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Planning for new sub-panel in Pole Barn

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HomerGuy

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Joined
Jul 4, 2010
Messages
8
Location
Michigan
sparky 1971 said:
Since the house is only five years old, do you have a meter/main with breaker spaces outside? If so, you could feed the pole barn from there if you want as well as put the interlock in it with the generator inlet at the barn. Or, you could still put the inlet at the barn and leave the transfer interlock where it is. Assuming the whole point is to have the generator at the barn where it's easier to store.

I have a meter main on a pole with an interlock; I buried #6 USE conductors in the same trench as my garage feeder with the inlet mounted on the garage exterior next to the LB. I haven't had to use it in the 10 years I've lived here but when I do, I can fire up the genny and plug it in, then it can be warming up while I do the 250' walk of shame to make the transfer. I'll leave the generator in the garage and I have a cord long enough to run through the back door and reach the inlet.
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Unfortunately no. My meter is outside. Main panel is inside in the basement. When my house was built in 2020/2021, I believe Michigan was on the 2017 NEC, so I also do not have an exterior emergency disconnect.
 
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HomerGuy

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Jul 4, 2010
Messages
8
Location
Michigan
mm08822 said:
I think your plan is fine. Since you are liking the idea of 2" conduit, I would go with the 2-2/0, 1-#1, and 1-#4 into a 200A main cb 40 space panel. Feed the 2/0's with a 125A cb in your main panel. Even with fully the feeder fully loaded (unlikely), the vd is just @3%. (Cry once and you'll always have enough power w/o ever redo'ing anything.)

The only question I have is, what is the likelihood you will have 2 EVs charging in the pole barn at the same time? If these are daily drivers, are you going to walk a football field's length to get the car each day? Wouldn't one (or two) EV chargers more likely be at the house?
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Thank you, as I mentioned in another reply, I will definitely consider this arrangement of feeders.

Your question on the EV chargers is a good one. We do not own any EVs at the moment. I also do NOT anticipate having two EV chargers in the pole barn. Just one EV charger in the barn. I have a wife and daughters, and by the time they start driving, I feel it is likely that we may own one or more EVs. And yes, I am willing to concede years in advance that ole dad is going to be making the trek out to the barn and the girls will be parking in the attached garage :)

So long term, I likely will need to add a EV charger to the attached garage, but I also also size the pole barn to accommodate the load of one EV charger out there.
 
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Norcal

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Mar 16, 2008
Messages
13,772
bob smith1 said:
Apparently that can be a locale issue because most times round hur, MHF is cheaper, has a superior jacket, and is twined and ready to install. Will admit, it's less fun to pull, but you toss that **** butter down the hole and she will take it.

I'm a fan of PE jackets. Good stuff.

Either way, the shopping should prove the best value, but Copper is NOT the path! I'm still pissed about a family adventure they did before I got involved, running 60A Copper, when I could have served it with 100A Aluminum at HALF the price! Dicks said, "Oh Aluminum burns houses down". Then I walk their sorry asses to their own main panel, served with ALUMINUM for 30+ years. "Has your house burned down yet????" F'n crickets........

Just watch, Aluminum is going to largely take over the electric conductor market and the code will change to accept it......AGAIN, because the alloy is totally different now, and processes just need changed.
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Aluminum alloy was never prohibited by the NEC but I will not use aluminum alloy conductors smaller then 6 AWG.
 
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bob smith1

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Jul 2, 2026
Messages
71
Norcal said:
Aluminum alloy was never prohibited by the NEC but I will not use aluminum alloy conductors smaller then 6 AWG.
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I mean code as in revised local codes that manipulate std NEC, in which many put an outright ban on smaller conductors.
 
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bob smith1

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mm08822 said:
Your AHJ is not making the requirements on the fly. If these "amendments" aren't formally adopted either through state, county or city legislation then he can pound sand.

Read the room.
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you mean like the ratified amendments officially posted with a state seal, that are available on the county website right now, that the AHJ references every day to supersede NEC? Rework and new work is disallowed. I'm sure it trickled down from the mess decades back, but I know of several surrounding counties that just "adopt" our local code into theirs because they don't have EEs to evaluate it.

Clad Romex is coming to a Lowes near you.
 
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mike93lx

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Dec 9, 2013
Messages
38,262
Location
Richmond, VA
bob smith1 said:
you mean like the ratified amendments officially posted with a state seal, that are available on the county website right now, that the AHJ references every day to supersede NEC? Rework and new work is disallowed. I'm sure it trickled down from the mess decades back, but I know of several surrounding counties that just "adopt" our local code into theirs because they don't have EEs to evaluate it.

Clad Romex is coming to a Lowes near you.
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Most of the comments people make here about "local codes" tend to be people misunderstanding things or inspectors making **** up. The skepticism is justified.

Could you share the county?
 
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