Simple burial wire question.

[deafanddiabetic]

Simple question that hopefully has a simple answer.

I'm burying in #6AWG 18 inches deep in 1/2" PVC conduit about 80 feet to my garage.

Is that one wire all I need? I know the idea of leaving more room for power later, but my specific question is, do I need 3 different #6 wires pulled through (one for ground, one for neutral, one for hot), or is that ONE wire all I need and the electrician will split it into three braids to wire into the subpanel he's installing the garage? He said if I dug and run the conduit and wire it'd save me a ton of money. He listened to my garage electrical usage needs and recommended the #6 specifically.

So, one #6 wire for the garage, or does it need 3 wires to work correctly?

 

[rlitman]

Going out on a limb here, because you're requirements are not that clear, but most likely, you will need four wires (if you are trying to feed a subpanel in the garage). Two hot wires, one neutral, and one ground.
At 6AWG and smaller, you are not permitted to mark the color codes of the ends with tape, so you will need separate colors for the neutral and for the ground.

http://ecmweb.com/qampa/code-qa-identification-circuit-conductors

 

[deafanddiabetic]

That sounds about right, the electricians email mentioned having one black and one red.

So, I'll need a green, a white, a red and a black. Woof, that copper will add up to many $$$ very quickly.

 

[Dagny]

Put them all in one pipe 1 1/4 in. or bigger.

 

[pattenp]

For 80' I'd use aluminum wire. It's about a fourth of the cost. What is your location?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

For 80' I'd use aluminum wire. It's about a fourth of the cost. What is your location?

And you'll probably need a larger size.

 

[pattenp]

And you'll probably need a larger size.

Yep, #4 AL is equivalent to #6 Cu

 

[CNGsaves]

OP . . . . you're likely candidate for low cost bargain of Mobile Home Feeder aluminum wire that's around $1.50/ft that would need put in 2" buried conduit. At 80 ft you would have plenty of power for anything you might need in detached garage.

That would give you potential of 90 Amps in detached garage. Put in 100A subpanel in garage that matches brand/breakers of house and has plenty of spaces for circuits in garage that you might need. Breaker in house feeding the garage is what should be 90A.

Look for prior GJ posts with MHF Al 2-2-2-4 as you'll see it recommended many times by PattenP and other GJ Sparkies.

Do It Once, Do It Right !!