Wire run from house to pole barn

[Sp180]

Just finished cementing the pole barn. Now comes the electric, but I had sticker shock at the wire. This is my plan, will this work?

the panal at the house is going to have a 100A breaker sending 220 for 240 feet along a 2-2-2-4 Alum wire under ground. This will enter the barn into a 100A panel. With voltage drop that will be getting 60A at the box. This is ok since I will be the only one using the tools. The only tool that will be using a lot of Amps is the welder running at 35A with lights on and maybe a radio.

Will this system work? If not what do I need to do?

 

[CNGsaves]

I'm sure some sparky's will reply about the voltage drop. Not sure where the sticker shock for wire as recently walked past 2-2-2-4 Al wire at Home Depot and it was $1.16/ft . . what are you being quoted??

Now would be good time to Update GJ Profile with your City / State / Country as electrical codes vary by country and state.

 

[Aceman]

Just finished cementing the pole barn. Now comes the electric, but I had sticker shock at the wire. This is my plan, will this work?

the panal at the house is going to have a 100A breaker sending 220 for 240 feet along a 2-2-2-4 Alum wire under ground. This will enter the barn into a 100A panel. With voltage drop that will be getting 60A at the box. This is ok since I will be the only one using the tools. The only tool that will be using a lot of Amps is the welder running at 35A with lights on and maybe a radio.

Will this system work? If not what do I need to do?

Search for "mobile home feeder" and I'm sure you will have all the answers to your questions. Or wait for someone to come along and repeat what's already been posted a hundred times.

 

[Gary S]

If it was me, I'd buy bigger wire, no matter what it costs. You can use the money you would have spent in the future for pink paint and paint for stripes in the barn.
Money spent on electrical is an investment. Money spent on decorating is.............nobody knows.

 

[2ManyProjects]

Just finished cementing the pole barn. Now comes the electric, but I had sticker shock at the wire. This is my plan, will this work?

the panal at the house is going to have a 100A breaker sending 220 for 240 feet along a 2-2-2-4 Alum wire under ground.

I'm not a code jockey; but my understanding is that 2-2-2-4 MHF is only good for 90A, at best. Underground runs have their own issues, and standards which must be met.

This will enter the barn into a 100A panel. With voltage drop that will be getting 60A at the box.

WHOA NELLIE!!!

Voltage drop does NOT work that way. I'm not sure where you're getting your info, but you seem to be laboring under some fundamental misunderstandings. As the name implies, 'Voltage Drop' defines the amount of VOLTAGE which is lost over a particular wire run, for any given load current passing through it. It does NOT inherently limit or cap the CURRENT which can be drawn through that wire run (tho' in practice, YOU should limit such currents, as a matter of operational safety).

A quick "back of the envelope" calculation shows that, assuming aluminum wire, you'd need at least AWG 2/0 to limit voltage drop to acceptable levels over that run length, assuming a 90A sub-panel. Hence, 2-2-2-4 MHF would not be nearly large enough.

This is ok since I will be the only one using the tools. The only tool that will be using a lot of Amps is the welder running at 35A with lights on and maybe a radio.

What about an air compressor? Or some sort of HVAC (or at least an exhaust fan)? Or a dust-collection system? My guess is, you are significantly underestimating your needs. OTOH, if you aren't underestimating this, then there's no need for the 100A (or 90A, for that matter) sub-panel -- so where did that idea come from?

Will this system work? If not what do I need to do?

Hire a competent professional electrician?

 

[pattenp]

You need to forget about #2 Al @ 240 ft. You should step it up to #2/0 Al.



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