Subpanel wire plan - outbuilding

[ED26]

My plan (please correct me if wrong)

From inside home running SER AL 2-2-2-4 off of a 90 AMP breaker down stud cavity wall into an exterior junction box

Inside the junction box, using Polaris connectors converting to individual wire(s)

Three 2 AWG AL XHHW-2 (two hot, one nuetral)
One 4 AWG AL XHHW-2 for ground.

Not sure if Home Depot sells the XHHW-2 or just XHHW bare wire, if not I can order the XHHW-2 from wireandcableyourway dot com

Individual wire will be run inside 2" pvc conduit (minimum 18" to top of conduit) - probably a total run approx max 75'

Run conduit /wires into another junction box mounted on outside of exterior outbuilding

Inside that junction box, use Polaris connectors to convert back to SER AL 2-2-2-4.

Run SER 2-2-2-4 up stud cavity into subpanel.

Install 2 8- ground rods (believe they are 5/8" copper) - min' 6' apart, connect ground wire (#6 copper) into subpanel

Afterwards, open a 6 pack of busch

Thanks

 

[mm08822]

Overall good plan.
Since you plan on xhhw conductors, 1.5" conduit is ok.
Consider running the conduit into the back of the panel with an LB at the outbuilding. This eliminates 12x12 jbox and unecessary splices there.

Also consider same at house. Try to go point to point with conduit.

As always, how did you arrive at needing 90a?

 

[ED26]

MM08822

I may actually have bought 1.5" conduit; not at the house at the moment to double check.

Unless the 2-2-2-4 is feeding the entire dwelling, it (2-2-2-4) must be rated on a 90amp (feeder scenario). Double checked this with the local elect inspector

 

[b-boy]

I did this last Fall. I'd go with 2" the conduit. It's not much more and will make the pull easier.

I ran SER from my panel out the wall, 60ft under my porch to a junction box. In the junction box I converted to THHN/THWN using Polaris connectors. Ran this to the pole barn (~200ft) through 2" conduit right into the panel.

 

[ED26]

b-boy

Thanks; would love to go right into the panel with the wire into the outbuilding, but that would mean I would have PVC conduit run up the wall approx 5' (height of panel inside out building).

Not ideal to have another set of polaris connectors, but I do not see another way around it coming into my out building

 

[pattenp]

I know the Polaris connectors are nice, but they are expensive. I use either splice/reduces or split bolts and tape them up well.

 

[mm08822]

b-boy

Thanks; would love to go right into the panel with the wire into the outbuilding, but that would mean I would have PVC conduit run up the wall approx 5' (height of panel inside out building).

Not ideal to have another set of polaris connectors, but I do not see another way around it coming into my out building

It's a matter of preference, but you think a 12x12x6 j-box looks better than a straight vertical conduit with an LB at the top? Splice free point-point is the cheapest and best long term solution.

Paint the conduit to match the building color.

SER also has a bending radius requirement of 5x diameter.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

My plan (please correct me if wrong)

From inside home running SER AL 2-2-2-4 off of a 90 AMP breaker down stud cavity wall into an exterior junction box

Inside the junction box, using Polaris connectors converting to individual wire(s)

Three 2 AWG AL XHHW-2 (two hot, one nuetral)
One 4 AWG AL XHHW-2 for ground.

Not sure if Home Depot sells the XHHW-2 or just XHHW bare wire, if not I can order the XHHW-2 from wireandcableyourway dot com

Individual wire will be run inside 2" pvc conduit (minimum 18" to top of conduit) - probably a total run approx max 75'

Run conduit /wires into another junction box mounted on outside of exterior outbuilding

Inside that junction box, use Polaris connectors to convert back to SER AL 2-2-2-4.

Run SER 2-2-2-4 up stud cavity into subpanel.

Install 2 8- ground rods (believe they are 5/8" copper) - min' 6' apart, connect ground wire (#6 copper) into subpanel

Afterwards, open a 6 pack of busch

Thanks

Dont forget to isolate the neutral bar(s).

You may need to purchase ground bar kits.

 

[b-boy]

b-boy

Thanks; would love to go right into the panel with the wire into the outbuilding, but that would mean I would have PVC conduit run up the wall approx 5' (height of panel inside out building).

Not ideal to have another set of polaris connectors, but I do not see another way around it coming into my out building

That's what I have. I had a hole drilled through the concrete floor and conduit run through it into the garage at the location of the panel. Actually, I placed the panel at the location of the conduit's entry point.

My panel is mounted upside-down. Cables enter the box from below.

 

[mm08822]

MM08822

I may actually have bought 1.5" conduit; not at the house at the moment to double check.

Unless the 2-2-2-4 is feeding the entire dwelling, it (2-2-2-4) must be rated on a 90amp (feeder scenario). Double checked this with the local elect inspector

You are correct with 90A for a #2 feeder application. That wasn't the q.

I was asking how did you determine that you need 90a out in the shop?

 

[Norcal]

That's what I have. I had a hole drilled through the concrete floor and conduit run through it into the garage at the location of the panel. Actually, I placed the panel at the location of the conduit's entry point.

My panel is mounted upside-down. Cables enter the box from below.

It is not “upside down “ it’s bottom fed, it is only upside down if it was a much older panel with a vertically mounted main breaker that was not reversed to have the handle in the up position when on as required by code. When a loadcenter is bottom fed it’s a sign of sloppy work when unnecessary conductor is in the gutter when the same panel is installed with the lugs at the top.

 

[pattenp]

......… When a loadcenter is bottom fed it’s a sign of sloppy work when unnecessary conductor is in the gutter when the same panel is installed with the lugs at the top.

Well in your eyes a lot of electrical companies around here do sloppy work.

 

[b-boy]

It is not “upside down “ it’s bottom fed, it is only upside down if it was a much older panel with a vertically mounted main breaker that was not reversed to have the handle in the up position when on as required by code. When a loadcenter is bottom fed it’s a sign of sloppy work when unnecessary conductor is in the gutter when the same panel is installed with the lugs at the top.

Ok - I know it's technically not upside down. All the stamped lettering is setup to be readable in either mounting direction. The illustrations on the directions even showed it mounted both ways.

I'll just call it reversed from the 'norm'.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I know the Polaris connectors are nice, but they are expensive. I use either splice/reduces or split bolts and tape them up well.

That is what I used, but that was over 30 years ago ! Back then I was told to use a double layer of 3M "friction tape". Anything better these days ?

 

[ED26]

Thanks for all the help/replies - it is very insightful