Panel hook up for rough inspection?

[KENLUDE97]

Ok I'm not real familiar with wiring, i can do about anything else... But wiring has usually been done for me, and wile that is convenient, i don't learn anything. So i need to be ed-u-macated!

I have a newer 200amp panel in my house (1996). I'm running a new 100amp panel in a DETACHED garage. I was told to buy "4 wire" to feed the garage. Ok bought and ran between the 2 boxes. Now i THINK that i know how to hook up the wiring in the new box? I had to buy a extra "ground bar" and screw that to the new box in the garage.

So i have my 2 "hots" that run to the main breakers.

1 to the existing "ground bar" in the box

1 to the new "neutral bar" in the box?

Now does anything tie the neutral and ground bars together? If not then i'm "done"?

Also how do i connect 4 wires into the existing box in the house? Do i need to buy another "ground/neutral bar" for the houses panel? Also again do they get tied together?

Thanks for all the help for a rookie!!!

I can take pics tonight if that would be more clear?

 

[oleguy]

ground/neutral go together at house panel.they are separate at garage.

 

[mrb]

ground/neutral go together at house panel.they are separate at garage.

not always, depends on where the MBJ is at the house.

look in your house panel, if you see neutrals and grounds on the same bar, or if you see a green screw bonding the neutral bar to the panel then they go together. make sure you use the proper lugs.

what ga wire did you run to the garage?

dont forget you need a main disconnect at the garage if you have more than 6 breaker handles in your new panel, and dont forget your grounding electrodes at the new garage

 

[creativecars]

I am not an expert, but from what I understand, you are good to go. The main panel is the only place where the neutral and grounds come together. In all sub-panels they should be kept separate.

 

[KENLUDE97]

oleguy - Great that is what i was hearing.

mrb - MBJ?

Um 4 gauge wire, the total wire length is about 40'

I also have a ground loop ran.

Yes i have a full sub panel in the garage
The panel i bought (as far as i can tell without having it in front of me)
http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

 

[nehog]

oleguy ...
Um 4 gauge wire, the total wire length is about 40'
...

4 AWG, CU or AL? Regardless, not with a 100 amp breaker, 90 is the max if CU, and less if AL...

 

[mrb]

MBJ = main bonding jumper. This is the one and only place neutral and ground should be tied together. Its usually in the main breaker panel, but not always.

 

[mrb]

I also have a ground loop ran.

what does this mean?

 

[fefarms]

dont forget you need a main disconnect at the garage if you have more than 6 breaker handles in your new panel, and dont forget your grounding electrodes at the new garage

I don't believe a "main disconnect" is required when the building is supplied by a feeder from another panel on the premises. The code provision that cites the "6 breaker handles" is in section 230 which relates to Services. Service conductors are those supplied directly by the power company, and without their own (upstream) overcurrent protection.

I personally would advocate for a simple way to kill all the power to the building, such as a main breaker panel, a back-fed breaker in a main lug panel, or a separate disconnect. But I don't believe the NEC requires this for a building supplied by a feeder.

 

[mrb]

I don't believe a "main disconnect" is required when the building is supplied by a feeder from another panel on the premises. The code provision that cites the "6 breaker handles" is in section 230 which relates to Services. Service conductors are those supplied directly by the power company, and without their own (upstream) overcurrent protection.

I personally would advocate for a simple way to kill all the power to the building, such as a main breaker panel, a back-fed breaker in a main lug panel, or a separate disconnect. But I don't believe the NEC requires this for a building supplied by a feeder.

main disco closest to point of entry (the feeder, not your door) is required for detached structure -easiest way is with main breaker subpanel

 

[KENLUDE97]

mrb A have to drive 2 8' copper rods into the ground outside the garage 10' apart, and take a length of bare copper wire and start at the box loop the 2 pole together then back to the box.

 

[fefarms]

main disco closest to point of entry (the feeder, not your door) is required for detached structure -easiest way is with main breaker subpanel

Here again the language "closest to point of entry" comes from NEC Article 230, which relates to service conductors.

I've looked at length through the NEC and cannot find any requirement for a detached building to have a disconnecting means, unless it is supplied by service conductors (and there's even an exception to that).

Can you cite the code section that requires a disconnecting means for a building supplied by a feeder? I'm not trying to be a jerk; just genuinely curious what I'm missing in my studies of the NEC.

 

[mrb]

225.31

 

[fefarms]

Thank you. You are quite correct. My mistake.

 

[oleguy]

mrb A have to drive 2 8' copper rods into the ground outside the garage 10' apart, and take a length of bare copper wire and start at the box loop the 2 pole together then back to the box.

from panel to ground rods.not nessary to return to box.6' apart on the ground rods.#6 bare copper.

 

[oleguy]

for 100 amp,if you use copper,#2 thwn.

 

[mrb]

for 100 amp,if you use copper,#2 thwn.

and ALOT cheaper to use #2 AL and breaker the feeder @ 90 amps

 

[oleguy]

and ALOT cheaper to use #2 AL and breaker the feeder @ 90 amps

that would be fine also.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

225.30 requires that each additional building or structure on a single property served by a branch or feeder on the LOAD side of the service disconnect shall be supplied by only one feeder or branch.......

easy enough.......... but.........

225.31 says that a means must be provided to disconnect all ungrounded conductors that supply or pass thru the building or structure (mentioned in 225.30)

and

225.33 says that disconnects for each supply permitted by 225.30 (those branch and feeder circuits mentioned above) shall consist of not more than 6 switches or breakers mounted in a single enclosure or group of separate enclosures or in a switchboard.

225.36 says the disconnects used in 225.31 must be identified as "suitable for use as service equipment"....

and.....

225.39(D) says that the disconnect shall a rating of not less than 60 amps, since an outbuilding with mutiple circuits doesn't meet the requirements of (A) thru (C).

Charles

 

[KENLUDE97]

update: the wire is 2awg NOT 4awg.

 

[DTL504]

I am in the process of wiring my 30 X 36 detached garage and found this link utilizing NEC codes requirements. I think this may help someone in the future reesearch.

http://www.selfhelpandmore.com/home...o-dwellings/wiring-a-detached-garage-2002.php