Questions on a new subpanel

[scutty83]

I just installed a subpanel for my basement (attached structure) and have a few questions.

1. The feeder wire (2-2-2-4 AL with thermal insulation) is a 60' run. Am I correct that it falls in the 60C and needs to be breakered at 75 amps?

2. When hooking up service the ground and neutral are bonded at main panel and isolated @ subpanel, right?

3. Whoever ran the electrical to the main level of the house wired each room with its own breaker but combined lighting and outlets on that one breaker. Is it acceptable to continue that in the basement or do I need to wire outlets and lighting on seperate circuits?

4. I have counted 25 lights at approximately 60watts a piece (1500w total) and 20 outlets that will run on the (75A) panel. I would like to rewire the hot water heater and furnace to the sub if possible.

 

[pattenp]

1- If the feeder is SE and and is run within thermal insulation then the overcurrent protection does need to be sized for the wire as 60C. Now with that being said there is a max percent of cable in insulation vs not in insulation before the entire cable has to be rated as 60C. Example, if no more than 6 feet of your 60 feet is within insulation then you can use the 75C. 2011 NEC 310.15 (A) (2)

2 - Right.

3 - Need to consider the total continuous and non-continuous loads. Best practice is to have outlet and lights on separate circuits.

4 - Again you need to know what the continuous and non-continuous loads are to know if the panel is sized correctly.

 

[scutty83]

Pattenp- How can I figure my continuous and non-continuous loads? Is there a label or something to go by on appliances?

 

[pattenp]

Continuous loads are considered as anything that could run for 3 or more hours. Lighting, heating are things considered continuous. You need to add up the amp draw for all the items that may be running at one time to make sure they don't exceed the amp capacity of the feed. Like the lights you said are 1500W, so that's about 12.5A @120V. Then add in what's going to plugged in the outlets and running, say 15A table saw and a 10A shopvac. Then you have a water heater pulling 20A and a furnace at 12A. Use 125% for the continuous items and 100% for the non-continuous items.

(12.5 + 20 + 12) X 1.25 = 55.63

(15 + 10) X 1.0 = 25

= 80.63 Total.

You would need at least 80A of capacity in this example. This is just a simple general way to figure the loads. You will get the actual amp draw off of your equipment data labels. The amps I used are just off the top of my head.