week or so.

My plan is the following:

100 AMP breaker in my home's panel. -> buried conduit to 100 AMP sub-panel in pole barn.

I have been researching; and it looks like I can use the following cable?
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwi...Gray-Stranded-AL-SER-Cable-13103799/205001799

It is an AL 1-1-1-3; it appears to be rated at 100 amps up to 70*C.

I plan to bury it in 2" conduit. Is it acceptable to just drill a hole above the foundation and use a LB fitting?

the wire in your link is a no go for underground use.

#1 AL is good for 100a in the 75° column....

but.... what is the length you will be running it and what loads will you have in the barn?

 

[Ecreps]

the wire in your link is a no go for underground use.

#1 AL is good for 100a in the 75° column....

but.... what is the length you will be running it and what loads will you have in the barn?

The run will be roughly 75 feet.

In the barn will be a 2 post lift, an air compressor, an electric heater (7500 watt), a welder, Drill press, possibly a lathe.

 

[mike93lx]

The run will be roughly 75 feet.

In the barn will be a 2 post lift, an air compressor, an electric heater (7500 watt), a welder, Drill press, possibly a lathe.

90a is plenty if it is a 1-man shop, IMO. You won't be running the lathe, while the welder is lit and the lift is raising a car.

MHF is convenient as it comes already bundled so you only have one spool to deal with. If you are running conduit end to end and really want the 100a,the suggestion for xhhw is best

 

[theoldwizard1]

Just because the sub in the barn has a 100A main does NOT mean it needs to be feed with a 100A breaker from the house. You should analyze your potential loads. Many people get be comfortably with a 60A feed from their house. Save money on wire. Changing the main in the sub is not required.

 

[plout99]

What ever wire you choose make sure you price the electrical wholesale places. They are less than the big box and online stores. I used 1/0 xhhw2 for my shop feed and it was 36 cents a foot wound on individual spools from loeb electric in Columbus versus 58 cents plus shipping online. The big box stores had to special order it and was even more money.

 

[Innovate1]

What ever wire you choose make sure you price the electrical wholesale places. They are less than the big box and online stores. I used 1/0 xhhw2 for my shop feed and it was 36 cents a foot wound on individual spools from loeb electric in Columbus versus 58 cents plus shipping online. The big box stores had to special order it and was even more money.

Interesting. I used wireandcableyourway.com for my xhhw2 for the run to the garage. Nice individual spools but sounds like I should have done a bit more checking with local electrical supply houses. That's a pretty big difference in cost.

 

[ducatithunder]

My local supply house beat the wireandcable price by alot. The online price is nice until you see the shipping cost, then the cost savings are nil.

I did (3) 1/0-#4 for true 125 amp. Cost difference between #1 and 1/0 was $30, no brainer. Cost was $225 for 160ft run. The cost was $0.40 per ft for 1/0 and $.015 per ft for the #4.

 

[Innovate1]

I just tried to look up my order from early 2020 on wireandcableyourway web site. It shows no orders for my account. Quite strange because it wasn't that long ago. I actually had two orders and I found confirmation emails in my email account. One in Jan 2020 for XHHW2 for main power run and another in April for network wire and related.

Power wire - #1AWG XHHW2 was $0.52 a foot. Total for that order was about $450 and shipping was about $45.

 

[Ecreps]

Just an update for everyone; I followed the advice here and went with the MHF cable; 90A breaker, and a 100amp panel. I have it all trenched and mostly ran. My final question is what is the preferred wall penetration method? Can I just run the PVC conduit through the wall and silicone it? Attached are pictures of my two locations.

On the house I was just going to drill a hole next to the sump pump outlet and run it in there with the silicone to seal it.

One the barn I was going to go up roughly 24" and then go through in an effort to keep it farther off the ground for snow and pest reasons.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[dcg9381]

That's how I'd do it, I'd start it in a PVC sweep a few feet from the building and then transition it in via a 90 degree conduit body.

 

[Terry D]

Just install a 90, bring your conduit up out of the ground and install a LB to go in the house. Are you going to be able to pipe it all the way to your house panel, or do you have to switch over to a cable?

On the garage end, maybe bring the conduit up higher and LB right into the back of the panel.

What is the UF cable for?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Are you direct burying it ? I'd use conduit, it's cheap and will offer some protection against future digging.

Does the new shop have a concrete floor poured in it yet ? If not, I'd bring it up (using a 90 sweep) and put it the wall.

 

[ROBZ71LM7]

One thing I'd add is with the increase in adoption of electric cars, if you intend to charge an electric car in your shop that is a 48A continuous load with a Tesla charger. I did do a full 100amp sub panel in my garage partially for this reason. A charging car, mini-split, and welder is a pretty good load.

 

[mike93lx]

One thing I'd add is with the increase in adoption of electric cars, if you intend to charge an electric car in your shop that is a 48A continuous load with a Tesla charger. I did do a full 100amp sub panel in my garage partially for this reason. A charging car, mini-split, and welder is a pretty good load.

There is always a reason that you can come up with to have more power.

Charging a telsa at full power while your a/c is cranked and you are welding? Come on.

90a vs 100a will never be noticed

 

[John T]

Hello All,



My pole barn was started today; so I am looking to trench power out to it in the next week or so.



My plan is the following:



100 AMP breaker in my home's panel. -> buried conduit ?

I don’t know if it’s been mentioned before but do yourself a favor,
Run an extra conduit with two or three
“Pulls” (I don’t know the technical name)

Just in case you want to run either cat5 cable For Internet or security cameras
Or wiring for anything else.

Plan ahead.

 

[ROBZ71LM7]

Charging a telsa at full power while your a/c is cranked and you are welding? Come on.

For most users you are correct, not currently a concern.



Home at 4-5pm hot summer, charging car when you arrive, plus shop equipment is a decent load. I just think some should consider this more common, large continuous load in the future. For me it will soon be two electric cars. In practicality I could turn down the charge rate or wait to charge if I needed to, but in this instant gratification society who wants to do that? I currently pull nearly 70amps when the mini split and car are both drawing. Add lighting and a power tool.