Question on running power to a new polebarn

[97firehawk]

Hello everyone-

I have a question and would like some input on this. I built my 26x32 polebarn in February and I am finally at a point now where I am ready to get it wired up for power. My question is would I be able to take an existing outlet from inside my current garage and use it to get power to the barn? I would run all of the outlets and lighting off of a breaker box inside of the polebarn and this outlet would just essentially be feeding power to that box and wouldn’t be used anymore. All of the outlets in the current garage tie into a ground fault and is a stand alone fuse in the main. The current garage will only have a freezer and sprinkler system box plugged into the outlets at any time. Will this be feasible to get power to it? Really would rather trench the 5ft from the garage to the barn vs 80ft to the outside breaker panel on the other side of my home. Thanks!

Paul

 

[matt_i]

As I understand it, you can only have 1 feeder to a detached structure.

So...is a 15A circuit going to be enough to power the whole building?

Or, alternatively, I don't know for sure, is a 20A circuit which is already loaded by a freezer sufficient power for the entire new building?

I'd run a new feed (larger, more ampacity)

 

[exranger06]

The outlets in the garage are on either a 15 or 20 amp breaker (probably 20). Are you saying that you'll only need a single 20 amp circuit for your whole barn? What kind of power tools or machines will you be using out there? There would be no point in installing a breaker box in the barn. Just put a toggle switch in the barn and use it as a main shutoff. Might as well put all of the outlets and lights in the barn on one circuit. This sounds like a bad idea though. You'll probably trip the breaker constantly and all of the lights and outlets will turn off and you'll be in the dark in the barn.

 

[97firehawk]

That’s what I thought too. Was just wondering. It’s a 20a fuse for the current garage and I’d be running all sorts of tools inside of the barn. I think I’ll just bite the bullet and trench to the main and run a new service to it. I definelty don’t want to constantly trip breakers by running one air tool. Thank you!!

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Do it right.

Run a new branch feeder.

Chances are the voltage drop on that existing line would be high enough when using a power tool that it would cause the breaker to trip.