Running 220V Service to Out Building

[OneMoreTime]

I am ready to run 220V service to my outbuilding and I have a few questions.
1.) Can I run 2 hots (40amp 220V breaker from the house) and a Neutral from the house breaker box to the building and then drive a ground rod in the ground about 8 feet to get my ground instead of running an additional wire? I plan to Have a 220v compressor, 120v lighting and recepticles. Didnt know the rule about this.

 

[offroadsteve]

Search is your friend here... this has been discussed dozens of times.

No. Since this is a subfeed from your house panel, you must keep the neutral and ground seperate all the way back to the single bonding point (either at your main panel, or main disconnect if they are seperate). This means 4 wires from the house to the outbuilding.

This is a code requirement designed to maintain the redundant fault-clearing path of the ground.

 

[madosta]

Distance?
Conduit?
Direct Burial?
Space in house panel?
Aluminum or copper?

You will need 4 wires back to the house including a ground as well as a ground rod at the building.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Also, please let us know where you're located - if you're in the US, the requirements for electrical work may vary from one state to another, if you're in Canada the requirements can be quite a bit different.

 

[OneMoreTime]

It is approximately 75 feet from the breaker panel in the house to the breaker panel in the building.
I will run the wiring in 1.5" gray PVC for electrical wiring.
Buried about 12" underground.
Copper #8 wire.
I live in South Carolina. Thanks for the help.

 

[OneMoreTime]

Also, does the Ground wire from the house HAVE to be the same gauge as the hot wire or can it be smaller?

 

[Aceman]

Buried about 12" underground.

You need 18" of cover to the top of the conduit minimum. 24" where it crosses under a driveway or road.

Also, does the Ground wire from the house HAVE to be the same gauge as the hot wire or can it be smaller?

#10 is fine.

 

[pattenp]

Are you aware of the type of wire that needs to be used underground in conduit? It needs to be rated for wet locations.

 

[dna9656]

I just did this in WA. Sate, USA. I had to have 4 #6 wire for a run of 20" or so. I ran it in 1.25" conduit, the wire was rated for wet/underground use. It's about 3' under.
Advice: ALWAYS use larger conduit, the stuff is cheap and easy to use, there is no reason to use the small stuff when all it does is make the pull harder to do. Larger conduit allows for better heat disapation of the current running through the wire, how much disapation is enough? I don't know but having more than enough is peace of mind. With larger conduit upgrading is no problem. Using larger than required wire is a bit expensive but again no issues with it either....ask yourself this: How many times do I want to do a job over?